Romance fraud cases in Surrey reach nearly 1,000

Fraudsters often target people who are already vulnerable, Surrey Police said

There have been nearly 1,000 reported romance fraud cases in Surrey since 2020, new figures show.

In 2024, Action Fraud recorded 8,548 cases of romance fraud nationally, accounting for more than £92m lost.

A Surrey widower previously told the BBC he was left homeless after falling victim to a con that saw him transfer his £85,000 life savings to a woman who never existed.

PC Bernadette Lawrie, financial abuse safeguarding officer for Surrey Police, said romance fraud, when a fraudster engineers a supposed relationship for financial gain, was "probably one of the most horrible crime types" the force saw.

She said scammers targeted the vulnerable, including those who were recently bereaved, divorced, lonely or already isolated.

"The financial impact and losses are high, but the impact goes so far beyond the financial," she told BBC Radio Surrey.

"It really can be quite devastating. We see victims take a long time to recover, if at all, to rebuild that trust and faith in other people and rebuild the relationships around them that they have lost through that period."

Police previously said victims of romance fraud were subject to losses of more than £7m last year in Surrey and Sussex.

PC Lawrie described the period when fraudsters were initially making contact and "building a rapport" with victims as "basically a lengthy grooming period".

"They're grooming the victim until eventually they ask for the money," she said.

"By the time they ask for the money, they've sown the seed of why they are going to need it."

In Surrey, there were 198 cases reported to Action Fraud in 2020, with a peak of 250 cases in 2021.

The total since 2020 is 983 cases in the area, while 183 were reported in 2024.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis said romance fraud was a "cruel and calculated crime" which often left victims "financially and emotionally shattered".

He added: "We will continue to work with law enforcement partners at home and overseas to tackle these shameful criminals, and shut down their fraudulent operations.

"And we urge all members of the public to search Stop! Think Fraud to stay ahead of the most common scams, and increase their online security."

How to avoid romance scams

According to Action Fraud, signs of romance fraud include a person being secretive about their relationship or becoming hostile or angry when asked about their online partner.

They may have sent, or be planning to send, money to someone they have never met in person.

Advice for protecting yourself against scams includes:

• Be suspicious of any requests for money from someone you have never met in person, particularly if you have only recently met online

• Speak to your family or friends to get advice

• Profile photos may not be genuine, so do your research first. Performing a reverse image search using a search engine can help you find photos that have been stolen from somewhere else

Advice for supporting a victim of a scam includes:

• Reassure your loved one you are there for them and it is not their fault

• Improve your own understanding about romance scams

• Remember to look after yourself, too - supporting someone through romance fraud can be tough

Source: Action Fraud / Victim Support

Further support can be found via BBC Action Line.