The worst date you can imagine might be an evening of boring conversation or bad breath – but for some, it can end in them losing tens of thousands of pounds.
Many people across Tayside and Fife may head to dating websites this Valentine’s Day in the hope of finding love, but advice groups have issued a warning about the risk of romance cons.
Increasing numbers are being targeted online by fraudsters who pose as singles on dating apps and websites.
The con was highlighted in a recent Netflix documentary, ‘Tinder Swindler’, and now Scots have been told to be on the look out for warning signs that they are being scammed.
Romance fraud crimes in Scotland in the year leading up to October 2021 cost victims over £990,000 — while across the UK victims lost some £91.9 million.
Of the cases reported between November 2020 and October 2021, over half involved victims who were women.
Meanwhile, those aged 50-59 were most likely to be targeted while those aged 30-39 came second.
Recent cases include a woman in Fife who was conned out of £150,000 by a fraudster who pretended to be a retired military officer working for middle eastern royalty.
Now, Advice Direct Scotland, which runs the national consumer advice service consumeradvice.scot, is launching a new campaign to understand the tactics used by scammers to exploit situations of loneliness or isolation of their targets.
What are romance scams?
Advice Direct Scotland said romance and companionship scams, which can occur on dating sites and social media, rely on psychological “buy-in” and play on the emotions of the person being tricked.
The fraudster will normally form an online relationship with their victim, building up the relationship and trust over a period of time.
According to Police Scotland, once the relationship has been established the fraudster will then mention a sudden crisis and ask for their victim to send money.
Other scammers might resort to methods like blackmail, using pictures or information about the victim to extort money.
What to look out for
- Love bombing: Fraudsters might use clichés and over-the-top flattery to gain your trust
- Fraudsters might find excuses not to meet up in person, or try to keep communications in writing rather than using video calls, so that they don’t reveal their real identity
- If someone threatens you, don’t pay. Save your communications and contact the police
- Unverified profiles: Tinder, one of the most popular dating apps, has a function that allows users to verify that the pictures on their profile match their real identity
- If someone asks for money then alarm bells should be ringing, especially if they offer something that sounds too good to be true.
How will the police help?
Detective Chief Inspector Chris Mills from Fife CID said the scammers can be particularly devious in their methods.
“Fraudsters can be very convincing,” the senior police officer said, urging people not to feel “silly or embarrassed” about reporting the crime.
“I would urge anybody who has been a victim of these scams to have the confidence police would treat them with dignity and respect,” he told The Courier.
As well as investigating the crime and trying to track the fraudsters down, officers can also help victims speak to their loved ones about what has happened.
Family support
He added: “On occasions, victims can feel embarrassed and sometimes they suffer in silence, fearful that they might lose the respect of their families.
“With the victim’s permission, we can speak to families and explain how these fraudsters are particularly devious. That can be very helpful.”
Colin Mathieson, spokesperson for Advice Direct Scotland, echoed DCI Mills’ message.
Further advice
“People who have been targeted by romance scams can experience embarrassment about being scammed, but it is important to note that this could happen to anyone,” he said.
“If you believe you have been the target of a romance scam, you should contact your bank in the first instance if financial details have been shared, or money has been transferred.
“You should also contact the police to report the situation.”
If you would like more advice on scams or would like to report a scam you have identified, you can contact consumeradvice.scot on 0808 164 6000.
