Romance scams surge despite 65% thinking they would never fall victim, says bank

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Greater than £3.8 million was reported as stolen from Santander UK clients in romance scams up to now six months, marking a 27% bounce in contrast with the earlier half-year interval.

Prospects aged 18 to 93 had been affected, the financial institution stated.

The typical loss to romance fraudsters was £4,500.

Santander clients misplaced £6,826,748 to romance scams within the 12 months working from August 2023 to August 2024.

Some £3,813,410 was misplaced between March and August this 12 months.

Half (50%) of individuals have acquired unsolicited on-line romantic or flirtatious messages, which they suspected or have confirmed to be a rip-off, in response to an Opinium survey of two,000 folks for Santander in July.

Almost a 3rd (29%) stated they might supply monetary assist to a romantic companion they’ve identified for lower than six months.

However almost two-thirds (65%) of individuals consider they might by no means grow to be a sufferer of romance fraud.

Peter Staffell, a behavioural knowledgeable at Santander UK, stated: “Scammers are specialists at presenting themselves as somebody you may belief, somebody who ‘will get’ you.

“They play the lengthy recreation, constructing a relationship earlier than executing on their rip-off and, as our analysis reveals, it’s a pure intuition for many people to willingly lend a monetary hand to somebody who we now have shaped an emotional bond with.

“Then they’ve gone. The rip-off is full, and the influence extends far past the monetary losses, leaving emotional scars and infrequently folks feeling extra remoted than earlier than.

“You possibly can take management although, a couple of easy checks if you first begin to converse to somebody, and earlier than your feelings take maintain, can reveal loads concerning the individual you’re talking to and save heartache additional down the road.”

Paul Gorton, a former contestant on BBC’s The Traitors, stated: “In my expertise, it’s surprisingly straightforward to construct deep belief, particularly when somebody is charming and says all the best issues.

“As we begin to really feel a connection, whether or not it’s actual or not, we will find yourself overlooking crimson flags and ignore any warnings from others round us.

“Keep vigilant to identify a traitor, it’d be too straightforward in the event that they merely messaged you out of the blue asking to your cash. Strategy any new relationship with cautious optimism, full checks and having your wits about you at first.”

Listed below are some ideas from Santander to remain protected against romance and friendship scams:

1. Attempt to take away emotion out of your decision-making. Be actually cautious if you’re lending or giving somebody cash. Irrespective of how pressing their motive may appear, it is crucial you suppose it by way of. Take into account discussing it with a trusted good friend or member of the family first.

2. Photos may be edited and pretend profiles can simply be made. Performing a reverse picture search on-line can present whether or not the images have been taken from one other web site or social media platform.

3. It could possibly be a crimson flag if the individual you might have been speaking to on-line won’t video name or meet you in individual. Fraudsters will make excuses about why this can not occur or change plans to take action on the final minute.

4. By no means ship cash or give card particulars, on-line account particulars, or copies of essential private paperwork to anybody you might have solely met on-line.