Gardai have urged people to remain vigilant ahead of Valentine's Day after a whopping 86% increase in romance scams last year.
Cunning fraudsters swindled lonely singletons out of tens of thousands of euros, with 70% of the victims being women.
One incident saw a woman, 51, transferring €90,000 to a man she was in an online relationship with for what she thought was a loan for his business.
Another woman, 65, contacted the gardai after she lost €35,000 to a man on social media who convinced her to purchase stream cards and send the codes directly to him, before transferring money to various accounts in Malaysia.
A man, 38, also reported he sent €3,500 via Bitcoin to a woman online who claimed she needed money to return home from Mexico.
Additionally, a 41-year-old woman fell prey to an incident of catfishing by a scammer who claimed to be a well-known musician.
She became romantically involved online and was defrauded of over €26,000.
A garda spokeswoman said these types of fraudsters may try to get their victims to send them money using the following excuses:
• To cover the cost of travelling to see the victim
• For emergency medical expenses for the scammer or a family member — typically a child
• A business opportunity which would allow them to live together comfortably
Furthermore, there is an increasing link between romance fraud and investment fraud which sees scammers asking victims to invest in a fraudulent scheme or business.
She added: "Such investments ultimately see the funds transferred to the fraudster through a number of linked accounts.
"Members of the public are advised to be vigilant as there are huge risks involved in investing in cryptocurrencies and not to share any money with someone they meet through online websites or apps and to get professional and legal advice before investing."
Here is what to look out for to protect yourself from romance scams:
Romance Fraudsters will:
• Try to move communications away from dating websites. They suggest that you move to instant messaging, text or phone calls instead.
• Ask a lot of personal questions.
• Avoid answering personal questions about themselves. The details that they do tell you seem made up or do not reflect reality. For instance, they may say that they are university educated, but their spelling and grammar is poor.
• Try to establish a bond quickly. For example, they may give you an endearing pet name e.g. baby, darling, etc.
• Ask for financial help. They may tell you about money problems in the hope that you will offer to help.
• Ask you to invest in a fraudulent scheme or business.
• Never meet you in person. They will present obstacles and may go as far as making arrangements and cancelling them at the last minute. They may promise to want to see you but offer excuses which delay this, such as financial troubles.
What can you do?
• Use trusted dating websites
• Do not share personal details
• Do not send or receive money
• Think twice before using your webcam
• Trust your instincts
If you believe that you are a victim of a romance scam, or think your identity or personal information has been compromised, please contact any garda station and report the crime.
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