Romance Scams - what are they and how do you spot them?

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Don't get caught out by these scammers!

We have all heard of the dangers of online dating, but have you heard about romance scams? There has been a 20% increase in bank transfer fraud in 2020 compared to the year before.

Since the pandemic started there has been an increase in these types of scams, since everyone was stuck inside with only their phones and laptop to communicate with others. Lots of people started to feel more isolated and lonelier, scammers knew this and preyed on the more vulnerable.

What are romance scams?

It is also known as mass-marketing fraud, it makes use of mass communication to target victims for their money. Romance scammers will create fake profiles either on online dating sites or social media. They aim to form connections with their victims, allowing them to believe they are in a relationship with this person. The scammers build trust with their victims, talking with them multiple times a day for several days, weeks or even months in some cases. Scams usually end with the scammer creating a story or emergency situation and then asking their victims for money.

How to spot a scam?

The scammer will be the one to initiate contact in most cases, they usually have a very attractive photo (also known as catfishing) and they ask lots of questions to gain lots of information about you. With more information, it is a lot easier for them to manipulate you.

One major characteristic of a romance scam is that the chat will start out friendly but will then become romantic extremely fast, a lot quicker than would normally be expected.

Another thing to look out for is grammar and spelling, the scammers will usually have poor spelling. This is because a lot of these scams originate from outside of the UK, meaning the scammers will often not be native English speakers.

The common lies scammers tell:

·       They cant video call with you

·       They are working or living outside of the UK (oil rig, military or a doctor are common lies)

·       They love you already or want to marry you, even only speaking a handful of times

They will usually ask for money towards:

  • Plane tickets
  • Travel expenses
  • Surgery/medical expenses
  • Customs fees
  • Debts

Trust your instincts, if something doesn’t feel right it usually isn’t.

What to do if you think you have been a victim of romance scams?

1.     Report it, it is a serious crime

You can report it to the police – call 101 if the scammer is in your area or you have transferred money to them in the past 24 hours. If you feel unsafe call 999

You can also report it to Action Fraud (click here) or you can call them on 0300 123 2040

You can also report them online anonymously here  – it is an online form where you can include details and images, even on which site they contacted you from.

If you are communicating with them through a dating site, check their website as they will have a section for you to report scams.

Reporting it is so important, it not only keeps you safe but can prevent them from getting any more victims.

2.       Collect as much information as you can about the scam

It will be extremely useful to keep a record of the names or numbers they used to contact you. As well as what kind of information you have shared with the scammer, and if you have paid money, how you did that.

3.       Contact your bank

If you have sent money from your account, contact your bank and let them know you believe the transfer to be suspicious.

 

 Have you or someone you know ever experienced a romance scam?

Let me know in the comments!

References

Federal Trade Commission. (2019, June). What You Need To Know About Romance Scams. Retrieved from Federal Trade Commission Consumer Information: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-you-need-know-about-romance-scams

Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. (2021, February 11). Love, or Lies? What You Need to Know About Romance Scams. Retrieved from Mass Consumer Affairs Blog: https://blog.mass.gov/consumer/massconsumer/love-or-lies-what-you-need-to-know-about-romance-scams/

Neighbourhood Watch. (n.d.). Romance Scams. Retrieved from ourwatch.org.uk: https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/crime-prevention/crime-prevention-information/crime-types/scams/common-scams/romance-scams

Sussex Police. (n.d.). Romance Fraud. Retrieved from Sussex Police: https://www.sussex.police.uk/romance-fraud

Wakefield, J. (2021, February). Romance fraud on rise in coronavirus lockdown. Retrieved from BBC News: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-55997611#:~:text=In%20both%202019%20and%202020,%C2%A368m%20for%20dating%20scams.

Whitty, M. T. (2018). Do You Love Me? Psychological Characteristics of Romance Scam Victims. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking.

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