Romance fraud and scams

The overall goal for romance scammers is to get their victims to send large sums of money, but the ways in which they do this can vary. Typically speaking, each method will involve emotional manipulation. Often, the scammer will present the victim with stories to pressure them into making and sending payments. For example, hospital bills due to a sudden injury of themselves or a family member, stranded in a country, waiting for an investment to pay out. They frequently claim to live outside of the United Kingdom. This makes it simpler to avoid meeting in person and makes their requests for money more plausible. Usually, they are working abroad in one country or are often between countries. The scammer will then claim to be enduring a problem, such as an issue with a visa, health issues or flight reservations and ask for money to assist. Seemingly plausible stories and excuses that romance scammers use include the following: Claims that they work in the armed forces for another country Say they work offshore or on an oil rig in an attempt to explain conversations at unusual times of the day or night Are a businessperson trading internationally (often they can use this excuse if they are looking to get you to make crypto trades on their behalf) Live abroad The types of stories scammers use are also designed to evoke a sense of urgency in order to get the victim to send money sooner, rather than later or to gain long-term financial support from them. They are stuck overseas due to visa issues or need money for unexpected travel expenses They’ve become unwell or need surgery, requiring money for medical expenses They’re a businessperson and require financial support for the import or export of products for their “business”

If you think the person you’re speaking to may be disingenuous, then it’s likely that they are, so it’s best to either unmatch with them or unfriend them. However, there are some additional signs to look out for: Unverified users – on the major dating apps, there is always the option to verify your profile, with face ID software comparing a live image of you with those on your profile. If a user hasn’t done this, it’s a sign they may not be genuine. Unrealistic profile – on either a dating app or social media, if the person has a very polished looking account without much engagement or information, it could be that they have something to hide. No suggestion of meeting – if the person you’re talking to doesn’t suggest meeting in person or doesn’t know much about the area that they claim to be living in, something isn’t right. They may talk about doing something in person but never actually suggest a time or a date. Any mention of money – if the person mentions money in any way, including being a bit short on money, this is often how the conversations start and they eventually ask for financial trust once they’ve established trust. Don’t want to video call – if you’re unsure whether someone is a romance scammer, you could ask them for a video call. If they aren’t happy to do that or suggest a phone call instead, then it’s likely they aren’t who they claim to be.

A few common excuses that romance scammers use to encourage you to send money include the following: Travel expenses to see you – this is very common as it usually isn’t a significant amount of money and is emotionally manipulative as it involves wanting to meet in person. Medical expenses – either for themselves or a family member, romance scammers can use this technique to guilt trip. Emergencies – to encourage a sense of urgency to get the money sent and to not give you much time to think about whether or not it’s legitimate, some kind of emergency will be discussed where money is needed quickly. Holidays – a romance scammer may say they want to book a holiday for you together to meet properly and spend time together (this in itself is unsafe and enough to stop the conversation), then ask for a contribution towards the trip. To summarise, if anyone you have met on social media or a dating app requests that you send them money, whether you’ve never met in person, have had a few video chats or have met in person, you could still be a victim of a romance scam.