The UK has the third-highest number of dating app users in the world. Over 11 million people in the UK are currently looking for romance online. While there have been many stories of couples who found love over the internet, there are others that end in something worse than heartbreak…

*** LISTENER CAUTION IS ADVISED ***

This episode was researched and written by Eileen Macfarlane.

Edited by Joel Porter at Dot Dot Dot Productions.

Script editing, additional writing, illustrations and production direction by Rosanna Fitton.

Narration, additional audio editing and mixing, and script editing by Benjamin Fitton.

To get early ad-free access, including Season 1, sign up for They Walk Among PLUS, available from Patreon or Apple Podcasts.

More information and episode references can be found on our website https://theywalkamonguspodcast.com

SOCIAL MEDIA: https://linktr.ee/TheyWalkAmongUs

MUSIC:

Glasgow by Falls

Beat The System by Cody Martin

Cain by Cody Martin

Seeking Answers by Cody Martin

Tainted By Darkness by Cody Martin

Titan by Cody Martin

Wolgrim by Cody Martin

Life in Binary by Falls

Tempest by Falls

REFERENCES:

NEWSBANK

Echo (Basildon, England), August 11, 2025

Echo (Basildon, England) (Basildon, England), August 12, 2025

Epping Forest Guardian (England), August 12, 2025

Gazette, The (Colchester-Harwich-Clacton, England) (Colchester-Harwich-Clacton, England), August 13, 2025

Gazette, The (Colchester-Harwich-Clacton, England), August 13, 2025

ONLINE

https://www.essex.police.uk/news/essex/news/news/2025/august/harlow-romance-fraud-victim-thanks-officer/

https://www.essex.police.uk/news/essex/news/news/2025/february/tinder-swindlers/

https://www.essex.police.uk/news/essex/news/news/2025/february/harlow-detectives-secure-charges-in-romance-fraud-case/

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20x06zpz0yo

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgj80y4087do

https://www.harwichandmanningtreestandard.co.uk/news/25380348.essex-love-fraudster-scammed-victims-almost-12-000/

https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2025-08-11/internet-catfish-pretended-to-have-cancer-to-con-vulnerable-men

https://www.saffronwaldenreporter.co.uk/news/25380348.essex-love-fraudster-scammed-victims-almost-12-000/

https://www.essexlive.news/news/essex-news/selfish-harlow-woman-scammed-3-10415518

https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/25380352.essex-romance-fraudster-used-fake-profiles-sentenced/