Warning over romance fraud as Peterborough and Cambridgeshire victims lose £100,000 in January

Police are warning people to be aware and stay vigilant after victims in Cambridgeshire lost nearly £1m to romance scams last year.

The warning comes ahead of Valentine’s Day and then Singles Awareness Day (15 February).

According to police data, there were 111 reports of romance scams across Cambridgeshire in 2022, with losses for victims totalling more than £870,000. However, in reality, the figures are likely to be much higher as many romance scams go unreported due to victims feeling embarrassed or ashamed.

In January 2023 alone, 11 romance frauds had been reported in the county totaling a loss of some £104,850. This is even higher than December’s figures which saw eight romance frauds reported, amounting to losses of almost £85,500.

One Cambridgeshire victim, a woman, met a man purporting to be a pipeline engineer living in St Kitts on a dating app in October 2022. The perpetrator asked her to move to the platform WhatsApp two days later and within four days had told her he loved her.

After four weeks, the offender said he needed money because a pipeline he was working on had exploded. The victim transferred £4,200 to Dubai from her bank account. However, the offender said he needed more cash because of other problems relating to the pipeline and the victim opened a Revolute account and transferred £2,000 and another £2,500. She also took out a loan for £1,700 to send to the scammer.

The man said he wanted a further £76k and when she told him she could not pay this, he blocked her from contacting him.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Police and Crime Commissioner Darryl Preston said: “This appalling experience serves as a reminder that romance fraudsters are operating in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, preying on unsuspecting men and women looking for love.

“Fraudsters will go to extreme lengths to carry out a successful scam, spending hours researching and identifying potential victims’ and investing an even greater period of time gaining that person’s trust. Internet technology has also provided them with a global victim base.”

Cybercrime and fraud prevention officer Dave York, said: “Romance fraudsters target victims through online dating sites or social media platforms and form a relationship with them. They gain their trust before asking them for money, usually for very emotive reasons and, on some occasions, they use the victim’s personal information to steal their identity.

“The vast majority of people using dating sites are sincere and honest in the information they provide and in their reasons for joining, however, there are exceptions, and you need to be aware of how to keep yourself and your money safe.

“Romance fraud isn’t just about financial losses, the emotional impact on victims and their families can be huge.

“We also understand that romance scams often go unreported because victims feel embarrassed or foolish. We want people to feel confident to come forward and report these incidents to us so we can help. These fraudsters are extremely sophisticated and well-rehearsed in what they do.”

Anyone who believes they have been a victim of a romance scam (or any type of fraud) should report it to Action Fraud as soon as possible at: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/romancefraud