As it’s Valentine’s Day we’ve been thinking about romance scams. This type of fraud happens all year round, but as individuals are in the search for love, fraudsters will use this as a perfect opportunity to tug on heart strings.

Statistics released by UK Finance show the number of romance fraud cases increased 41% in 2021 to 3,270, with the amount lost up by 73% in 2021 to £30.9 million. Within these cases, a total of 25,814 payments were made to the fraudsters, a 96% increase compared to the previous year.

Take a look at what the signs are to spot romance scams and how to avoid them

Signs to spot

• You’ve never seen them – If the person you’re talking to always cancels plans to meet you or has an excuse for never video calling, this is a big warning sign! It’s very easy for someone to use a fake picture or stock video on their profile.
• It’s a whirlwind romance – For a fraudster to ensure that you keep talking to them they must paint you a picture of your dream life. They will use manipulative language and flood you with attention, affection and compliments. Most scammers will find your profile on social media and can pick out key information to establish ‘common interest’ and trick you into believing you are soulmates.
• It’s our secret – Often if someone is in love, they want to let the world know, but romance fraudsters will ensure you don’t tell anyone about your relationship. A fraudster doesn’t want outside opinions to affect how you see them because their tactics of manipulation therefore won’t work. They will isolate you and discourage you from sharing the news to others.
• This love has a price tag – Once the fraudster has secured their victim into a false sense of reality, they will begin to make financial requests. This can start small, such as money for a train ticket, cash for groceries because they’re short that week, or even more emotive excuses like helping to pay for a loved one’s medical bills.

How to keep you and your money safe

• Keep your conversation on the dating app – To ensure you stay safe until you are 100% confident the person you’re talking to is who they say they are, keep your conversation on the dating app. These apps are within a regulated environment and it’s much easier to track the conversation rather than phone calls and instant messaging.
• Avoid money – Avoid sending or receiving any funds to and from the person you are talking to. If they begin to hint at this, immediately stop talking to them, report and block their profile.
• Research them – If you have your reservations and sense something is wrong, social media has made if very easy to research someone. You can also take their picture and reverse it, there are plenty of online sources where you add the image and this will tell you its location, this way you will know immediately if they are fake!
• Speak to someone – If you start chatting to someone online, tell at least one person. Your best friend or someone you trust; they will be able to give you advice without rose-tinted glasses.
• Monitor their language – Fraudsters are always talking to more than one person, so to avoid saying the wrong name they only use general pet names like, honey, sweetheart and babe. Be wary of their storytelling too, there may be inconsistencies.

If you believe you are a victim of a romance scam, you can contact Action Fraud.