Romance Scams and Synthetic Identities: Why Online Dating Needs a Friction-Right Fraud Strategy

According to the National Crime Agency, romance fraud has remained at elevated levels since the pandemic, with significant victim harm and increasing use of cyber-enabled tactics, such as social engineering and deepfake impersonation. ⁶ This risk is not going unnoticed by users, with 66% of UK consumers saying they are concerned about being targeted by fraudsters when using online dating platforms. ⁷  These scams often start with emotional manipulation and quickly escalate into financial exploitation. 56% of those who had been targeted by fraudsters were encouraged to send money to someone online. ⁸

Fraudsters use social engineering tactics to build trust, then request money for emergencies, travel or investments. Once personal details are extracted, victims face further risks including identity theft to synthetic fraud. Among those who fell victim, 50% lost money, 35% had their identity stolen and 31% had online accounts compromised, including bank accounts. ⁹

The evolution and escalation in fraud tactics highlight the need for platforms to move beyond basic checks and adopt more sophisticated identity verification strategies.

Synthetic identity fraud, often referred to as “Frankenstein fraud,” involves blending real and fabricated data to create convincing personas. These identities are then used to build credit profiles, pass onboarding checks, and remain undetected until a major cash-out event. In 2024, 67% of UK fraud leaders cited synthetic fraud as the leading cause of fraud losses. ¹⁰

For dating platforms, synthetic identities present a unique challenge. Fraudsters use them to create fake profiles that bypass weak verification systems, manipulate users and exploit trust. These identities are difficult to detect and often misclassified as account abandonment. Among those consumers surveyed who were targeted, 25% matched with suspected AI bots, ¹¹  often used to harvest data for synthetic and identity theft.

TransUnion  TruValidate™ Identity Proofing Solutions help businesses identify synthetic identities early in the customer journey. By layering credit bureau data, behavioural insights and ongoing monitoring, platforms can more confidently distinguish genuine users from fraudulent ones.

The Online Safety Act 2023 introduces new responsibilities for platforms likely to be accessed by vulnerable people and children, including dating sites. Ofcom’s guidance requires businesses to conduct risk assessments (from July 2025), with penalties for non-compliance reaching £18 million or 10% of global turnover. ¹²

It’s no longer enough to rely on self-declaration or basic age checks. Platforms must implement robust age assurance measures, such as facial age estimation and document verification, to actively exclude underage users. Even platforms not designed for children must take steps to prevent underage access if there’s a reasonable likelihood of it occurring. ¹³

TransUnion Age Verification and Document Verification & Facial Biometrics solutions are designed to support these requirements while maintaining friction-right experiences. These tools help platforms verify age and identity without introducing unnecessary friction, a critical balance in the online dating space. In addition, Facial Biometrics provide an extra safeguard by helping platforms detect and defend against deepfake attempts, reinforcing trust in the verification process. 

Consumers expect seamless digital experiences, but they also want to feel secure. In fact, 90% said confidence in data security is the most crucial factor when choosing with whom to transact online. ¹⁴  Interestingly, 48% of consumers OnePoll surveyed said they would be more likely to trust dating apps if identity verification was mandatory. ¹⁵

TransUnion Devise Risk Solutions adds another layer of protection by identifying suspicious devices and behaviours at login and registration. Combined with identity proofing and age verification, it enables platforms to create onboarding journeys that are both secure and user-friendly.

TruValidate™ Identity Proofing Solutions fuses age and document verification with advanced data insights. This friction-right approach doesn’t just reduce fraud, - it helps build trust, improve conversion rates and support long-term user engagement — while applying documents checks only when necessary to balance security with a smooth customer experience.