Young, single men are the most likely group to miss the signs of a romance scam

• A romance scam is a type of fraud when a scammer pretends to be romantically interested in someone to get money or personal information from them.
• UK adults in general are overly confident – seven in ten (70%) say they would be able to spot a romance scam, but many failed to identify the most common signs.
• George Brown, consumer protection lead at MaPS said: “There’s no need to feel any shame or embarrassment if you are affected by a romance scam. These scammers are clever and will use years of experience and new technologies to trick you.”
• Ahead of Valentine’s Day, MaPS wants to raise awareness of romance fraud and encourage people to report scams to Report Fraud or MoneyHelper, our government-backed money guidance service. 

New research from MaPS has found that young, single men are less likely to spot the signs of a romance scam compared to other demographic groups, including single women aged 45 and over, who are often believed to be most at risk.

The most common signs of a romance scam include a reluctance to meet up in person, talk on the phone, or video chat, asking for financial help early in the relationship, and having an extremely attractive dating profile, including very appealing photos and an impressive career.

Of the total survey of 2,000 adults, seven in ten said they could spot a romance scam, but the majority failed to identify the definite signs of a scam from a list. Just 14% said being extremely attractive was a sign, whilst 18% said having a very impressive dating profile was a sign, and fewer than half (44%) knew that being asked to keep the relationship a secret is a warning sign.

Around one in four adults (26%) identified that a relationship becoming serious very quickly was a definite sign.

Young single men aged 18-34 were particularly likely to miss key warning signs of a scam:

• 42% thought being reluctant to meet up in real life, talk on the phone or video chat was a definite sign, compared to 66% of single women aged 45 and over.
• Half said being asked for money or a loan early on was a definite sign – compared to 85% of single women aged 45 and over.
• Around a third were unsure whether an extremely attractive profile (37%) or a glamorous or unusual job (30%) were warning signs.
• Less than a quarter (24%) identified being asked to keep a relationship secret as a sign, compared to nearly two thirds (62%) of single women aged 45 and over.

George Brown, Consumer Protection Lead at MaPS, says:

“Romance scams are sadly a common but underreported type of scam, and the last thing we want to see is people losing money as a result this Valentine’s Day.

“To make sure you fall for a genuine love interest and not a scam, make sure you know some of the signs. Look out for reluctance to meet in person or talk on the phone, a profile that seems too good to be true – such as an exciting or unusual job, or glamourous photo – or the relationship moving very quickly.

“There’s no need to feel any shame or embarrassment if you are the person affected by a romance scam. These cybercriminals and scammers are clever and will use years of experience, emotional stories, love letter templates and new technologies to trick you. Remember that if it looks, seems or feels too good to be true, it probably is.

“If you think you might be the target of a romance scam, whatever you do, don’t send any money. Instead report it to Report Fraud and call MoneyHelper’s Financial Crimes and Scams Unit on 0800 015 4402.”

Visit the MoneyHelper websiteOpens in a new window and Report FraudOpens in a new window for more information on romance scams, including how to spot the signs and get help.

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• This research took place between 20-23 January 2026 and was conducted by Opinium using a blend of online panels. This means the interview was a self-completion exercise making it easier for people to answer honestly about their personal situation. 
  
• The survey was conducted with 2,000 adults (18+) who are single, in a relationship, married, in a civil partnership, separated/divorced, or widowed. This was representative of the UK in terms of age and gender, region/nation, working status and social grade.