Romance fraud red flags: Learn the criminals’ tactics

Published: 03 October 2025

Friday 3 October was World Romance Fraud Awareness Day.

Across Essex, there have been 231 reports of romance fraud in the past 12 months with losses totalling £3.2m – an average of nearly £14,000 per victim.

Last week we hosted events at libraries in Westcliff, Grays and Chelmsford, and our counter fraud specialist David Gillies spoke to BBC TV and radio alongside romance fraud author Becky Holmes to raise awareness of the red flags that might indicate that you are talking to a fraudster.

So, what are the warning signs people should look out for when meeting potential new love interests online?

The warning signs

The illusion of wealth

• Does your new match appear to live the high life, or have assets worth a lot of money?
• Do their social media accounts feature shiny new cars and expensive holidays?
• Do they claim to have a well-paid career?
• Does it all look a bit too good to be true?

Let’s talk somewhere else

When you are chatting on a dating platform, you are bound by their rules, you can report people and get them banned. If someone is pushing you to leave the platform and chat somewhere else, be warned. There are no rules governing communication on other apps likes WhatsApp. Stay on the platforms.