PSNI: Look out for romance fraud this St. Valentine’s Day after £713,000 swindled

Between April 2023 and the start of February, there were 73 reports of romance scams made to the PSNI, inflicting a total loss of £713, 133.

This included life-changing sums, including staggering losses of over £100,000, to amounts of £50,000, £20,000 to hundreds of pounds.

Detective Chief Inspector Ian Wilson, from the Police Service's Economic Crime Unit, said: “This is a despicable type of crime which, we believe, is under reported because people feel embarrassed.

"By raising awareness of this type of fraud, we hope people will know the signs to look out for and feel empowered to stop fraudsters taking their money.

"We also want anyone who has lost money in this type of fraud to report it. Our message is, do not feel ashamed. If it has happened to you tell us, help and support is available."

The biggest loss was £130,000 after payments over a period of time had been made to a woman the person met online.

The woman claimed money she was entitled to, was tied up in an overseas business, but she didn’t have a bank account.

After the initial payment, the woman managed to convince the person to continuing sending money.

In another report, £20,000 was reportedly lost by a man who struck up an online relationship with someone he thought was a celebrity.

The contact continued for months before his bank raised the alarm. Another report cited a loss of £15,000 by a woman who had developed what she believed to be a genuine online relationship with a man who said he worked in the entertainment industry.

After a while, the man said he had money problems. The woman sent money only to realise the person she thought was in contact with was a fraudster.

“Fraudsters seek to build a relationship of trust quickly before requesting money giving multiple excuses," says Detective Chief Inspector Wilson.

"Initially, they'll appear charming and appear very interested in you, but they'll have multiple excuses for not being able to meet face-to-face.

"They'll ask for money to help them sort out their problems, for example medical bills, or to help pay for travel, or some investment opportunity. They'll promise to repay the money, but the harsh reality is they have no intention of doing so.

"Sadly, for some people who believe they've found love online, the stark reality is they've been emotionally and financially drained. It's despicable, really heart-breaking."

Detective Chief Inspector Wilson says the majority of people using social media or online dating sites are genuine, but it's important people are aware of how to keep themselves and their money safe.

He said this type of scam could happen at any time.

"Fraudsters don't care about gender, sexuality, age or race. However, we see some trends in those who lose money – more frequently they’re aged between 30-60 years old and women are slightly more likely to lose money than men, but it’s very finely balanced.

"Fraudsters target everyone - don't let it be you. Remember, no promising relationship will ever start by sending money to someone you've never met," adds Detective Chief Inspector Wilson.

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