Peer support group set up to help victims of romance fraud as people in our area lose over £1million to scams last year

The group is only the second of its kind in the country

A new initiative between Humberside Police and Victim Support Humberside (a service funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside) has been launched to help support victims of romance fraud.

During 2020 we had 73 reports of online romance fraud, with victims in our area losing over £1million*.

Romance fraud, or dating fraud, occurs when people think they have met the perfect partner online but their “date” is using a fake profile to form a relationship. They gain the victims trust over weeks and months but the scammers end goal is to get the victims money or personal information.

According to a recent YouGov** survey the number of people spending more time on dating apps has increased by 8% in Yorkshire and the Humber since the start of the pandemic and many popular dating apps have seen a surge in downloads.

Detective Sergeant Ben Robinson, said: “In the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it genuinely harder to meet people in person.

“Loneliness has been a widely reported side effect of the pandemic and many people have taken to online dating for companionship. Unfortunately, we’ve seen that this has led to an increase in reports of romance scams and people losing money.

“Romance fraud is one of the most devastating for our victims to deal with because they have suffered losses both financially and emotionally.

“These scams can be extremely sophisticated and victims should not feel ashamed or embarrassed and shouldn’t blame themselves in any way.

“It’s important that victims know there is help available to them and we would encourage them to seek support. In Humberside we’ve recently worked with Victim Support, to set up a peer support group for victims of romance fraud and it is only the second such group to be set up in the country. It’s something we’re really proud of and anyone can access support through this group.  The group is run jointly by Humberside Police and Humberside Victim Support and provides a safe space for people to talk to each other and access support.”

Julie Butcher, Operations Manager for Humberside Victim Support commented that “Many victims tell us that they feel they should have seen what was happening.  Many are also unsure that it was fraud, even after reporting or ending the relationship.  Supporting each other is a good way to understand what has happened and move forward.  We feel that facilitating these support groups alongside our police colleagues is a good way for people to access help and would encourage anyone to contact us to find out more.”

Many online dating platforms have a reporting tool which people can use if they suspect someone is a scammer. Reporting their profile means it can be blocked, which also helps to protect others.

If you think you have been a victim of romance fraud, please report it to Action Fraud.

How to protect yourself against this type of scam:

• Try not to give away too many personal details if you’re dating online. Something as simple as telling someone your name, date of birth and address may result in your identity being stolen.
• Don’t send or receive money or give anyone your bank details, no matter how much you trust them.
• Only ever use a reputable dating website and only chat on their site. Be wary of anyone asking you to chat via social media or text.

Spot the signs that something isn’t what it should be…

• Someone’s asking you a lot about you but revealing very little about themselves.
• Suddenly a reason appears for them to ask for your help. They will play on the fact that you have feelings for them.
• Take a close look at the photos they’ve sent you. They may be a little too perfect. You can do a reverse image search on google to find out if the pictures have been taken from somewhere else.
• If you’ve arranged to meet they may start asking for money for the journey. They may also play on your sympathies by saying a relative is sick and they need money for an operation.

Date safe tips on how to avoid a #fauxmance:

• Don’t rush into an online relationship – get to know the person, not the profile and ask plenty of questions.
• Analyse their profile and check the person is genuine by putting their name, profile pictures or any repeatedly used phrases and the term ‘dating scam’ into your search engine.
• Talk to your friends and family about your dating choices. Be wary of anyone who tells you not to tell others about them.
• Evade scammers by never sending money to, or sharing your bank details with, someone you’ve met online, no matter what reason they give or how long you’ve been speaking to them.
• Stay on the dating site messenger service until you’re confident the person is who they say they are. If you do decide to meet in person, make sure the first meeting is in a public place and let someone else know where you’re going to be.

What to do if you’re the victim of this type of fraud:

• Don’t feel embarrassed, these fraudsters can be very convincing!
• Report it to Action Fraud, the national fraud and cyber-crime reporting centre. You can do this on-line here or by calling 0300 123 2040.
• If you’ve paid by credit or debit card for anything, or made a bank transfer contact your card provider/bank and explain that you have been a victim. They’ll be able to give you advice on how to cancel payments and protect your identity from being possibly stolen.
• We’re always here to help. You can call us on 101 or 999 in an emergency.
• Find help by visiting Victim Support Humberside or by calling 0300 303 1976.

**YouGov Survey 2nd – 28th April 2020

*Action Fraud