If a romantic contact has persuaded you to send money or reveal financial details, act now: stop communicating with the person, send nothing else, and contact your bank or payment provider through its official app, card or website. Then report the crime through the route for your UK nation. Fast reporting can help your provider protect the account and assess recovery or reimbursement, although no bank can promise that every payment will be recovered.
Romance fraud often follows weeks, months or years of trust-building. Being manipulated does not make you responsible for the crime. Ask someone you trust to sit with you while you make the calls and reports.
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Do these things in the first hour
- Break contact. The government’s Stop! Think Fraud guidance says to “break the contact – don’t make any payments or share any more personal information”. Block the suspected scammer where practical. Do not send a final explanation, verification fee, “tax”, gift card, cryptocurrency payment or travel cost.
- Secure your accounts. Tell the bank if you disclosed online-banking credentials, card numbers, security codes or identity information, as well as reporting any payment. Follow the bank’s instructions for changing credentials, replacing cards or restricting access. Start from the bank’s official app, the number printed on your card or its official website; do not use a link or telephone number supplied by the person who contacted you.
- Contact the bank or payment provider immediately. Say clearly that you were deceived into making a payment in a romance scam. Give the date, amount, recipient and payment reference for every transfer. Ask what protective action is needed, whether the provider can attempt to trace or recover funds, and how to make a reimbursement or complaint claim.
- Preserve useful records. Keep messages, profile names, email addresses, telephone numbers, payment confirmations and a short timeline. Do not keep communicating merely to gather more evidence. Your bank or police service can tell you what information it needs.
- Call 999 if there is immediate danger or a crime is in progress. Do not wait for an online fraud form when someone is at risk.
A trusted friend or family member can provide a second opinion, help list transactions and reduce the chance of another payment being made while the case is being handled.
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Use plain language rather than describing the transfer only as a “relationship payment”. A useful opening is:
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“I have been deceived in a romance scam. I sent these payments because of that deception. Please secure my account, check whether any further access is possible, try to trace or recover the funds, and explain the reimbursement and complaint process.”
Then provide:
- the payment method and account or card used;
- each payment’s date, amount, recipient details and reference;
- when you first realised the relationship was fraudulent;
- whether you shared passwords, one-time codes, card details or identity documents;
- whether any device, email account or phone number may also be compromised.
The Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) says, “Contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve been scammed.” The provider should explain the claim process and any information it needs. Recovery is not automatic: the outcome depends on the payment system, date, eligibility rules and the facts of the claim.
Questions to ask the provider
Have these questions ready so the call produces a clear next step:
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- Has the account, card or online access been secured, and is any further action required from me?
- Can you attempt a recall, trace or other recovery action for each payment?
- Is each transfer being assessed as authorised push payment (APP) fraud?
- Does the payment qualify for the current reimbursement rules, and what evidence do you need?
- What is my case or claim reference, and when should I expect the next update?
- How do I make a formal complaint if I disagree with the decision?
Ask for important decisions and deadlines in writing. If you made payments from more than one bank or wallet, contact every provider separately; one provider cannot decide another provider’s claim.
Report the crime through the correct UK route
England and Wales: Report Fraud
Report the loss online to Report Fraud or by telephone on 0300 123 2040. The online service allows a report with an account or as a guest. Include the romance context, the communications that induced the payment and the transaction details. Make this report even after you have spoken to your bank.
Scotland: Police Scotland
If you live in Scotland and lost money, report the crime to Police Scotland using its fraud-reporting route. The Scottish route is separate from the England and Wales Report Fraud service.
Why older advice says “Action Fraud”
Report Fraud replaced Action Fraud as the national platform on 4 December 2025; the telephone number remained 0300 123 2040. Articles that direct you only to Action Fraud use the former service name. Use the current Report Fraud name when reporting in England or Wales.
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When to use 101 or 999
The general crime-reporting guidance lists 101 for reporting a crime from within the UK. Use 999 for immediate danger or a crime in progress. For an online-fraud loss in Scotland, use the specific Police Scotland route rather than relying on a generic fraud article.
Forward the scam message as a separate report
Message reporting helps investigators and mobile or email providers identify campaigns, but it does not replace a personal fraud report or a call to your bank.
- Forward a suspicious email to
[email protected]. The National Cyber Security Centre investigates reports sent there. - Forward a suspicious text message to
7726. This reports the text to your mobile provider.
If you have lost money, complete the relevant crime report as well. A message can be reported even when no payment was made, while a victim who paid needs the bank and crime-reporting steps.
If you shared information but did not pay
You should still stop contact, preserve the messages and tell the affected provider what was disclosed. A scammer with your password, card number, security code or identity document may make a later approach or attempt account access. Change credentials through the genuine service and follow the bank’s instructions. Report a suspicious email or text through the message channels above, and make a crime report if you believe you have been defrauded or your identity has been misused.
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Build a clear payment and contact timeline
A short chronology makes it easier for the bank and police to understand what happened. Start with the date the contact began, how trust was established, the first request for money, each later request, and the date you realised the story was false. For every payment, record the sending account, payment system, amount, date, recipient name or account details and reference. Note whether you authorised it yourself, whether anyone else had access, and what the scammer said immediately before the transfer.
Keep original screenshots, emails and payment confirmations where possible. Do not edit messages to make them look clearer, and do not delete the profile until you have asked the provider or police whether it needs the information. Store copies safely, but do not send passwords, one-time codes or complete identity documents to an unverified person claiming to investigate.
Could an APP reimbursement rule cover your transfer?
Authorised push payment (APP) fraud occurs when a victim is manipulated into authorising a payment. Current PSR guidance includes romance scams within the APP fraud types covered by the reimbursement rules for qualifying payments made on or after 7 October 2024.
| Question | Current rule or expectation |
|---|---|
| Which payment systems are in scope? | UK Faster Payments and CHAPS transfers. |
| How soon must you report? | As soon as possible and within 13 months of making the fraudulent payment. |
| Standard maximum claim amount | £85,000 per claim. |
| Possible excess | A firm may apply an excess of up to £100. It cannot apply that excess to a vulnerable consumer. |
| Expected payment timing | Reimbursement is expected within five business days after a claim when the claim is accepted and the process allows it. |
| Longest decision period when more information is needed | The provider must reach an outcome within 35 business days. |
| Can a firm pay more? | Yes. Firms may reimburse more than the standard cap. |
These are scheme rules and process expectations, not a promise that your claim will be accepted. The bank may ask for more information before deciding. Report promptly even if you are unsure whether the rule applies; the provider can assess the transfer and tell you what process is available.
Payment types that need separate treatment
| Payment or loss | What the current guidance establishes |
|---|---|
| Faster Payment made on or after 7 October 2024 | May qualify for APP reimbursement, subject to the rules and claim facts. |
| CHAPS transfer made on or after 7 October 2024 | May qualify for APP reimbursement, subject to the rules and claim facts. |
| Card payment | The APP rules described here do not automatically cover it; ask the card issuer what protection or dispute process applies. |
| Cash, cheque or cryptocurrency | The APP rules described here do not automatically cover it; report it to the provider and the relevant crime-reporting service for an assessment. |
| International payment | The APP rules described here do not establish automatic coverage; ask the sending provider what recovery options exist. |
| Payment made before 7 October 2024 | The newer APP protection may not apply; the bank must assess the payment under the rules and processes relevant to it. |
Do not describe a card, cash, cheque, cryptocurrency or international loss as covered merely because it was caused by a romance scam. The bank may still be able to take protective or recovery action, but the sources above do not establish one universal procedure for those payment methods.
What the £85,000 cap and deadlines mean in practice
The £85,000 figure is the standard maximum for a claim, not a guaranteed payment and not necessarily a limit on every firm’s voluntary reimbursement. An optional excess of up to £100 may reduce an eligible reimbursement, but a firm cannot apply that excess to a vulnerable consumer.
Report as soon as you discover the deception. The formal outer period in the current guidance is 13 months from the fraudulent payment. If there were several transfers, give the provider the date of every one rather than assuming the clock runs only from the final payment. Waiting can make tracing funds harder and risks missing that deadline. If a provider says it needs more information, respond promptly and keep a record of dates, documents and reference numbers.
When a claim is accepted, consumers can expect reimbursement within five business days. If the provider needs more time to investigate, it must reach an outcome within 35 business days. “Expected” does not mean every accepted claim will arrive on the same day, and the 35-day period is an outcome deadline, not a promise of reimbursement.
How to challenge a refusal or delay
- Ask the provider to confirm its decision in writing, including which payment type and date it assessed.
- Request the reasons for refusal, any evidence it relied on and the complaint route.
- Check that the provider considered every transfer separately; a single relationship can involve payments with different dates or systems.
- Use the firm’s formal complaints process. If the matter remains unresolved, ask about taking it to the Financial Ombudsman route.
Keep the bank’s case number, the date you reported, copies of messages and your timeline. Do not stop a police or Report Fraud report while a bank complaint is pending; they serve different purposes.
Common mistakes that create more loss
- Paying a “recovery agent”. A person who caused the loss may return under a new identity, or another fraudster may promise to recover the money for an upfront fee. Do not send more funds.
- Using a contact supplied by the scammer. A fake “bank investigator” can capture passwords or one-time codes. Start with the bank’s official app, card or website.
- Deleting everything. Preserve relevant records for the bank and police, but stop engaging with the scammer.
- Reporting only the message. Sending an email to the phishing address or a text to 7726 does not tell your bank that money was lost.
- Assuming the bank will always recover the money. Recovery depends on payment route, timing, recipient account status and claim eligibility.
- Waiting for certainty. You can tell the bank and police that you suspect a romance scam while details are still being checked. Early notification matters.
- Continuing the relationship to obtain a confession. More conversation can create another opportunity for pressure or payment. The bank and police can advise on evidence without requiring continued contact.
- Paying a fee to unlock a refund. A genuine bank will not require you to transfer money to release a supposed recovery payment. End the contact and use an official channel to verify any claim.
Protect personal information exposed during the relationship
Tell the bank about every category of information you shared, not only the payment. That includes login names, passwords, card details, security codes, copies of identity documents and access to email or social-media accounts. Follow the provider’s instructions for securing the affected accounts and devices.
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Change credentials through the genuine service, not through a link in an old message. If the same password was reused elsewhere, tell the relevant providers and change it there too. Do not disclose a new password or security code to anyone who contacts you claiming to handle the case.
Continue to watch for follow-up approaches. A scammer may use the original story, claim that an inheritance or parcel is waiting, or offer to arrange a refund. Treat any request for a fee, remote access or another transfer as a new warning sign.
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Support after reporting
Romance fraud can cause shame, grief and isolation in addition to financial loss. The 2026–2029 Fraud Strategy describes specialist support through Report Fraud Victim Services. It also sets out a planned Fraud Victims Charter for 2027, intended to establish national standards for care, communication, reimbursement advice, recovery and access to practical and emotional support. The Charter is a future plan, not a service that is already available.
Ask a trusted person to help with calls, paperwork and account checks. A published strategy case study describes police and a Victim Support worker helping a victim recognise the fraud and reconnect with family; that is an illustration of possible support, not a guaranteed outcome for every case.
What the national reimbursement figure does—and does not—tell you
The Home Office Fraud Strategy 2026–2029 reports that 88% (£173 million) of money lost to in-scope APP fraud in the scheme’s first year was reimbursed. This is a scheme-wide figure, not a romance-scam-specific rate and not a prediction for an individual claim. Your payment date, system, evidence and circumstances still determine the bank’s decision.
A compact reporting checklist
- Stop contact, payments and further disclosure.
- Use a trusted person for support.
- Secure the bank account and any exposed credentials.
- Contact the bank or payment provider immediately through an official channel.
- List every transfer, date, amount, recipient and reference.
- Ask about tracing, recovery, APP reimbursement and the complaint process.
- Report in England or Wales to Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or online.
- Report in Scotland to Police Scotland.
- Forward suspicious emails to
[email protected]and texts to7726when appropriate. - Call 999 for immediate danger or a crime in progress.
- Keep case numbers and records, and respond to requests for information.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I report a romance scam in the UK?
Stop contact and payments, tell your bank or payment provider immediately, then report the crime through Report Fraud in England and Wales or Police Scotland if you live in Scotland. Forward suspicious emails to [email protected] and texts to 7726 as additional message reports.
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Say plainly that you were deceived into authorising payments in a romance scam. List each payment’s date, amount, recipient and reference, explain what information was disclosed, and ask the provider to secure the account, attempt recovery and explain the reimbursement and complaint process.
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Can I get my money back after a romance scam?
Possibly, but it is not guaranteed. Eligible UK Faster Payments and CHAPS transfers made on or after 7 October 2024 may fall under APP reimbursement rules. Report as soon as possible and within 13 months; the standard maximum is £85,000 per claim, with a possible excess of up to £100 that cannot be applied to a vulnerable consumer.
Is Action Fraud still the right place to report a scam?
In England and Wales, the current service is Report Fraud. It replaced Action Fraud on 4 December 2025, while the telephone number remained 0300 123 2040.
Who do I report a scammer to in Scotland?
If you live in Scotland and lost money, report the crime to Police Scotland using its fraud-reporting route. Contact your bank as well; a police report does not replace the bank’s payment-recovery process.
Does forwarding a scam text report the money I lost?
No. Forwarding a text to 7726 or an email to [email protected] helps report the message, but you must also contact your bank and make the appropriate crime report if money was lost.
What if I paid by card, cash, cryptocurrency or internationally?
The APP rules described here do not automatically cover those payment types. Tell the relevant provider immediately and ask what dispute, protective or recovery options apply, then report the crime.
What if the bank refuses reimbursement?
Ask for the decision and reasons in writing, check that every payment was assessed, use the provider’s formal complaints process and ask about taking the unresolved complaint to the Financial Ombudsman route.
The Bottom Line
Stop contact and send nothing else. Contact each bank or payment provider immediately through an official channel, report the crime to Report Fraud in England and Wales or Police Scotland in Scotland, and preserve the payment and message records. APP reimbursement may apply to eligible Faster Payments and CHAPS transfers made on or after 7 October 2024, but recovery is never automatic.
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