Crimes linked to dating platforms 101/2026
FOI Reference: 101/2026
Request:
I’m writing to you in the hope you could help me acquire as much information as possible relating to crimes that have been linked to dating platforms since 2019.
For question one, please structure the worksheet with column headings as follows:
Dating platform, No of offences 2019, No of offences 2020, No of offences 2021, No of offences 2022, No of offences 2023, No of offences 2024, No of offences 2025.
For question two, please structure the worksheet with the following column headings:
Date, dating platform, offence description, outcome, victim age, victim gender, suspect age, suspect gender
- Between January 1 2019 and December 31 2025 inclusive, what was the total number of offences recorded involving the terms Grindr, Tinder, Hinge, Bumble?
Please provide a breakdown of the total number of offences for each keyword, anonymised as necessary to protect the identity of individuals. (Note: I am aware that Grindr and Tinder are often misspelled so I have provided a list of typos below to include in your search for those platforms)
- For each recorded incident, please provide the following details: date of offence, dating platform/keyword linked to crime, offence description, victim age, victim gender, suspect age, suspect gender and crime outcome where possible, anonymised as necessary to protect the identity of individuals.
According to Google search data these are common typos often used by users searching for these apps, so please include these typos in your searches for these apps to capture common misspellings.
Grindr: Grinder, Grindrr
Tinder: Tindr
Hinge: Hing
Bumble: Bumbl
I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested; however we are exempting part of that information for Q2 as we believe that the following exemption is relevant:
Section 30(1)(a) Investigations and Proceedings conducted by Public Authorities
Section 30(1)(a) is a class-based qualified exemption. This means that the legislators when writing the legislation considered that the release of such information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 would cause harm to the public authority or individual concerned. There is therefore no requirement to carry out a HARM Test in respect of such information. However, there is a requirement to carry out a Public Interest Test in order to establish whether the public interest in maintaining the exemption may be outweighed by a wider public benefit in disclosure.
Section 30(1)(a) Investigations and Proceedings conducted by Public Authorities:
(1) Information held by a public authority is exempt information if it has at any time been held by the authority for the purposes of -
(a) Any investigation which the public authority has a duty to conduct with a view to it being ascertained (i) whether a person should be charged with an offence, or (ii) whether a person charged with an offence is guilty of it.
Public Interest Test
Considerations favouring disclosure:
Disclosure of the information would improve the public’s knowledge and awareness and would provide satisfaction to the public that these cases are investigated thoroughly and offenders are being dealt with accordingly.
Considerations favouring non-disclosure:
This exemption covers information held at any time for the purpose of an investigation, whether the case is ongoing, closed or abandoned. To release specific details of an ongoing investigation, as in this case, could undermine and prejudice those investigations. This would impact on the forces’ future law enforcement capabilities by hindering the prevention or detection of crime.
Balancing Test
After considering the advantages and disadvantages in disclosure, it falls upon Dyfed-Powys Police to conduct a balance test on the issues. The strongest argument for disclosure, which is public awareness, needs to be weighed against the strongest arguments for non-disclosure, which in this case is that the release would undermine and prejudice ongoing investigations, which would impact on the forces’ future law enforcement capabilities by hindering the prevention or detection of crime.
Therefore, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.
Please note: A total of 7 offences have been removed from the breakdown of information in Response Q2 due to the fact that Section 30 exemption applies.
Response Q1:
I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, as outlined below:-
Volumes below relate to offences with the specified dating apps in the crime summary:
|
Year / Dating App |
Bumble |
Grindr |
Hinge |
Tinder |
Grand Total |
|
2019 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
4 |
|
2020 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
|
2021 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
|
2022 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
6 |
10 |
|
2023 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
5 |
13 |
|
2024 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
6 |
11 |
|
2025 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
3 |
8 |
|
Grand Total |
2 |
21 |
4 |
26 |
53 |
Response Q2
7 Ongoing Investigations x Section 30 exemption applied.
(Please use scroll bar at the base of the table)
|
Reported Date |
Dating App |
Offence |
Outcome |
Victim Age (at offence date) |
Victim Sex |
Crime Suspect Age |
Suspect Gender |
|
24/02/2019 |
Tinder |
Stalking |
15 Victim supports action but evidential difficulties |
32 |
F |
43 |
M |
|
24/04/2019 |
Tinder |
Racially/Religiously Aggravated Harassment |
16 Victim does not (or has withdrawn) support - named suspect |
34 |
F |
Unknown / Not stated |
M |
|
19/11/2019 |
Tinder |
Harassment |
14 Victim declines/unable to support action - named suspect not identified |
Unknown / Not stated |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
12/12/2019 |
Grindr |
Engaging in Sexual Communication with a Child |
21 Further investigation to support formal action not in the public interest - police decision |
Unknown / Not stated |
M |
58 |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
04/04/2020 |
Tinder |
Stalking |
18 Investigation Complete: No suspect identified |
36 |
F |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
04/11/2020 |
Grindr |
Harassment |
18 Investigation Complete: No suspect identified |
33 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
04/11/2020 |
Grindr |
Malicious Communication |
15 Victim supports action but evidential difficulties |
33 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
05/06/2021 |
Tinder |
Rape of a Female aged 16 or over |
15 Victim supports action but evidential difficulties |
22 |
F |
22 |
M |
|
26/07/2021 |
Grindr |
Rape of a Male Child Under 13 |
14 Victim declines/unable to support action - named suspect not identified |
11 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
26/07/2021 |
Grindr |
Rape of a Male Child Under 13 |
14 Victim declines/unable to support action - named suspect not identified |
11 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
22/10/2021 |
Tinder |
Rape of a Female aged 16 or over |
15 Victim supports action but evidential difficulties |
22 |
F |
34 |
M |
|
18/03/2022 |
Grindr |
Causing Sexual Activity Without Consent |
16 Victim does not (or has withdrawn) support - named suspect |
30 |
F |
31 |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
01/04/2022 |
Tinder |
Harassment |
16 Victim does not (or has withdrawn) support - named suspect |
39 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
01/04/2022 |
Tinder |
Malicious Communication |
16 Victim does not (or has withdrawn) support - named suspect |
39 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
29/06/2022 |
Tinder |
Stalking |
18 Investigation Complete: No suspect identified |
47 |
F |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
08/08/2022 |
Grindr |
Blackmail |
18 Investigation Complete: No suspect identified |
37 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
03/10/2022 |
Tinder |
Harassment |
16 Victim does not (or has withdrawn) support - named suspect |
18 |
F |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
03/10/2022 |
Tinder |
Malicious Communication |
16 Victim does not (or has withdrawn) support - named suspect |
18 |
F |
18 |
F |
|
12/11/2022 |
Grindr |
Blackmail |
18 Investigation Complete: No suspect identified |
23 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
21/11/2022 |
Grindr |
Sexual Activity involving Child under 16 |
18 Investigation Complete: No suspect identified |
15 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
07/12/2022 |
Tinder |
Malicious Communication |
18 Investigation Complete: No suspect identified |
20 |
F |
20 |
M |
|
31/01/2023 |
Hinge |
Blackmail |
18 Investigation Complete: No suspect identified |
26 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
M |
|
09/03/2023 |
Grindr |
Malicious Communications |
18 Investigation Complete: No suspect identified |
20 |
M |
20 |
M |
|
11/07/2023 |
Tinder |
Blackmail |
16: Victim declines/withdraws support - named suspect identified |
23 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
M |
|
19/07/2023 |
Tinder |
Blackmail |
14: Victim declines/unable to support action to identify offender |
41 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
03/08/2023 |
Hinge |
Blackmail |
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified |
38 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
10/09/2023 |
Bumble |
Blackmail |
14: Victim declines/unable to support action to identify offender |
21 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
24/11/2023 |
Grindr |
Blackmail |
14: Victim declines/unable to support action to identify offender |
37 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
14/12/2023 |
Tinder |
Blackmail |
16: Victim declines/withdraws support - named suspect identified |
33 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
15/12/2023 |
Tinder |
Harassment |
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified |
27 |
F |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
13/01/2024 |
Tinder |
Blackmail |
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified |
22 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
02/02/2024 |
Tinder |
Pursue a course of conduct in breach of S1 (1) which amounts to stalking |
16: Victim declines/withdraws support - named suspect identified |
36 |
F |
38 |
M |
|
25/04/2024 |
Tinder |
Sexual assault on a female |
16: Victim declines/withdraws support - named suspect identified |
20 |
F |
26 |
M |
|
09/06/2024 |
Hinge |
Blackmail |
14: Victim declines/unable to support action to identify offender |
28 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
28/06/2024 |
Grindr |
Sexual assault on a male |
15: Police - named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties |
22 |
M |
33 |
M |
|
25/07/2024 |
Grindr |
Harassment |
15: Police - named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties |
32 |
M |
34 |
F |
|
13/09/2024 |
Tinder |
Blackmail |
14: Victim declines/unable to support action to identify offender |
28 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
30/09/2024 |
Tinder |
Pursue a course of conduct in breach of S1 (1) which amounts to stalking |
15: Police - named suspect, victim supports but evidential difficulties |
46 |
M |
47 |
F |
|
11/10/2024 |
Tinder |
Blackmail |
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified |
23 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
14/10/2024 |
Grindr |
Rape of a male aged 16 or over |
14: Victim declines/unable to support action to identify offender |
37 |
Unknown / Not stated |
26 |
M |
|
07/01/2025 |
Hinge |
Blackmail |
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified |
21 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
04/04/2025 |
Grindr |
Blackmail |
14: Victim declines/unable to support action to identify offender |
22 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
10/05/2025 |
Tinder |
Harassment |
14: Victim declines/unable to support action to identify offender |
53 |
F |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
11/06/2025 |
Tinder |
Harassment |
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified |
15 |
F |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
02/08/2025 |
Grindr |
Blackmail |
18: Investigation complete no suspect identified |
18 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
|
12/09/2025 |
Tinder |
Blackmail |
14: Victim declines/unable to support action to identify offender |
24 |
M |
Unknown / Not stated |
Unknown / Not stated |
It should be noted that as a result of the systems adopted by Dyfed-Powys Police in relation to the recording of such information that the information released may or may not be accurate.
Furthermore, it should also be noted that Police forces in the United Kingdom are routinely required to provide crime statistics to government bodies and the recording criteria is set nationally. However, the systems used for recording these figures are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the crime data. It should be noted that for these reasons this force's response to your questions should not be used for comparison purposes with any other response you may receive.
(This is a response under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and disclosed on 06/02/2026)
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