Romance fraud

Definition: Romance fraud is a financial scam where a person is tricked into a fake romantic relationship with a scammer who gains their trust to exploit them for money or personal information.

Actions to consider:

• Always be suspicious of any requests for money from someone you have never met in person, especially if you have only spoken to them online.
• Photos on social media accounts or any online platforms could be fake or not genuine, so do your research first. You can use tools like Google Images or Google lens to do a reverse image search to check if photos on their profile appear elsewhere online, exposing reused or stolen images.
• Stop any form of communication with the suspected fraudster and block them on all communication platforms.
• Collect evidence of all interactions, including screenshots of messages and emails, financial transaction (dates, amounts and methods), shared photos or videos.
• If you haven’t sent money, do not send it without fully verifying their identity or consulting with others. If you have sent it, stop immediately and notify your bank or payment provider to report fraud.
• Secure your accounts and personal information by changing passwords, especially for email, social media, and online banking.

Norfolk and Suffolk Victim Care can provide:

• Emotional Support to cope and recover from the crime
• Information on and referrals to other agencies
• Advice on crime prevention and tailored safety planning advice
• Practical support such as a personal alarm
• Support using Language interpreters and British Sign Language interpreters