Romance Scam Recovery Services

Our specialist solicitors have helped recover millions for fraud victims across the UK with our no-win, no-fee guarantee.

A romance scam occurs when a fraudster creates a fake romantic relationship with a victim to gain their trust and ultimately steal money. These scams typically start on dating apps, social media, or messaging platforms, where the scammer uses a false identity to appear emotionally appealing. Over time, they will lure the victim into thinking they are in a romantic relationship.

Once trust is established, the scammer asks for money—often claiming it’s for emergencies like medical bills, legal issues, debt or even travel expenses to pretend to visit the victim. In more advanced scams, victims are convinced to invest in fake investments, with funds sent directly to the fraudster.

Romance scams are on the increase in the UK. In 2023 alone, Action Fraud (the Police unit that investigates scams) reported over £95 million lost to romance fraud, with average losses exceeding £7,000 per victim. The real figures could be much higher than this.

Romance scams work by manipulating emotions to gain trust before exploiting victims for money. Once initial contact is made—often through dating apps or social media—fraudsters follow a series of calculated steps to build a fake romantic relationship.

Common tactics used by romance scammers include:

• Targeted profiles and fake identities – Sophisticated Romance Scammers often research victims using social media, tailoring fake profiles with appealing photos and shared interests to build quick rapport.
• Love bombing and emotional manipulation – Early in the conversation, they may express intense feelings—known as love bombing—to create a false sense of intimacy. They often juggle multiple victims and assess emotional vulnerability quickly. They will want to know early in the relationship the victim’s feelings for them so they can have a better chance of convincing their victim to part with money.
• Isolation from friends and platforms – Scammers usually ask to move the chat off dating platforms onto private messaging apps, and may urge secrecy to avoid suspicion from the victim’s friends or family.
• Financial grooming – Once trust is built, scammers begin probing for financial details—savings, pensions, or income—before inventing emotional emergencies to request money. These may include: urgent medical bills, family crises or emergency debts.

Scammers often promise to repay what they “borrow,” adding guilt and pressure to comply.

Common examples of romance scams:

• Older victims are frequently targeted—particularly those who are widowed or divorced, as they’re perceived to have savings.
• Fake long-distance partners claim to work abroad (e.g., military, business travel) to justify not meeting in person.
• Pretend wealth is a common trick—fraudsters claim to be financially well-off (e.g. a small business owner working abroad) but suddenly face a situation where they “can’t access their funds” and need a loan.

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