How to avoid romance scams this Valentine’s Day
Although romance is in the air this week, romance scams are prevalent all year long as would be suitors take advantage of people looking for romantic partners. They play on emotional triggers to get you to provide money, gifts or personal details.
The contact usually starts on dating websites, but they may also use social media or email to make contact. They have even been known to telephone their victims as a first introduction. These scams are also known as ‘catfishing’.
Romance scammers typically create a fake online profile designed to lure you in.
Clues for spotting fake profile are:
- Picture does not match Personal profile description
- Partner they are looking for is much older than them.
- Their personal message does not reflect their educational achievements on their profile
- Type of relationship they are looking for is wide and varied
- Email origins don’t come from time zone they say they are in
Scammers will express strong emotions for you in a relatively short period of time, and will suggest you move the relationship away from the website to a more private channel, such as phone, email or instant messaging. They’ll go to great lengths to gain your interest and trust, showering you with loving words, sharing ‘personal information’ and even sending you gifts.
Once they have gained your trust they will ask you for money, gifts or your banking/credit card details. They may also ask you to send pictures or videos of yourself, possibly of an intimate nature.
Excuses they need money for are often:
- Travel
- Medical Emergency
- Ill relative
- Cant access funds where they are
- For a flight
The Public Protection Partnership (PPP) works with Citizens Advice in communities across Bracknell Forest, West Berkshire and Wokingham Borough to raise the awareness of scams. The PPP’s Trading Standards service has the following tips for avoiding romance scams this Valentines.
- Be careful what you post and make public online. Scammers can use details shared on social media and dating sites to better understand and target you.
- Research the person’s photo and profile using online searches to see if the image, name, or details have been used elsewhere.
- Go slowly and ask lots of questions.
- Beware if the individual seems too perfect or quickly asks you to leave a dating service or social media site to communicate directly.
- Beware if the individual attempts to isolate you from friends and family or requests inappropriate photos or financial information that could later be used to extort you.
- Beware if the individual promises to meet in person but then always comes up with an excuse why he or she can’t. If you haven’t met the person after a few months, for whatever reason, you have good reason to be suspicious.
- Never send money to anyone you have only communicated with online or by phone.
If you’re worried you may have been victim to a romance scam, or have concerns about someone else then please contact us on 01635 519930 or email tsadvice@westberks.gov.uk
