Warning as romance scammers continue to target vulnerable and lonely

As Valentine's Day approaches, we are reminding people about the dangers of romance scams.Romance scams are a type of fraud. Criminals look for vulnerable people online on sites including social media and dating apps. They go to great lengths to gain their trust and convince them that they are in a genuine relationship, with the ultimate aim of defrauding them out of their hard-earned money.The most common time of year for people to encounter romance scammers is the period between Christmas and Valentine's Day.Recently, a vulnerable woman, in her 70s, contacted us to say that she had lost over £1,500 to a romance scammer over a period of six months. We soon discovered that she had several direct debits, of which she had no knowledge, coming out of her account and going to the scammer. She was also sending money to the fraudster directly, which was being used to fund flights and cover other expenses.Recent data from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau shows that almost £92 million was lost nationwide to romance fraud in the last financial year.That is why we are calling on everyone to be aware of how romance scammers operate and what you can do to protect yourself against them.Here are some of the signs that your online date may be a romance scammer: 

• They are keen to move the conversation from the dating website where you met to text messages or to an instant messaging platform

• They want to know everything about you, but reveal very little about themselves, including where they live and work

• They claim to be military personnel based overseas and require funds for flights home or early discharge

• They claim to need money for medical issues, such as urgent surgery, either for themselves or for a friend or relative

• They've arranged to visit you, but you need to pay for their travel costs.

Here are some of the ways you can keep yourself safe from romance fraud:

• Never trust requests for money from someone you have never met in person, especially if you have only recently met online

• Always speak to family and friends before sending money to anyone

• Make sure that the person's profile picture is genuine. You can do a reverse image search online, which can show you if the photo has been taken from somewhere else and used to fool you.
  

You might think that you trust someone that you've met online, especially if you've been speaking for a long time, but if you have never met them in person, you must never do any of the following, no matter how many times they ask:

• Send them any money

• Allow them access to your bank account

• Transfer money on their behalf

• Take out a loan for them

• Provide copies of your personal documents, such as your passport or driving licence

• Invest your own money on their behalf or on their advice

• Purchase gift cards and send them the codes

• Agree to send or receive parcels (e.g. for laptops and mobile phones) on their behalf.

If you believe that you have been the victim of a romance scam, you must report it immediately.  

You can call us on 101, or message us using Live Chat on our website. You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.You should also report it to your bank, so that they can take the appropriate action and prevent any further money from leaving your account.