“Victims are groomed and manipulated”: Suffolk police warn after £400,000 lost to romance fraud
Reports of the crime have increased nationally.
Victims of romance fraud in Suffolk lost more than £400,000 last year, as police warned criminals are increasingly targeting people through dating apps, social media and encrypted messaging platforms.
New figures released by the City of London Police show there were 104 reports of romance fraud in Suffolk during 2025, with total losses reaching £413,863.
Nationally, victims lost more than £102 million over the same period, with nearly 11,000 reports made to Report Fraud, a 29 per cent increase compared with the previous year.
"Victims are groomed and manipulated"
Lauren Speirs said the emotional impact of romance fraud can often be as devastating as the financial losses, and it's something they're seeing more and more frequently.
"'It's something we see a good few times a week. It happens every single day."
She said: “Romance fraud has a deep and lasting impact that goes far beyond money.
“Many victims experience intense emotional harm. They might feel betrayal, grief, anxiety, loss of confidence, because the relationship feels real.”
She said offenders often spend weeks or months building trust with victims before asking for money.
Ms Speirs added: “Victims are groomed and manipulated in a relationship that they've built feelings of love and trust in.
“To have all of that broken just has a massive knock-on effect, vctims may lose savings, pensions, they may go into debt because of the fraud, which can then affect housing, their independence, even family relationships. And that stress can then lead to poor mental health, including depression and isolation...
"I think one of the most damaging effects of romance fraud is silence because victims often blame themselves and worry about how others will react, which means that the abuse can continue for longer, and recovery takes more time."
According to the figures, people aged between 55 and 74 suffered the greatest financial losses nationally, accounting for almost half of the total amount stolen.
However, Suffolk Police stressed romance fraud affects people of all ages.
Ms Speirs said: “It's people of all ages, not just the older demographic.”
Police say fraudsters commonly use dating sites, Facebook, gaming platforms and messaging apps such as WhatsApp to target victims.
What to look out for
Ms Speiers explained that criminals will often attempt to move conversations away from dating apps quickly, where conversations are more difficult to monitor or report.
Ms Speirs said: “A lot of criminals will want to get the victims off the dating site as quickly as possible.
“They'll want to move on to an app such as WhatsApp that's encrypted.”
Police are advising anyone who receives suspicious messages online to stop contact immediately and report the account involved.
Ms Speirs said: “If you are in a relationship with someone you've only met online, any requests for money should ring an alarm, however sad or urgent their story is.
“Any requests for money, gift cards, cryptocurrency or money for investments should be a red flag.”
The force is also encouraging people to speak openly with friends and family if they are unsure whether an online relationship is genuine.
Ms Speirs said feelings of embarrassment often stop victims from seeking support.
She said: “There's a lot of shame and embarrassment around this, which can stop people asking for help.”
Support
Ms Speirs said it's her ambition to increase the support available for victims in the area.
"I really want to make sure that there's support there, not just financially but emotionally, and that's what I'm currently working on with other partner agencies to make sure there's holistic support there for victims, so they can get emotional and financial support as well.
"...I am in the middle of setting up a partner agency which will be known as Suffolk Against Fraud and that will be the police and Suffolk Trading Standards, and we will be working with businesses, charities, lots of different organisations across the county.
"So we all have an aligned approach when it comes to fraud and protecting our communities. It will be a lot of staff training, joint initiatives, and campaigns to make sure that people have the right support and they know where to report fraud if they feel they may have been a victim or they've got a concern about someone."
Ms Speiers encourages anyone who believes they may have been targeted to report it through Report Fraud or contact their bank immediately if money has already been transferred.