Trading Standards warn people to beware of romance fraud this February

Trading standards officers at Derbyshire County Council are urging people to beware of romance scams as we approach Valentine’s Day.

Romance fraud is when people think they have met the perfect partner online, but they are using a fake profile to form a relationship with their victim.

Romance fraudsters go to great lengths to gain people’s trust over a number of weeks or months, so that victims believe they are in a real caring relationship. But the scammer’s real aim is to con victims out of money or personal information.

Many fraudsters claim to be overseas working in the military or medical professions, so meeting them in person is impossible, and they make up excuses not to video chat. Or they may ask for money to travel to see their victim but never arrive.

Independent charity Crimestoppers say that other signs to look for are:

• when they ask for financial help, it will usually be for a time-critical emergency, and the reason will be something that tugs at the heartstrings, like a medical issue.
• their pictures are too perfect – they may have been stolen from an actor or model. Reverse image search can find photos that have been taken from somewhere else
• they tell victims to keep the relationship private and not to discuss anything with friends and family.

Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, say that no matter how long victims have been speaking to someone online and how much they think they trust them, if they have not met them in person, it is important that they do not:

• send them any money
• allow them access to a bank account
• transfer money on their behalf
• take a loan out for them
• provide copies of personal documents such as a passport or driving licence
• invest own money on their behalf or on their advice
• purchase and send the codes on gift cards from Amazon or iTunes
• agree to receive and/or send parcels on their behalf (laptops, mobile phones etc.).

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Health and Communities, Councillor Carol Hart, said: “Romance fraudsters are very manipulative and persuasive and take time to build up what seems like a real relationship with people. Their requests for money seem very plausible. They will exploit people’s vulnerability and kindness. And they will use urgency so that people feel they have to help straight away. 

“I would urge people to stop and think before parting with their money. The fraudster may ask people to be secretive, but speaking to family or friends can help provide a reality check.

“Looking up ‘romance fraud’ online will help people spot the signs and protect themselves.”

If you think you’ve been a victim of a scam, don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed – you are not alone. Contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via actionfraud.police.uk.