| Valentine’s Day may be a time for romance for some however we are warning the public of romance fraud. In Cambridgeshire last year (2019) there were 86 reports of romance fraud, with total losses to victims of £558,026.Romance fraud is when fraudsters target victims, often through online dating sites or social media, to form a relationship. They will use the site to gain their victim’s trust and ask them for money or enough 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, your bank account and savings protected while meeting people online. They will be joined by three Cambridgeshire victims of romance fraud who will share their stories with the public, as well as the CEO of Get Safe Online, Tony Neate. Nationally, last year more than £68million was lost to romance fraud in the UK. Romance fraud not only has the potential for victims to lose vast amounts of money, but the emotional impact can be even more difficult to come to terms with. We know this is a massively under-reported crime for a number of reasons, which is why we are trying to raise awareness of the issue. Kind regards, |
| Message Sent By Lauren Alexander (Police, Senior Communications Officer, Cambridgeshire Constabulary) |
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