Warning about romance scammers issued forward of Valentine’s Day

Virtually three in 10 (29%) individuals who have met others on-line previously 12 months say they had been requested to offer or lend cash to somebody they’d not met in individual, in accordance with a survey.

And greater than half of these requested at hand over money did so, in accordance with the analysis commissioned by commerce physique UK Finance.

Its Take 5 To Cease Fraud marketing campaign is warning folks forward of Valentine’s Day to be careful for criminals posing as on-line love pursuits.

Romance scammers typically take weeks or months increase a rapport with their victims and will ask for a number of funds. They might declare to be doing charity work abroad or want cash urgently for an operation, a enterprise funding or a flight to satisfy up with their sufferer, for instance.

And with many individuals being squeezed by rising payments, scammers might also declare they want cash to assist with their residing prices.

They may arrange faux profiles, typically utilizing photographs of different folks to take action.

UK Finance stated the sum of money misplaced to romance fraud stays excessive, with £16.6 million reported stolen by these scams within the first half of 2022.

The survey of two,000 folks throughout the UK by Opinium in January 2023 discovered 51% of these requested to offer or lend cash agreed to take action, with 8% sending greater than £1,000.

Of those that had began a romantic relationship on-line previously 12 months, just below half (47%) stated they would want to satisfy their date in individual to belief they’re who they are saying they’re.

Within the common romance rip-off case, the sufferer is tricked into making about eight funds, UK Finance stated.

The survey additionally revealed the three most typical causes folks had been requested for cash – to pay for an emergency, for journey to satisfy the sufferer and to pay a invoice.

Katy Worobec, managing director of financial crime at UK Finance, stated: “Dropping cash to fraud is each emotionally and financially damaging for victims, much more so whenever you thought it was somebody you possibly can belief.

“Sadly, heartless criminals are profiting from folks in search of love.

“We might urge everybody to observe the recommendation of the Take 5 To Cease Fraud marketing campaign and keep away from sending cash to somebody you’ve got by no means met in individual.

“When you suppose you’ve been the sufferer of a romance rip-off, contact your financial institution instantly.”

Forward of Valentine’s Day on February 14, the Take 5 To Cease Fraud marketing campaign has some ideas for staying protected from romance scams when courting on-line:

– Be suspicious of requests for cash from somebody you’ve got by no means met in individual, significantly when you’ve got solely not too long ago met them on-line;

– Communicate to your loved ones or pals to get recommendation and share experiences;

– Profile photographs might not be real so it is best to be certain to do your analysis first. You are able to do this by importing an image of the individual you might be speaking to into your search engine to verify profile photographs should not related to one other title. Performing a reverse picture search can discover photographs which were taken from someplace or another person;

– Keep on the courting web site’s messaging service till you might be assured the individual is who they are saying they’re and guarantee conferences in individual happen in a public place. On-line courting platforms have moderation and reporting processes in place to guard daters and take away scammers; and

– Contact your financial institution instantly for those who suppose you could have fallen sufferer to a romance rip-off, notify Motion Fraud and let the platform on which you met the scammer know.