A warning has been issued of "romance scams" where people can lose an average of £10,000.
Merseyside Police issued the advice via its Wirral Police Facebook page about the signs to look out for. Officers said someone who is acting withdrawn and secretive about who they’re communicating with may be a victim of "romance fraud".
The person may also be making unusual money transfers, repeat gift card purchases or unfamiliar international transfers. Crimestoppers said as more and more people build relationships online, there is also an increase in fraudsters trying to steal money.
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While most users are genuine, unfortunately some are looking to take advantage of individuals looking for love. The combination of circumstance and opportunity means fraudsters now use fake profiles, fabricate stories, manipulate, and coerce – all with the intention of befriending innocent people on the internet.
The eventual aim is to convince the person to send them money and this is romance fraud, Crimestoppers said. According to data, the average person loses £10,000 over the period of the scam. In 2021, over £99m was lost collectively to romance fraud. These type of scams can also happen to anybody.
Crimestoppers has issued the following advice for people to protect themselves from romance fraud and how to spot signs in others.
Protect yourself by:
- Remember - anyone can pretend to be anyone they want online.
- Be wary if they’re asking lots of questions about you but not sharing much about themselves.
- Take a moment to think before parting with your money or information.
- Never send money to someone you’ve met online that you don’t know.
- Never transfer money for them or give them access to your bank account.
- Never share personal documents, like your passport or driver’s licence.
Signs to spot:
- Before you’ve really gotten to know them, they declare their love quickly.
- They make excuses why they can’t video chat or meet in person.
- They try quickly to move your conversations off the platform you met on.
- When they ask for financial help, it’ll be for a time-critical emergency, and the reason will pull at the heartstrings.
- They may get defensive if you decline to help.
- They might tell you to keep your relationship private and not to discuss anything with your friends and family.
Signs to spot in someone you know:
- They may have recently become quite withdrawn and secretive and not want to be heard when on the phone.
- They may be showing out-of-character concerns with financial affairs, or have a sudden lack of finances, or an unaccountable increase in financial resources.
- Are they making unusual money transfers or unfamiliar international transfers?
- Are they making repeat purchases of gift cards and vouchers?
- Have they become isolated or have they cut off communication with people close to them who attempt to question their relationship?
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