FOI 331935
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 331935
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 3rd May 2024. Please find below the response to your request:
Please could you provide the following:
How many reports of Romance related fraud and scams there have been.
Can you provide data for each year from 2020 to present time.
How many of these reports were for online romance scams where the victim and perpetrator didn't meet ?
The number of those reports that were referred to CPS.
The number of those reports where victims were referred to civil courts The number of which were not investigated or referred as a police or civil matter.
How many of these reports were 'in-person romance scams' where the victim and perpetrator met in real life?
The number of those reports that were referred to CPS.
The number of those reports where victims were referred to civil courts The number of which were not investigated or referred as a police or civil matter.
Reply
How many reports of Romance related fraud and scams there have been.
Can you provide data for each year from 2020 to present time.
|
Calendar Year |
Number of romance fraud reports |
|
2020 |
15 |
|
2021 |
31 |
|
2022 |
37 |
|
2023 |
25 |
|
2024 (Jan-Apr) |
3 |
|
Grand Total |
111 |
How many of these reports were for online romance scams where the victim and perpetrator didn't meet ?
How many of these reports were 'in-person romance scams' where the victim and perpetrator met in real life?
|
Type of romance scam (from manual review of Incident Summary field) |
Calendar Year |
Grand Total |
||||
|
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 (Jan-Apr) |
||
|
Victim and suspect have not met in real life |
12 |
24 |
31 |
21 |
|
88 |
|
Victim and suspect met in real life |
3 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
15 |
|
Not clear from summary if victim and suspect met up |
|
4 |
3 |
|
1 |
8 |
|
Grand Total |
15 |
31 |
37 |
25 |
3 |
111 |
The number of those reports where victims were referred to civil courts The number of which were not investigated or referred as a police or civil matter.
- No information held. We do not hold data in relation to the number of reports referred to civil courts, not investigated or referred as a police or civil matter. However, please see listed the Police Outcomes broken down by ‘type’ of romance fraud:
|
Police Outcomes |
Calendar Year |
Grand Total |
||||
|
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 (Jan-Apr) |
||
|
Romance scam - Victim and suspect have not met in real life |
12 |
24 |
31 |
21 |
|
88 |
|
Type 1 - Charged/Summonsed/Postal Requisition |
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Type 13 - Prosecution Prevented-Named Suspect Identified But Victim Or Key Witness Is Dead Or Too Ill To Give Evidence |
|
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
Type 14 - Evidential Difficulties Victim Based- Suspect Not Identified: Crime Confirmed But The Victim Either Declines Or Unable To Support Further Police Investigation To Identify The Offender |
|
7 |
9 |
4 |
|
20 |
|
Type 15 - Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
|
6 |
|
Type 16 - Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action: Victim Does Not Support (Or Has Withdrawn Support From) Police Action |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
3 |
|
Type 18 - Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified. Crime Investigated As Far As Reasonably Possible-Case Closed Pending Further Investigative Opportunities Becoming Available |
8 |
11 |
15 |
13 |
|
47 |
|
Type 20 - Further action resulting from the crime report will be undertaken by another body or agency subject to the victim (or person acting on their behalf) being made aware of the act to be taken |
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Type AF – Action Fraud record filed temporarily awaiting result from master AF investigation |
2 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
|
8 |
|
Pending/under investigation |
|
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
Romance scam - Victim and suspect have met in real life |
3 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
15 |
|
Type 1 - Charged/Summonsed/Postal Requisition |
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
2 |
|
Type 15 - Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
4 |
|
Type 16 - Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action: Victim Does Not Support (Or Has Withdrawn Support From) Police Action |
1 |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
|
Type 18 - Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified. Crime Investigated As Far As Reasonably Possible-Case Closed Pending Further Investigative Opportunities Becoming Available |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
2 |
|
Type AF – Action Fraud record filed temporarily awaiting result from master AF investigation |
|
1 |
1 |
|
|
2 |
|
Pending/under investigation |
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Romance scam - Not clear from summary if victim and suspect met in real life |
|
4 |
3 |
|
1 |
8 |
|
Type 14 - Evidential Difficulties Victim Based- Suspect Not Identified: Crime Confirmed But The Victim Either Declines Or Unable To Support Further Police Investigation To Identify The Offender |
|
2 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Type 15 - Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action |
|
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
Type 16 - Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action: Victim Does Not Support (Or Has Withdrawn Support From) Police Action |
|
|
2 |
|
|
2 |
|
Type 18 - Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified. Crime Investigated As Far As Reasonably Possible-Case Closed Pending Further Investigative Opportunities Becoming Available |
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Type 20 - Further action resulting from the crime report will be undertaken by another body or agency subject to the victim (or person acting on their behalf) being made aware of the act to be taken |
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
Pending/under investigation |
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Grand Total |
15 |
31 |
37 |
25 |
3 |
111 |
The number of those reports that were referred to CPS.
- 3 of the crimes where the victim & perpetrator did not meet were referred to CPS
- 3 of the crimes where the victim & perpetrator did meet were referred to CPS