Warning to people in Wiltshire after rise in romance fraud
In England there has been a big increase over the last 12 months.
Wiltshire Police are urging the public to protect themselves after a rise in romance fraud over the last year.
Romance, or dating fraud, occurs when a relationship is formed online, but the profile of the person you think you've met, is in fact fake.
The scammer makes you believe you're in a loving relationship, however ends up taking money or personal information.
In the 12 months leading up to August 2020, the force received 65 reports of it across the county.
That's an increase of nearly 7% over the last 6 months.
Almost two thirds of the victims were female with ages 40-49 being the highest percentage.
Wiltshire Police Fraud Manager, Alison Wiles said:
"Those that use dating apps to target vulnerable people are particularly malicious. They use persuasive language to groom and control their victim, coercing them into parting with large sums of money or personal information. People often blame themselves, but it's an incredibly sophisticated crime and no one should feel ashamed to report it if they've fallen victim. It's important to get to know the person behind the profile and be aware of the signs to look out for.
We want to encourage people to learn the steps you can take to prevent fraudsters and be aware of what action to take if you believe you might have come across one, or even fallen victim to them. We hope it'll not only protect you, but your money and personal information."
NATIONAL PROBLEM
This has also been a big problem across England as well.
Charity Action Fraud received 400 reports a month in the last 12 months, with victims reporting total losses of ÂŁ66,335,239.
That's an average loss of just over ÂŁ10,000 per victim.
During June, July and August this year cases jumped to more than 600 per month with people reporting they were speaking to others due to the lockdown.
The top five platforms where victims reported first interacting with the criminal committing romance fraud were Facebook, Plenty of Fish, Instagram, Tinder and Match.com.
Wiltshire and Swindon Police and Crime Commissioner, Angus Macpherson added:
"The internet is a fantastic way to meet new people and even form new relationships, but unfortunately there's an increased risk of being lured into a romance scam as they know how to take advantage of people's desire for human contact. These fraudsters have used the social restrictions during the pandemic as a 'hook' to extort money which is simply unacceptable."
PREVENTION ADVICE
Wiltshire Police have issued the following advice to help people avoid incidents like this happening:
- If someone you're talking to declares their love quite quickly, with talk of making significant commitments like marriage or buying a house together, be wary and don't give away too many personal details.
- They claim to work overseas, perhaps in the military or medical profession, often painting a picture of themselves as being heroic, but also gives a credible reason for an international dialling code or poor internet connection. A lot of fraudsters aren't based in the UK.
- If they're reluctant to meet in person, or even video chat and quickly want to move off onto other messaging platforms, which have better encryption, meaning evidence of your chats is harder to find. Stay on the site's messaging service until you've met someone or you're sure they are who they say they are.
- If they ask for financial help, it's likely to be for something urgent and emotive, to trick you into feeling sorry for them and want to help. If you're asked for money or are suspicious their photos aren't theirs, most platforms have a reporting tool - which will help to protect others.
- They tell you to keep your relationship quiet and insist you don't tell your friends and family about them. This is because someone close to you is likely to question this person's motives, as they've not been emotionally involved. They're actually a good place to start if you're unsure of someone's motives and will give you their honest opinion, don't shut them out or isolate yourself.
If you know someone who is conning and defrauding someone for financial gain, report them anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or at Crimestoppers-uk.org.
Alternatively, if you've been a victim, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, or via their website.