More than £7million has been lost to “appalling” romance fraudsters over the past 12 months in Surrey and Sussex, Commissioner Lisa Townsend has warned.
Across both counties, more than 600 reports of romance fraud have been made to police in a year, making it one of the highest-reported fraud types.
Victims can be of any age and background, although most reports are from those aged over 50.
A common misconception is that women are more likely to be affected. However, across Surrey and Sussex, 48 per cent of victims are male, and 52 per cent female.
Fraudsters make contact through a range of means, including dating sites, social media platforms, and in person. They will research social media or dating profiles in order to present themselves as the ‘perfect match’, and swiftly encourage victims to move to messaging on less monitored apps such as WhatsApp, Google Hangouts, and Telegram.
“Appalling”
Requests for money do not happen straightaway. A fraudster will make sure they know their victim well first, establishing what appears to be a genuine relationship over several weeks or even months. This is known as ‘the grooming period’.
They may use language to manipulate, persuade, and exploit, meaning that eventual requests for money don’t immediately raise alarm bells.
Payment is commonly made through bank transfers, but last year gift cards including iTunes vouchers became the fastest growing payment type.
One such victim in Sussex sent a fraudster over £100,000 through gift cards.
She first met the fraudster through a friend request on a Facebook group for dog lovers, and believed the conman to be an engineer and oil rig contractor working overseas.
Victim loses £100,000
Over time, the criminal told her he was in poor health, his accounts had been frozen, and his daughter was in a coma.
He instructed the victim to buy Apple iTunes vouchers and share the barcodes so he was able to cash them.
The victim ultimately took out a £32,000 mortgage on her home and a £12,00 bank loan. She sold shares, borrowed money from relatives, and pawned family jewellery, and was constantly in her overdraft. Eventually her family became aware of the extent of the fraud and it was reported to police.
Lisa said: “This is an appalling category of fraud.
“It can have a hugely traumatic impact on victims, who believe they have formed a genuine connection, and will feel the grief of both the crime itself and the loss of a relationship they believed to be real.
“Please come forward”
“The victim may feel true devastation, and they may also feel embarrassed at what has happened.
“To those who believe they’ve been scammed, I say to you directly: please come forward. You will not be judged or shamed by Surrey Police.
“The criminals who carry out this type of offending are dangerous and emotionally manipulative, and they can be extremely clever.
“If you are suffering, please know that you are not alone. It is not your fault.
“Our officers take all reports of romance fraud incredibly seriously, and they are dedicated to tracking down those responsible.”
Impact on victims
Financial Abuse Safeguarding Officer Bernadette Lawrie said: “This is a horrible crime type preying on people at their most vulnerable.
“Fraudsters manipulate and isolate their victims, often encouraging secrecy from family members, which can result in a breakdown of their support network and relationships.
“The impact is far more than purely financial, with victims suffering long-term effects to their physical and mental wellbeing. It can take a long time for trust and confidence to be rebuilt. “
Force’s advice
No matter how long you have been talking to someone online and how much you think you trust them, if you have not met in person, it is important that you do not:
- Send them any money
- Allow them access to your bank account
- Transfer money on their behalf
- Take out a loan for them
- Provide copies of your personal documents eg. passport, driving licence etc.
- Invest your own money on their behalf or on their advice
- Purchase and send the codes on gift cards such as Amazon or iTunes vouchers
- Agree to receive and / or send parcels on their behalf (laptops, mobile phones etc.)
Always remember DATES:
D – Don’t rush into an online relationship
Get to know the person not the profile
A – Analyse their profile
Protect yourself by confirming their identity
T – Talk to Friends and Family
Be wary of anyone who tells you not to tell others about them
E – Evade the scammers
Never send money or share your bank details with someone you’ve only met online
S – Stay on the dating messenger service
Fraudsters will often encourage their victims to use different communication platforms that are often undetectable.
For more information about protecting yourself from romance fraud, visit https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/a-z-of-fraud/dating-fraud
If you think you have been a victim of a romance scam, do not feel ashamed or embarrassed – you are not alone. Contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via actionfraud.police.uk.