Love Hurts
Romance scammers manage to con more than 80% of their victims out of money simply by sweet-talking them, new research reveals today.
Santander has teamed up with TV dating expert Anna Williamson to launch Love Hurts, a range of sweets that highlight the common phrases used by romance scammers to reel in their victims and steal their hearts and their cash.
The new confectionary follows fresh research from 2,000 adults by Santander that shows almost a third (31%) of Brits have been targeted by a romance scammer.
UK Finance data shows romance fraud increased last year with £31.3 million worth of romance scams reported in 2022, up from £30.9 million in 2021, and up from £17.8 million in 2020.
Criminals aiming to exploit lonely love seekers know exactly what words to use to pull at heartstrings as more than four in five (83%) who fell victim said it was because of the clever language used, the way they were spoken to, or the intimate conversations they had with the scammer.
These sweets feature the keywords of manipulation that can leave victims with less money in their accounts.
They include: 'I can't video call' and 'my £££'s frozen' and of course 'Soz, I'm abroad'.
Often the crooks will plead for cash to fund travel to visit their targets, create a false medical emergency or claim that access to their own bank account has been blocked.
Of those who did send money, £2,331.50 was "lent" on average.
The research also reveals that the majority of those who've been scammed (81%) say they've been put off dating and two-thirds (67%) have struggled to trust a romantic partner.
Chris Ainsley, Head of Fraud Risk Management at Santander warns: "Scammers can be convincing and clever with their language, which is why we want people to be more alert to the tell-tale signs of a romance scam.
"No matter how sweet a situation may seem, it's important to think twice and ask yourself whether the romance is real, particularly when the conversation veers toward finances.
"As well as being guarded against sweet-talk, never sending money to people you have only just met and checking in with a trusted friend or family member before making any payments can also help protect you from potential scams."
Anna Williamson, TV presenter and star of Celebs Go Dating adds: "Romance fraud is manipulative and cruel. Dating is a wonderful and exciting thing but we must always protect ourselves and remain mindful of somebody's intentions.
"I hope Santander's Love Hurts campaign can educate people about the 'love language' to be mindful of and stop scammers from bringing misery to so many people's lives."
10 phrases to watch out for include:
I've fallen for u
My £££'s frozen
I'll pay u back
I can't video call
We're so alike
Trust me
Only u can help
We'll be married
U know me
Soz, I'm abroad
Top tips on avoiding a romance scam include:
· Online friendships are based on profile. It is important to check if the person you're talking to is who they say they are. For example, you can check if profile photos are genuine by performing a reverse image search on a web search engine. This can find photos that have been taken from someone else.
· Be on red alert if someone you've only met online asks you to lend them money, no matter how plausible their reason might seem. Try to remove the emotion from your decision-making and talk it through with someone else.
· Never lie to your bank if they ask you questions about a payment you are making. We know the signs to look out for and our questions are there to help protect you.
For more information about how to detect scammers visit the website: https://www.santander.co.uk/
