£1.2 million lost to romance fraud in North Yorkshire over the last 12 months
Almost 100 cases have been reported to the police
We're being warned about the cruel scammers trying to trick people in North Yorkshire this Valentine's day.
Almost 100 cases of romance fraud were reported to our force last year - with £1.2 million lost.
"The losses can be astronomical"
Andy Fox is from the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Crime Unit who investigate cases of romance fraud: "A recent romance fraud victim that I have been helping, she was told that her boyfriend had been shot on the way to the airport and was currently in hospital and needed to pay the medical bills. Yes she payed the medical bills of several thousand pounds, well they obviously weren't medical bills but that is what she thought they were."
"The losses can be astronomical anything from a few hundred pounds to, I'm dealing with a victim at the moment who has lost everything she owns plus her house. She actually sold her house because she thought she was giving money to the fraudster on the promise that he was going to buy a bigger and better house for the pair of them."
He says it can be heart-breaking to tell victims the truth: "They don't want to hear it, they say well you don't know me, you don't know the relationship I'm in, I know the person I'm with, I love them and trust them, we've built a future together how dare you speak to me like that, get out of my house. I've had real venomous reactions to me turning up with the intention of trying to help somebody."
Meanwhile a report from Lloyds bank suggest romance scams are on the rise.
People aged between 55 and 64 were most likely to report being scammed by fraudsters masquerading as love interests, Lloyds said.
Across all age groups, men were more likely to report having been scammed by a romance fraudster. But women were more likely to report bigger losses, at £9,083 on average, compared with £5,145 typically lost by men.
People aged 65 and 74 tended to lose the most money, losing £13,123 to romance scams on average.
Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director at Lloyds Bank said: "As soon as someone you're talking to starts asking for money, step back from the situation and never hand anything over. Talking to a real-life friend or family member can be a good way to sense-check what's going on."
- Here are some tips from Lloyds to help prevent romance scams:
- Be cautious of strangers contacting you on social media.
- Look out for profile photos that look professional or "model-like".
- Speak to someone who already knows you well to get their point of view.
- Never send money to a stranger, no matter how well you think you know them online.
- Be very wary when someone has endless excuses about why they cannot meet in person.
- Never give out personal or financial details.