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The criminals using romantic connections to steal money |
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More than £1.3 million was lost in Derbyshire in romance fraud last year – here’s how you can protect against it. Romance fraud is when someone pretends to be in a genuine romantic relationship with you online, but their real goal is to gain your trust and then take your money or personal information. They build a relationship – often through social media, dating apps, or messaging platforms. They gain your trust and emotions – saying loving things, sometimes very quickly. They create a problem or emergency – like needing money for travel, medical bills, or a business issue. They ask for money or sensitive details – and once they get it, they may disappear or continue asking for more. According to the City of London Police, national figures saw individual victims having an average of £9,500 stolen from them. Fraud Protect Officer Tammy Barnes said: “These criminals are master manipulators, who create an emotional connection to take advantage of someone’s trust. “If you’re talking to someone new, be alert to warning signs such as requests for money, especially if they say it’s an emergency situation as these are typical scammer tactics to add pressure. “The criminal also might talk about keeping the relationship secret, this is to isolate a victim from friends and family who might ask questions. If you’re worried, please talk to someone and report it, as it can all build up a picture to protect you and others.” Analysis shows people aged 55 to 74 suffered the greatest financial losses, accounting for almost half of the total amount stolen. Although men submitted a higher number of reports overall, women experienced greater financial losses, making up just over 40 per cent of the total value reported. Romance fraud remains closely linked to online platforms, particularly social media and dating sites, where offenders can easily create convincing false profiles. Investigators are also seeing increased use of AI‑generated images and messages to support fraudulent identities. In many cases, romance fraud is linked with fake investment opportunities, including cryptocurrency, in hybrid frauds which further increase the financial risk to victims. It’s important to still be cautious even if you’ve met someone in person, as we have seen romance fraud incidents where the victim has met up with the offender. Protect yourself by stopping the conversation when you see the warning signs, such as: Someone developing and expressing strong feelings early on Making excuses not to meet or video call (although some scammers now do meet in person or video call) Asking for money, cryptocurrency or gift cards Talking about investments, medical emergencies or travel costs Asking you to be secretive, disliking discussion of the relationship with friends or family Disliking or stopping conversation if you talk about being fraud aware or being cautious about sending money or details Anyone who believes they may have been targeted is encouraged to report it to Report Fraud at www.reportfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. If money has already been transferred, they should contact their bank immediately. Every Report Counts.
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