Romance scams are increasing across all age groups, with younger adults experiencing the biggest rise in cases, according to new figures from Lloyds.

Data from the bank shows the number of reported romance scams increased by 24 per cent over the past year. Victims aged between 18 and 24 recorded the fastest growth, with reports rising by 59 per cent, while cases involving those aged 25 to 34 increased by 39 per cent.

People aged between 18 and 34 now account for almost a quarter of all reported romance scam victims. Lloyds said younger adults are increasingly encountering fraudsters through dating apps including Tinder and Hinge, as well as social media platforms such as TikTok and Snapchat.

Despite this shift, older customers remain the most heavily affected overall. Lloyds said those aged 55 to 64 and 65 to 74 each represented 19 per cent of reported victims, with scammers more commonly targeting them through dating websites including Match.com and Plenty of Fish, alongside Facebook and Instagram.

While younger consumers are reporting more incidents, older victims continue to lose significantly larger sums. Lloyds found that more than half of all money lost through romance scams came from customers aged over 65.

Victims aged between 75 and 84 lost an average of £9,051, the highest of any age group and a 19 per cent increase compared with the previous year.

Across all victims, the average financial loss fell by 20 per cent to £4,078, although Lloyds warned the emotional consequences of romance fraud often extend well beyond the financial impact.

The bank said romance scammers typically spend weeks or months building trust before inventing urgent reasons for requesting money, including medical emergencies, travel expenses, legal fees or living costs.

Although most scams begin online, Lloyds said it has also seen cases where fraudsters first approach victims in person before developing a relationship and requesting financial support.

Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director at Lloyds, said that romance scammers don't care how old someone is and look for opportunities to build trust, create an emotional connection, then turn that relationship into a request for money.

“We speak to customers every day who believed they had found a genuine relationship, only to discover that the person they trusted was only interested in money. Victims can be left dealing not only with a financial loss, but also the distress of learning that the relationship and future they had imagined were never real,” she added.

“The rise in reports from younger adults shows anyone building friendships or relationships needs to recognise the warning signs. Many people assume younger adults are less likely to fall victim because they are confident online, but being digitally savvy does not make someone immune to fraud.”

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