Santander has issued a £2k warning to anybody with an account over the worrying rise of romance fraud scams. The high street banking giant is teaming up with Channel 4 Celebs Go Dating star and relationship expert Anna Williamson to raise awareness of romance scams.
Brits who have fallen for romance scams say they lost £2,300 on average. More than four in five Brits (83 per cent) who fell victim to a romance scam said it was because of the clever language used by the criminals, the way they were spoken to, or the intimate conversations they had with the scammer.
Chris Ainsley, Head of Fraud Risk Management at Santander said: “Scammers can be convincing and clever with their language, which is why we want to help people be more alert to the telltale 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 towards finances.
READ MORE Strictly Come Dancing’s Katya Jones says ‘honestly’ in ’emotional’ update days before show starts
“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 before making any payments, can also help protect you from potential scams.” The impact of being scammed left four in five (81 per cent) saying they had been put off dating and meeting new people, while two thirds (67 per cent) have struggled to trust a romantic partner.
Anna Williamson, TV presenter and relationship expert added: “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 help educate people about the ‘love language’ to be mindful of, and stop romance scammers from bringing misery to so many people’s lives.” UK Finance data shows romance scam 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.
