POLICE are warning people to be on their guard against romance scams.
It follows a number of recent high-profile cases, including a woman who lost around £700,000 after being duped into believing she was messaging Hollywood actor Brad Pitt.
Figures estimate that around £92million was lost to such scams in the UK last year.
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, Staffordshire Police are urging residents not to fall victim to scammers.
Officers said people should look out for profiles that will only message via text services or who ask questions about individuals but offer little about themselves. Scammers are also known to claim to be working in the military or abroad and require money for medical treatment.
Simon Street, fraud protect and prepare coordinator, said:
“It is very important no matter how long you have been speaking to someone online and no matter how much you think you trust them, if you have never met them in person you must not send them any money, transfer any money, take out a loan on their behalf, purchase and send gift cards, send copies of personal documents or send and receive parcels for them.”
For more information on how protecting yourself from fraud, visit www.actionfraud.police.uk.
Staffordshire Commissioner Ben Adams, said:
“Fraud is often sophisticated, organised and technologically advanced. In Staffordshire, around 70% of personal fraud has an online element.
“Criminals can defraud vulnerable individuals and businesses of large sums of money very rapidly and from anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, this is often the case in incidents of romance fraud.
“If you’re speaking to someone online and recognise the behaviours highlighted make sure to report them to the police.”
