Romance Fraud, Marriage Fraud

On this page:

  • Understanding romance fraud and marriage fraud (including sham marriage, scam marriage, ‘bezness’ marriage, arranged marriage, forced marriage)

  • Examples of romance/marriage fraud

  • Related information

  • Sources of support

  • Coming soon

Understanding Romance Fraud and Marriage Fraud

To help unravel and understand romance and marriage fraud, we have started this page with some key terms

Sham Marriage (Fake Marriage)

A sham, or fake, marriage is a marriage knowingly entered into by two people with no real intention of a marital relationship.

It’s generally a marriage of convenience where both parties appear to gain from the marriage, maybe financial or citizenship rights, money or citizenship rights.

Sham marriages are illegal, although different legal systems define them differently.

‘Sham marriages’ include two people who consent to the arrangement: this is NOT grooming (although it IS usually illegal).

Marriage Fraud/Scam Marriage

Marriage Fraud is a type of romance scam.

One partner is unknowingly lured, usually by a foreigner feigning romantic interest into marriage, usually to gain legal rights (such as citizenship) or money.

It differs from a sham or fake marriage in that one partner is unaware of the others intention. The partner using the marriage for their personal gain does intend to have a marital relationship, but only for as long as required to acheive their true purpose.

Marriage fraud is always grooming: one partner’s intent was unclear and the other would probably not have consented to the relationship had they known its true purpose.

Arranged Marriage

The bride and groom are chosen by third parties, not the couple themselves.

This will often be parents or professional matchmakers, and is often culturally driven.

It should be consensual, and is therefore both legal and very different from a forced marriage.

Arranged marriage is grooming if one individual formed a relationship with the express intention of tricking another into marriage.

It differs from forced marriage in that the victim believes at the time that the marriage is consensual.

Forced Marriage

Forced Marriage is is where an individual is coerced into marriage. The coercion does not need to be physical – suggestions that not to marry will bring shame, or familial pressure, are also criminal.

Forced Marriage is illegal across the UK, and Forced Marriage protection laws apply to UK citizens’ marriages forced whilst abroad as well as in the UK.

Forced Marriage can also take the form of sister marriage or servile marriage.

Find out more here: Forced Marriage

Romance Fraud

Surrey Police (UK) sum roance fraud up succintly: it is the engineering of a supposed friendship or relationship for fraudulent, financial gain.

Fraudsters spend time communicating with their targets, building trust. Generally this means that by the time they ask for significant sums of money, they’ve built a plausibile back story. (This is known as the ‘grooming period’.)

“Bezness” Marriage

A corruption of ‘business’ , a ‘Bezness marriage is specific form of marriage fraud.

A Muslim man targets a Western woman, generally older, for marriage.

His usual aim is to gain financial wealth from her so that he can eventually marry a girl from his own country, having ‘earned’ comparative wealth or property.

Other reasons can include avoiding military service, and/or the indefinite right to remain in the UK.

  • Kim Sow in Kent Online

    Dover woman fell victim to immigration wedding fraud

    Kim Sow was exploited by a Sengalese man who allegedly left her £50,000 out of pocket. Keen to warn other women who may fall victim to similar frauds, she spoke to Kent Online

  • Wedding rings on display on hands

    Sarah Philips Story

    Sarah Phillips fell for the charms of love cheat Haithem Ben Mohammed whilst on holiday in Tunisia, with devastating consequences for her. And Michelle and Dianne tell their stories too.

  • Women Join Forces to Fight Back

    Michelle Nawar, Kirsty Carmichael and Elaine Davison tell their stories of being conned by scheming foreign grooms who disappeared from their lives once they have UK residency.

  • Turkish plane through another plane's portal

    Kirsty Carmichael's story

    Kirsty Carmichael met Mehmet on holiday. She fell for him and he convinced her he felt the same. It was a lie.

    Kristy tells her story to the Daily Record to help protect others.

  • Marriage Fraud, three stories

    This link will take you to three powerful stories on the Immigration Marriage Fraud Consultancy site

Related information

  • Report Immigration Fraud (UK)

    Immigration Enforcement hotline 0300 123 7000

    Crimestoppers: 0800 555111

    Anti-Terrorist hotline: 0800 789 321

    Or use the link below report to the Home Office

  • Stop UK Marriage Fraud

    Claire Thompson, lead campaigner at CAAGe reports back on a conversation with Michelle Nawar, founder of Stop UK Marriage Fraud

  • Chains

    Forced Marriage

    Forced marriage is not the same as romance or marriage fraud, although both can be considered grooming due to the deception and lack of consent,

  • Rose, framed

    Romance Fraud on the Increase

    The Association of British Investigators (ABI) reports on how romance fraud is on the increase and how a typical scammer might behave.

Sources of Support

  • The Citizens Advice Bureau can help identify your legal situation:

    CAB

  • Immigration Marriage Fraud UK. A research, support and campaign organisation for the victims of immigration marriage fraud

  • The Modern Slavery Helpline and Resource Centre is working towards a world without slavery by supporting, equipping and influencing. Tel: 08000 121 700

  • Rape Crisis England & Wales (RCEW) supports the work of Rape Crisis Centres across England and Wales. They raise awareness and understanding of sexual violence and abuse in all its forms.

    Rape Crisis Centres offer services by women, for women and girls, but fully acknowledge men and boys also experience rape and sexual violence and abuse.

    Over half of their Rape Crisis Centres offer specific services to men and/or boys. If a man or boy contacts a Rape Crisis Centre that does not offer direct services to male survivors, he will be treated with empathy and respect, and signposted towards his nearest appropriate services.

    (Tel: 0808 802 9999 )

    Please note that it is being widely publicised that there is a long wait list due to inadequate funding of the is service

  • Men's Advice Line: A confidential helpline for men experiencing domestic violence from a partner or ex-partner (or from other family members) Tel: 0808 801 0327

  • Stop UK Marriage Fraud: Run by Kim Sow, this is an incredibly well connected organisation.

    Please note that support services are paid.

Coming soon:

  • Extra sources of support

  • Research

  • More lived experience

  • Expert opinion