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Romance fraud is when scammers use an apparent (but fake) romantic

connection or relationship to lure their victims into a false sense of security,

before tricking them into giving them money, or information which helps them

steal money from them.

If the scammer successfully persuades their victim to lend or give them money,

they will usually come back with further reasons for needing more. Sometimes,

the victim is asked to pass money from another country through their account

this could be money laundering.

Spotting the signs

People who have fallen victim to romance scams tend to report the same pattern. If

you or someone you know is using online dating or friendship sites and sees any of

these signs, it may indicate you or they are being scammed:

1, The scammer asks you a lot of questions about yourself without saying much

about themselves in return

2, The discussion is friendly at first but turns romantic very quickly

3, Their story, or parts of it, change over time and become inconsistent

4, They refuse to video call you, or meet in person

5, Eventually, the scammer asks you to lend them money

What can you do to protect against romance fraud?

Despite the prevalence of online romance scams and fraud, it doesn’t mean that you

have to stop using dating sites altogether. You just have to be aware that scammers

do exist, and follow some simple rules to protect yourself online:

1, If you’re using social media sites like Facebook, don’t accept friend requests from

people you don’t know

2, Don’t give away too many personal details about yourself online

3, Never send or receive money or give away your bank details to someone you’ve

only met online

4, Use reputable dating sites