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
From 1st April 2025, electric vehicles (EVs) will no longer be exempt from “Vehicle Excise Duty VED”. New EVs will pay £10 in the first year and £195 annually after that. Do you have an EV that’s worth over £40,000? You’ll also face the expensive car supplement of £410 for five years.
TIP: If you’re considering an EV, factor these costs into your budget.
The roof of a major factory near Nantwich has been blown off onto the busy A51 road today as South Cheshire was battered by Storm Eowyn.
This dramatic picture shows a large metal sheet was torn off JS Bailey Cheese on Nantwich Road in Calveley, Cheshire, at about 11:00 a.m. today 24.01.25.
Eight cars were also crushed in the incident where one woman suffered a minor injury and was treated at the scene by paramedics, although according to Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service nobody was inside the vehicles.
From 1 January 2025, car manufacturers must ensure that at least 22% of new car sales and 10% of new van sales are fully electric. This push supports the transition to greener roads and lower emissions.
M.P. and several members of Sandyford & Goldenhill Residents Association met up for a photo shot at the end of a successful public meeting yesterday evening. Left to right Jeanette Celic (Committee Member), Lester Fern (Committee Treasurer), Lynn Dunning (Committee Chairman), Tom Simpson (Committee Secretary), David Williams M.P. & Ryan Smart (Committee Member).
The meeting attracted around 150 residents and guests with speakers including Stoke on Trent North M.P. David Williams, Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner Ben Adams, Chief Inspector Laura Davies, Councillor Chandra Kanneganti and Council Environmental Crime Manager Dominic Gratty.
At the meeting the public bar was open where drinks could be purchased as well as free food on offer to all guests, along with a FREE PRIZE DRAW where Wickes donated a £124 Karcher Power Washer & 2 x £30 Gift Cards, Brenden Fern & Londis (Goldenhill) donating 9 Bottles of Wine each, Mc Donald’s donating 10 Meal Vouchers and Sandyford & Goldenhill Residents Association donating 20 Boxes of Shortbread Biscuits.
Everyone attending the meeting said it had a good social atmosphere, which was informative and are looking forward to the next public meeting in April.
Action Fraud have reported that those using the platform Booking.com to book their holidays or accommodation are being warned they could be targeted with emails or messages requesting payments from hotels who have had their account taken over by fraudsters. Between June 2023 and September 2024, Action Fraud received 532 reports from individuals, with a total of £370,000 lost.
Insight from Action Fraud reports suggests the individuals were defrauded after receiving unexpected messages and emails from a Booking.com account belonging to a hotel they had a reservation with, which had been taken over by a criminal. Using this account, the criminals send in-app messages, emails, and WhatsApp messages to customers, deceiving them into making payment and/or requesting credit card details.
The specific account takeovers are likely to be the result of a targeted phishing attack against the hotel or accommodation provider, and not Booking.com’s backend system or infrastructure.
Adam Mercer, Deputy Head of Action Fraud, said:
“With more than 500 reports made to Action Fraud, those who have booked a holiday on the Booking.com platform should stay alert to any unexpected emails or messages from a hotel using the Booking.com platform, as their account could have been taken over by a criminal.
“If you receive an unexpected request from a hotel’s account you booked with using Booking.com, asking for bank details or credit card details, it could be a fraudster trying to trick you into parting ways with your money. Contact Booking.com or the organisation directly if you’re unsure.
“Remember to report any suspicious emails by forwarding it to report@phishing.gov.uk, or if you receive a fraudulent text message, you can forward it to 7726.”
How can you protect yourself?
Booking.com and Action Fraud are providing the following advice on how to spot signs of fraud and protect your Booking.com account: No legitimate Booking.com transaction will ever require a customer to provide their credit card details by phone, email, or text message (including WhatsApp).
Sometimes a hotel provider will manage their own payment and may reach out to request payment information, like credit card details – before providing any information, always verify the authenticity of communication between yourself and the hotel’s account.
If you receive any urgent payment requests that require immediate attention, like a booking cancellation, immediately reach out to the Booking.com Customer Service team via the details on the official Booking.com website and/or app to confirm.
Any payment requests that do not match the information in the original booking confirmation should also be double checked and confirmed with Booking.com Customer Service before proceeding.
Any messages purporting to be from Booking.com that contain instructions to follow links and/or open/download files should be treated with caution.
If you have any doubts about a message, contact Booking.com directly. Don’t use the numbers or address in the suspicious message and use the details from their official website.
If you’ve lost money or provided financial information as a result of any phishing scam, notify your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud at https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report-phishing or by calling 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.
Residents from Brindley Village & Reginald Mitchell Way are reminded where possible to attend the next Sandyford & Goldenhill Residents Association Public Meeting this Thursday 16th January @ 7.30 p.m. Goldenhill Community Centre.
The residents association always delivers leaflets to all properties on both estates with an invitation to every public meeting, but unfortunately very few attendances are recorded.
Attending these meetings gives every resident the opportunity to meet e.g. the M.P. Leader of the City Council, police and Councillor Chandra Kanneganti, plus more influential people where you can ask questions you may need answering.
The residents association operates a Facebook page and website for all residents across the area, including Brindley Village & Reginald Mitchell Way, which we are aware is used extensively by residents on the two estates, so please support us as we support you by seeing you there this coming Thursday.
Children are being warned to stay away from frozen water following reports of youngsters playing on ice in Stoke-on-Trent.
Witnesses have described children and adults as running or walking on frozen water. Police officers have attended to safeguard all those involved and speak to them about the risks involved with frozen water.
Thankfully, nobody has been hurt at the locations but Police and Fire Chiefs are warning of the dangers of going onto frozen bodies of water.
Frozen water safety tips:
Don’t wander too near to the edge, icy or wet conditions could cause you to slip and fall in.
Don’t be tempted to test the thickness of the ice; it’s easy to slip from the bank and fall through into the freezing water.
Make sure your children understand how dangerous it is to play on ice.
Adults should set a good example by staying off the ice themselves.
Dog owners should ensure they keep their pets on a lead so they are not at risk of falling in.
For more advice on how to stay safe around frozen water, visit: Frozen waters (staffordshirefire.gov.uk)
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