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06
May
Romance fraudsters cost North Yorkshire victims £1.5m last year
Victims of romance fraud in North Yorkshire were scammed out of more than £1.5 million last year, police have revealed.
North Yorkshire Police yesterday (May 5) said 86 reports of romance fraud – the engineering of a supposed relationship for exploitative or financial gain – were made to the force across York and North Yorkshire in 2025 alone, with total losses reaching £1,509,853.
Nationally, 10,784 reports were made last year and more than £102 million was lost.
City of London Police analysis discovered people aged 55 to 74 “suffered the greatest financial loss” and accounted for almost half of the total funds stolen.
“Although men submitted a higher number of reports overall, women typically experienced greater financial losses", the force added.
North Yorkshire Police said romance fraud “can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender or background”.
It added:
It is closely linked to online platforms, particularly social media and dating sites, where offenders can easily create convincing false profiles. Investigators are also seeing increased use of AI-generated images and messages to support fraudulent identities.
In many cases, romance fraud is linked with fake investment opportunities, including cryptocurrency, in hybrid frauds which further increase the financial risk to victims.
Warning signs
Police said romance fraud can be particularly harmful because offenders prey on trust and emotional connection, often building up what appears to be a genuine relationship before attempting to exploit the victim financially.
North Yorkshire Police urged people to “stay alert” for the warning signs of romance fraud, which include:
• Individuals who develop relationships very quickly or express strong feelings early on.
• Excuses not to meet in person or to avoid live video calls.
• Wanting to send money, cryptocurrency or gift cards to someone you have not met face-to-face.
• Talk of investments, medical emergencies or travel costs.
• The person you are communicating with doesn’t like it when you use ways to protect yourself from fraud.
Police urged people to speak to friends or family members if they want to forward money to someone, and even reverse-image search photos of someone’s profile or photos they send.
The force also said people should:
• Actively let the person know you are aware of fraud and will be protecting yourself. If they don’t like it, this is a key warning sign.
• If you want to move money, listen to your bank and follow their advice to stop if they tell you they are concerned.
Leeds Crown Court and Peter Gray.
Tinder Swindler
The Stray Ferret reported on a Harrogate-born romance fraudster, who was dubbed The Tinder Swindler last year after his jail time was increased by 50%.
Peter Gray, 36, who moved to Kirklees but is believed to have attended Pannal Primary School and Rossett School, was sentenced in 2024 to 56 months in prison for defrauding four women of around £80,000.
He was then handed a further two years and four months last year after admitting nine offences of fraud.
Gray defrauded one of his victims by gaining large amounts of cash from her for non-existent work to a property and using her pay TV account to obtain goods and services.
He also took out a lease for a car in her name and used her credit card without consent.
DC David Allott, of the Kirklees precision, serious and organised team, last year said Gray is a “serial fraudster” who “cannot tell the different between reality and fantasy”.
The romance fraudster spun a web of lies in order to extort cash from his victims to fund his lifestyle, DC Allott said, adding he used a number of different control and manipulation tactics to do so.
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