Romance scams: know how to swipe left on financial fraud
10th January 2022 10:42
by Myron Jobson from interactive investor
interactive investor comments on new Action Fraud figures on dating scams.
- New figures by Action Fraud show almost £92 million has been lost through dating scams between November 2020 and October 2021.
Commenting, Myron Jobson, Personal Finance Campaigner, interactive investor, says: “There isn’t a low that scammers won’t sink to in their attempts to steal your money or prise personal information from you. Romance fraud is particularly dastardly because they pull at the heartstrings of those seeking companionship or romantic partners on dating apps and websites with the sole goal of obtaining access to their financial or personal identifying information.
“The scourge of romance fraud has been made worse by increased isolation brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has resulted in more people looking for love online.
“It is important that those looking to swipe right on a match through a dating app in the hope of meeting a potential suitor know how to swipe left on romance scams.
“When using dating app, you should always be conscious of the information you disclose. Never send money, login information to your accounts or any other sensitive information relating to your finances. Simply ‘unmatch’ those who ask for sensitive financial information. It is also important to be extra leery of those who compliment excessively and prematurely reveal intimate details about themselves. Fraudsters typically lull their victims into a false sense of security before trapping them in their financial snare.
“Don’t give fraudsters the opportunity to break your heart and your bank account. If you’ve come across a scammer on a dating app, report their profile to the company as soon as possible.”
These articles are provided for information purposes only. Occasionally, an opinion about whether to buy or sell a specific investment may be provided by third parties. The content is not intended to be a personal recommendation to buy or sell any financial instrument or product, or to adopt any investment strategy as it is not provided based on an assessment of your investing knowledge and experience, your financial situation or your investment objectives. The value of your investments, and the income derived from them, may go down as well as up. You may not get back all the money that you invest. The investments referred to in this article may not be suitable for all investors, and if in doubt, an investor should seek advice from a qualified investment adviser.
Full performance can be found on the company or index summary page on the interactive investor website. Simply click on the company's or index name highlighted in the article.