Flintshire Trading Standards backing CrimeStoppers fight against romance fraud

Flintshire County Council Trading Standards are supporting CrimeStoppers to fight romance fraud which has targeted many across the UK.

With more people than ever meeting others online via social networks, online gaming, and dating platforms, more are building relationships with people they’ve never met in person.

Online dating, is now one of the most common ways to meet a romantic partner.

“While most users are genuine, unfortunately, some are looking to take advantage of individuals looking for love.”

“Fraudsters have seen how they can take advantage of this and now use fake profiles, fabricate stories, manipulate, and coerce – all with the intention of befriending innocent people on the internet, and with the eventual aim of convincing the innocent person to send them money.” A Flintshire Trading Standards spokesperson said.

The average person loses £10,000 over the period of romance fraud,  in 2021, over £99 million was lost collectively to them.

A romance fraud can happen to anybody, all genders, ages, and sexual orientations.

People of all cultural and ethnic backgrounds are victims, with gay men disproportionately targeted, accounting for 12.4% of victims overall in 2021.

Signs to spot a Romance Fraud:

• Before you’ve really got to know them, they declare their love quickly.
• They make excuses why they can’t video chat or meet in person.
• They try quickly to move your conversations off the platform you met on.
• When they ask for financial help, it’ll be for a time-critical emergency, and the reason will pull at the heartstrings.
• They may get defensive if you decline to help.
• They might tell you to keep your relationship private and not to discuss anything with your friends and family.