Online Romance Fraud

With more and more of us turning to dating sites and apps to find romance, it is inevitable that scammers will also find their way onto them, looking to make money from pulling at your heartstrings when you may be making yourself vulnerable by being open to letting someone new into your life. The person at the other end may seem charming, interesting, and fully engaged with what you are saying, but beware - it could be an elaborate plan to get you to send money to them as part of a sob story. Of course, once there is an emotional attachment, it would be hard to say no to someone who is making out that they are in dire need of financial help, but resist the urge to want to help, it could lead to you losing some - or sometimes all - of your savings.

Take "Jenny". She started using dating sites to find someone special and ended up with a criminal conviction. Jenny gave the scammer £20,000 of her own money and also convinced to open a bank account which was then used to launder more than £200,000. She received a suspended prison sentence.

There is also 60-year old Julie Osgood - recently widowed, she decided to try dating apps to meet someone and was targeted by four different scammers. Each time, the person she was talking to said that they had to go away for business when the opportunity to meet drew closer and then something would happen where they were in an emergency and needed financial help.

Another example is "Anna", who was duped into gradually giving a frausdster £320,000 for what the person claimed was a transport project. Once they had her money, the contact stopped.

For further context on how romance scams work, check out the BBC Sounds podcast series Love Bombed, which talks to victims, offers insight into police investigations, and also hunts down scammers.

Advice

Get to know the person, not just the profile: Ask questions. Take your time. Let things unfold like they would in real life.

Talk to your friends: Be open to their opinions, and don't dismiss it if it's not what you want to hear.

Watch out for red flags: If they ask you to keep them a secret from others, be wary.

Stay on the app: Dating apps have features to protect you - if they're asking you to move onto a different messaging app like WhatsApp, Telegram, Snapchat or Signal, ask why.

Don't rush: If you feel pressured into sending photos or engaging in conversation that you don't feel ready for, make that known to them. You're in control.

Don't send money: Ignore the sob stories. Do not ever send money - point them in the direction of organisations who may help. A request for money or angling for financial help is a big sign that you should run.

Report anything that seems weird: Dating apps don't want the reputation of being a home for scammers; use the report function and let them investigate.

Contact your bank if you've made a payment: They may be able to prevent further losses and offer you support.

Beware being targeted again: If you're previously given money, companies may contact you saying they may be able to recoup your losses - this is another layer to the scam, it's the same fraudsters and they're looking to get more money from you.

Don't be embarrassed if you are scammed: It happens to many people and it's not your fault. These scammers are very sophisticated and know how to hug on your heartstrings and conscience.

If you feel that you have been scammed by a romance fraudster, contact Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or go to their website - If you are in Scotland, please report to Police Scotland directly by calling 101.

Sources: Online Dating and Discovery Association, Report Fraud