Dating App Scams: How to Spot and Avoid Online Romance Fraud in London

When you swipe right on a dating app, you’re not just looking for a date—you’re trusting a stranger with your time, your emotions, and sometimes your money. dating app scams, fraudulent schemes where fake profiles lure people into emotional or financial relationships. Also known as catfishing, these scams are growing fast in London, where millions use apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge every day. These aren’t just stories from the news. Real people in Peckham, Camden, and Canary Wharf have lost thousands—some even their life savings—after falling for someone who never existed.

online romance fraud, a type of scam where scammers build fake emotional connections to exploit victims doesn’t start with a request for cash. It starts with a perfect message: "I’ve been looking for someone like you," "I just got back from a business trip," or "I’m not good with apps, but I really like you." They move fast—texting daily, sharing deep stories, sending late-night voice notes. Then, slowly, they ask for help. A sick relative needs surgery. A visa is stuck. A business deal is about to close. They need just £500. Or £5,000. Or £50,000. And they’ll cry, plead, threaten to leave if you don’t help. fake profiles, online identities built with stolen photos and fabricated backstories are the foundation. Many use images from models, soldiers, or even dead people. Some have AI-generated faces. You won’t find them on Google. You won’t find them on LinkedIn. And when you ask to video call? They’ll always have an excuse: bad Wi-Fi, camera broken, too busy at work.

What makes these scams so dangerous in London isn’t just the number of people using apps—it’s how isolated many feel. After long workdays, crowded Tube rides, and remote jobs, people turn to dating apps for connection. Scammers know that. They don’t just target the lonely—they target the hopeful. And they’re not just foreigners. Some are based right here, in London flats, running dozens of fake profiles at once. The police say these scams are now among the top financial crimes in the city.

You don’t need to quit dating apps to stay safe. You just need to know the signs. If someone refuses to meet in person after weeks of talking, if they always have a crisis that needs money, if their story changes every time you ask, if they send links or ask for bank details—stop. Block. Report. And tell someone. Every post in this collection shows real cases, real advice, and real ways Londoners are fighting back—from community workshops in Hackney to free scam alerts from the City of London Police. You’re not alone. And you don’t have to be the next victim.