Modern dating is anything but hard, and there’s no two-way about it!
Unless there really is a highway of broken dreams.
Here’s the thing. Dating in today’s world is mostly online; because who cares about bumping into someone on the streets, taking a look back and boom! Love at first sight!
Instead, we keep an eye on some opening moves, revise the questionnaire, and swipe as we see fit. Is that failproof? Not at all. While some find the love of their lives through online dating apps, a significant number of people actually get conned instead of getting their rom-com story!
Putting the ‘Con’ in Rom-Coms!
According to the latest figures, the average value of a romance scam was approaching £30,000 across the whole of 2023. As the statistics show, fraudsters can spend weeks – or even months – “grooming” their victim before asking for money.
Although the holiday season is over, with Valentine’s Day around the corner, singles are tempted to look for “dates” on online dating sites. Hence, it’s important for them to be aware of the kind of traps they could be landing in.
The dating fraud cases the bank dealt with in 2023 remained consistent throughout the year, with between one and two dozen romance scams uncovered each month.
According to HSBC UK, once the fraudster believes their victim has developed an emotional attachment, this can be a trigger point for requests for money to be made, which saw romance scams worth nearly £6 million attempted in 2023.
What is online dating?
Online dating is the practice of using dedicated websites or mobile apps to find potential romantic partners by creating profiles and interacting with others who are also looking for relationships, allowing people to connect based on shared interests and preferences through the internet.
Key points about online dating:
Platform: People use dedicated dating websites or mobile apps to access potential partners.
Profile creation: Users create profiles that include personal information, interests, and sometimes photos to showcase themselves.
Matching algorithms: Some platforms use algorithms to match users based on their profile information and preferences.
Communication: Once a match is made, users can communicate through messaging features on the platform.
What is fraud in online dating?
Online dating fraud, also known as a romance scam, is a type of fraud where a scammer creates a fake profile on a dating site or social media platform to gain the trust of their victims:
How it works: Scammers create a fake profile and pretend to be romantically interested in their victims. They use elaborate stories and prolonged communication to create a false sense of connection. Once they have the victim’s trust, they may ask for money or personal information to steal their identity.
Who they target: Scammers often target people who are emotionally vulnerable, such as elderly women who are divorced or widowed.
How they operate: Scammers may lure victims into expensive dates at local clubs. They may order costly items and leave early, leaving the victim to pay the bill.
Signs of a scam: The scammer might try to move you off the dating app or site quickly, ask you a lot of questions about yourself, have an inconsistent story, live far away, ask for money (especially cash, gift cards, or cryptocurrency) as a way to “prove” your love, express their love quickly.
How to prevent fraud in online dating?
The online dating industry should police itself to prevent romance scams. Some nonprofit organizations have partnered with online dating platforms to provide users with background checks. To prevent fraud in online dating, you can:
Be cautious:
Be wary of:
Inconsistencies: Look for inconsistencies in the person’s profile, such as poor English writing despite claiming to be from Canada.
Overly complimentary messages: Be wary of messages that are overly complimentary.
Requests for money: Be wary of requests for money, especially if they claim to have an emergency.
Promises: Be wary of people who make promises they can’t keep.
Take things slowly: Ask questions and don’t feel safe just because you made the first contact.
Verify identity: Use reverse image searches or request a video call to confirm the person’s identity.
Meet in public: If you do meet in person, choose a public place and tell friends and family where you’re going.
Don’t share personal information: Don’t send money, gift cards, or bank details to someone you’ve only met online.
File a report: If someone abruptly leaves or becomes unreachable, you can file a First Information Report (FIR) with local authorities.
David Callington, HSBC UK’s head of fraud says: “Romance scams do not just happen around Valentine’s Day, we see cases of innocent people who are looking for love being scammed all year round. It often takes many months before a scammer shows their true colors, asking for money to pay for what can be quite outlandish reasons.”
He added, “There are common factors that should raise serious red flags – requesting money in the first place, being asked to lie to your bank and any payment request is made with absolute urgency and dire consequences if it isn’t made. These scammers are experts in emotional manipulation, tapping into the kind nature of their victims with no concern about the financial or emotional impact of their actions.”
