Dating scams uk

‘It felt like losing a husband’: the fraudsters breaking hearts – and emptying bank accounts

There were 7, cases processed in England and Wales by a self-reporting tool last year, up from 4, in , data obtained by the BBC shows. Mary Chater, who fell for a fraudster on Facebook who claimed to be a UN doctor, said: "Being called babe, baby, sweetheart, lured me right in. Ms Chater, aged 65, was contacted more than two years after the death of her husband, actor Julian Curry, who appeared in the television comedy-drama Rumpole of the Bailey. He said he was a trauma surgeon working for the UN in Somalia," she said. I liked the fact he spent his life helping others, the altruism attracted me to him. But the scammer soon started making financial demands, claiming he was funding research into his trauma work. Despite attempts to send money, Ms Chater's bank intervened and stopped a series of payments.

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They gain your trust over a number of weeks or months and have you believe you are in a loving and caring relationship. Criminals are experts at impersonating people. They spend hours researching you for their scams, especially when committing romance fraud. Or call free on

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This share prices have a 15 minute delay and are shown in the local time of the market in which the quote is displayed. Many people seek love and companionship online. Romance scams are but one of many common types of cyber frauds. The scammers gain the trust of their victims, even making them believe they are in a romantic relationship and persuade them to elicit money transfers or bank account details. After the deception, they disappear leaving their prey in a difficult financial situation. A romance scam is a cyber crime committed on social networks and dating apps.

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Warning after huge rise in number of men being romance scammed

Thanks to online dating and the pandemic, these cruel crimes are more sophisticated and prevalent than ever. I n February , Anna, a finance professional in her 50s, joined the dating website Zoosk. She had been single for four years, recovering from an incredibly difficult, abusive marriage. So, when she met Andrew, a handsome Bulgarian food importer living in London, she was thrilled. The pair were soon spending hours talking on the phone each day.

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