Millions of pounds lost to dating scammers

CHESHIRE residents have lost millions of pounds to dating scammers, it has been revealed.

- BY JOSH PENNINGTON

In new data released by Action Fraud, the extent to which romance scammers are targeting the county has been laid bare.

The research shows that hundreds of Cheshire residents were among the victims of dating scams that cost UK victims over a quarter of a billion pounds in three years.

In response to a Freedom of Information request sent by fraud recovery experts Action Fraud Claims Advice, the national reporting centre for fraud revealed that there were 21,976 reports of dating scams received between 2022/23 and 2024/25.

Based on self-reported losses, Cheshire victims parted with a collective £4,355,788 after being manipulated by scammers pretending to pursue a romantic relationship.

A total of 399 reports were traced back to Cheshire, making the average loss experienced by a victim in the region £10,917. That mean figure is above the UK average of £10,324 lost per case (not including Scotland).

Greater London was affected most by dating scams, with residents reporting more cases (2,635) and reporting more losses (over £47m) than anywhere else.

In total, reported losses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from 2022/23 to 2024/25 reached a deeply concerning £271,430,524.