Don’t let your heart rule your head – that’s the message to people in Gedling borough who are being encouraged to spot the signs of romance fraud this Valentine’s Day.
Romance fraud is when a fraudster pretends to have romantic interest in someone after meeting online in order to steal their money, or to trick them into laundering money on their behalf.
And it seems fraudsters are exploiting people’s loneliness over lockdown.
The criminals involved will usually try and build up a relationship with the victim over time, telling stories that target people’s emotions to get them to give money. Often they will claim to have a sick relative, or be stranded in a country they don’t want to be in.
Such requests usually start off small and might be for things such as phone credit.
These requests will escalate and fraudsters will start asking for money for things such as flight tickets or to assist with complications at customs.
Most victims do not realise they have been scammed and some do not want to believe that the person they have invested so much time in could have been using them.
The average victim of Romance Fraud loses more than £13,000.
Pauline Smith, head of Action Fraud, said: “Last year, we sadly saw criminals exploit the coronavirus pandemic as a means to commit fraud, and romance fraud was no exception. The national lockdowns, and other restrictions on our social lives, implemented because of the coronavirus outbreak, have meant more people have been seeking companionship online and this has undoubtedly affected the number of reports we have seen.
“It’s important to say that most online dating sites, social media sites and gaming apps are perfectly safe. However, any online platform that allows you to connect with and talk to other people could be targeted by romance fraudsters so it’s important to remain vigilant.
“If you think you’ve been a victim of romance fraud, please don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed – you are not alone. Anyone can fall victim to fraud, but it’s important that contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud.”
Signs you may be a victim of romance fraud (from Action Fraud):
You’ve developed a relationship with someone you’ve met online via emails, text messages and phone calls.
The new love of your life looks like a supermodel in the pictures they send you.
They ask you lots of questions about yourself but don’t tell you much about themselves.
They quickly start calling you by a pet name or use endearing terms such as ‘darling’.
They want to communicate with you through instant messaging and, texts, rather than through the dating website or chat room where you met.
They don’t answer basic questions about where they live and work.
You can report fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 Monday to Friday 8am – 8pm.
