£2.3m scammed out of people in Devon and Cornwall in 'romance fraud'
Figures reveal there's been 265 reports of dating scams to our police force over the last 13 months
Last updated 14th Feb 2024
People in Devon and Cornwall who are looking for love are being urged to be extra vigilant of fraudsters this Valentine's Day due to a rise in romance fraud.
Statistics reveal £2.3 million has been scammed out of people across our region.
Gary Murray, Crimestoppers, said: "There's the financial loss but there's also the emotional loss. People who are involved in these scams are often told: 'Don't tell your friends,' and peoples lives have totally changed. They often lose an awful lot because of this."
"If someone is asking you to part with money, no matter whether it's over the telephone or online, you should always be wary of why they want money from you."
"Is this profile too good to be true?"
NFIB Fraud and Cyber Crime figures show there's been 265 reports of dating scams to our Devon and Cornwall Police Force over the last 13 months.
Gary added: "We've seen an over 30% increase in the last three years in the number of people who have reported being victims of these scams. The number of reports are often not giving the full picture of how widespread this has become. Those victims of scams often lose potentially £10,000 each.
"They need to always question is this profile of the person I'm talking to too good to be true? Is it real?
"Do not give out your bank details, do not send people money, do not send people Amazon gift cards. If they are building up a story of being in financial hardship or a medical emergency, do not send money."