Welcome to Metro’s money blog where we’re sharing the latest advice on how to avoid the rising scourge of romance scams.
Fraudsters stole more than £3.8milllion from Santander customers in the last six months, the bank said.
That’s a 27% jump from the previous period, with the average victim losing £4,500.
And it seems scammers don’t discriminate by age, with affected customers ranging from 18 to 93, according to Santander.
Other scams that have emerged include fake product giveaways on social media, through which scammers steal your personal data.
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How to stay safe from romance scams in four easy steps
Danny RiggNetflix is full of documentaries about people who’ve fallen for an elaborate ruse, whether it’s the Tinder Swindler or scamming socialites?
We’re hooked on the spectacle, safe in the comfort of our own homes where, surely, we ourselves couldn’t possibly be fooled. Or could we?
Paul Gorton, star of BBC’s The Traitors, knows better than most how easy it is to pull off a con.
He said: ‘In my experience, it’s surprisingly easy to build deep trust, especially when someone is charming and says all the right things.
‘As we start to feel a connection, whether it’s real or not, we can end up overlooking red flags and ignore any warnings from others around us.
‘Stay vigilant to spot a traitor, it’d be too easy if they simply messaged you out of the blue asking for your money.
‘Approach any new relationship with cautious optimism, complete checks and having your wits about you at the start.’
Santander has put together four easy steps to follow so you can protect yourself and your money from romance or friendship scammers.
- It’s easier said than done, but try to remove emotion from your decision-making. No matter how urgent their reasons, always be careful if you are lending or giving someone money. Think it through first, and consider discussing it with a trusted friend or family member before the money is gone forever.
- Pictures can be edited and fake profiles can easily be made. Performing a reverse image search online can show whether the photos have been taken from another website or social media platform.
- It is likely a red flag if the person you have been talking to online will not video call or meet you in person. Fraudsters will make excuses about why this cannot happen or change plans at the last minute.
- Never send money or give card details, online account details, or copies of important personal documents to anyone you have only met online.
What is a romance scam?
Danny Rigg
We’ve all received the occasional flirty message on social media, even email or through a text to our phone.
It can be anything from a nuisance to a welcome boost for our ego – but sometimes it’s a scam.
Nearly a third of people would offer financial help to a romantic partner of less than six months, according to a Santander survey of 2,000 people in July.
Most, however, think they would never fall for such fraud, but could your emotions be ripe for exploitation?
Peter Staffell, a behavioural expert at the bank, said: ‘Scammers are experts at presenting themselves as someone you can trust, someone who ‘gets’ you.
‘They play the long game, building a relationship before executing on their scam and, as our research shows, it’s a natural instinct for many of us to willingly lend a financial hand to someone who we have formed an emotional bond with.
‘Then they’ve gone. The scam is complete, and the impact extends far beyond the financial losses, leaving emotional scars and often people feeling more isolated than before.
‘You can take control though, a few simple checks when you first start to speak to someone, and before your emotions take hold, can reveal a lot about the person you’re speaking to and save heartache further down the line.’
Good morning, welcome to Metro’s money blog
Danny RiggGood morning,
Welcome to Metro’s money blog, where we will be giving the latest news for money and consumer stories today.
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