Romance scams usually begin on dating apps or social media sites. Scammers use these online profiles to create fake identities or impersonate real celebrities to get close to their targets.
Once they have gained trust, the scammer fabricates a story of needing money urgently.
How romance scammers find their victims
Scammers easily target new victims on dating websites and social media.
They may reach out to several people at a time to increase their chances of success. Scammers can create thousands of fake profiles on dating apps with relative ease. These profiles are then filled with stolen or AI-generated pictures. Once they establish contact, they work to build a relationship and gain the trust of their victims before attempting to exploit them for money.
How to spot a romance scam
- Do they have a suspicious profile or photo?
Check their profile and pictures for suspicious signs. Do they have inconsistencies in their profile information. Do their pictures look legit?
If the scammer claims to be a celebrity you will notice that they use a different account to the legitimate (and often verified) account. Do not believe claims that this is their private or secret account.
- Are they currently in another country?
One of the main excuses that romance scammers use is to claim that they are based abroad. They might say they live in another country, are in the armed forces or just that they are travelling. This gives the scammer a great excuse not to meet in person and gives them a reason to beg for money further down the line. A common tactic is to claim they need money for a flight to visit.
- Do they avoid speaking face-to-face online?
These days everybody has a phone or computer with a camera. If you have been speaking for any reasonable length of time, it is incredibly suspicious if the person you are speaking with refuses to talk over videocall.
- Do they claim to have a great investment opportunity?
Many scammers use online relationships to promote fake investment schemes. These schemes typically revolve around crypto investments. The scammer casually talks about how they have made money from an investment scheme and says they want to share this with you.
How to report a romance scam
If you have suffered a romance scam, it is possible to recover your money, but you must first report the crime to the police and to your bank.
You should provide as many details as possible about the online scam, including any platforms used, screenshots or transcripts of the exchanges, screenshots of any images used by the scammer, and details of any transactions made.
Further reading
Bank fraud and scam claims – Oakwood Solicitors
Romance scams – Action Fraud
WHAT TO DO NEXT
Get in touch today for a no-obligation consultation. Choose one of the methods on the right-hand side of this page, or call us on 0113 200 9720 to find out how we can help you.
We would love to hear your comments or feedback
