People should be vigilant whilst 'looking for love' on Valentine's Day
People should be vigilant and not to fall foul of romance scams on Valentine's Day whilst "looking for love", police officials have said.
Victims' Commissioner Nicky Brennan issued the warning with fraudsters experienced in "spinning stories" to help "lure victims in".
It comes after West Midlands Police recorded 359 reports of romance fraud in 2021 alone, with online scammers being a major reason.
Ms Brennan said: “I have heard countless stories from people across the West Midlands who have been approached by scammers while looking for love.
“February is a time of year when more people are looking online for a possible match – but I would warn people to be very careful when disclosing information.
“Fraudsters can be experienced in spinning stories to lure victims in – so I would urge everyone to read (up on) advice before taking any relationship to the next level.”
The offence occurs when criminals feign romantic intentions towards their intended victim – and use the nature of their relationship to fraudulently obtain money, or sensitive information.
Police officials have warned scammers may prefer to move communications away from dating websites and suggest moving to instant messaging, text or phone calls instead.
They have been known to ask lots of personal questions, avoid answering personal questions about themselves and when they do they seem made up, and they try to establish a bond quickly – telling potential victims they have "never felt like this before".
People have also asked to be on their guard for when a person asks for financial help, with the culprit complaining about money issues frequently. And they have said another tell tale sign is they never meet the victim – promising to see them, but cancelling every time or offering excuses like financial troubles.
