A woman in her 70s was deceived by a fraudster posing as Hollywood star Jason Momoa, leaving her homeless after sending more than £500,000.
Cambridgeshire Police has warned that romance fraud is on the rise, urging people to learn how to spot scams before they cause devastating losses.
Four incidents a week
Dave York, from the force’s cyber and fraud prevention team, said they investigate around four reports of romance fraud every week. But he admitted bringing offenders to justice is “almost impossible”.
“They are organised criminals and they don’t leave an easy trail” he explained. “They move money quickly, often through cryptocurrency, and which is unregulated and untraceable beyond a certain point.”
Targeted through loneliness
The victim, recently widowed after a 50-year marriage, was contacted by a scammer on social media and manipulated over three years.
“She was in a vulnerable state and easily exploited,” Mr York said. “She was persuaded to sell her home and send more money, which has now left her homeless and in debt.”
He added that criminals are “very adept at identifying weaknesses in victims and exploiting them to the fullest degree”.
‘Education, awareness, disruption’
According to Mr York, prevention is the best weapon against romance scams:
“Education, awareness and trying to disrupt these scams before they develop are the only ways to save victims.”
He warned that while banks are alert to the issue, criminals are “always one step ahead”.
Rise in romance fraud
BBC data published last year showed cases of romance fraud had increased by nearly 60% over four years.
Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, has urged people to learn the warning signs and report suspicious activity.
Advice includes:
Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person
Be wary of requests to move conversations off reputable dating platforms
Question emotional stories or sudden financial requests
Reverse-image search profile pictures to check for fakes
Find More: Cambridgeshire Constabulary