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Romance Fraud |
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Romance Fraud
Dear Resident,
We are writing to raise awareness about an increasing type of financial crime known as Romance Fraud. Offenders use online platforms — including social media, dating sites, gaming apps, and messaging services — to build trust, form emotional connections, and ultimately exploit victims for money. These crimes can have a devastating emotional and financial impact, and we want to ensure our community is informed and protected. --- What is Romance Fraud? Romance Fraud occurs when a criminal creates a fake identity to form a relationship with someone, with the intention of gaining their trust and persuading them to send money, gifts, or personal information. These offenders are highly skilled at manipulation and often spend weeks or months grooming their victims. --- Common Warning Signs - The person avoids video calls or meeting in person, giving repeated excuses. - They claim to work overseas (military, oil rigs, international charity, engineering). - They quickly express strong feelings or talk about a future together. - They ask for money due to an “emergency”, travel costs, medical bills, or business problems. - They pressure you to keep the relationship private. - They ask you to move conversations away from the dating site to private messaging apps. --- How to Protect Yourself - Never send money or share bank details with someone you have not met in person. - Do not share personal documents such as passports, driving licences, or utility bills. - Be cautious of anyone who tries to isolate you from friends or family. - Reverse‑image search profile photos using Google Image or TinEye to check if they appear elsewhere online. - Speak to someone you trust if something feels wrong — criminals rely on secrecy. - Report suspicious profiles to the platform you met them on. --- If You Think You Are a Victim You are not alone, and you are not to blame. Romance Fraud is a sophisticated crime designed to exploit trust and emotions. Please take the following steps immediately: - Stop all contact with the individual - Do not send any further money - Contact your bank as soon as possible - Report the incident to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via their website - If you feel at immediate risk, call 999 or 101 for non-emergency if you know the suspect or they are still in the immediate area. --- Support Victims often feel embarrassed or ashamed, but these crimes are deliberately engineered to manipulate emotions. If you or someone you know needs support, Victim Support can offer confidential emotional support from https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/ or by calling their 24/7 support line at 0808 168 9111
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