Scam warning issued over common 'romantic' tactic used by online fraudsters
22.05.2023 - 19:33
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
Experts have warned people about some sophisticated scams that are currently in circulation, including one that can originate from online dating sites.
Consumer experts at Which? have carried out some research into some convincing scams that people often fall victim to, outlining the red flag warning signs.
They've also provided some information on how to get your money back if you have been scammed by online fraudsters.
One of the most common and sophisticated scams is called 'pig butchering', because they ‘fatten up’ the victim by forming a romantic connection before carrying out the scam.
Fraudsters typically target people on online dating sites and show a great deal of interest, 'love-bombing' them in order to make them feel as though they want to pursue a relationship.
They'll also often encourage them to leave the dating site and message them on another platform, meaning they won't have any protection that the site offers.
And when victim is sufficiently groomed, the scammer claims they have been having success investing – usually in property or cryptocurrency – and they offer to invest some of the victim’s money.
If they agree, the victim is sometimes shown a crypto trading platform controlled by the scammers, and encouraged to sign up and begin depositing funds. One UK victim, a former Somerset police officer, lost £107k to such a scam, believing she was investing in retirement apartments in Cyprus.
To avoid the scam, look out for signs of ‘love-bombing’, attempts to move onto a private messaging platform, reluctance to meet in person and requests for money or a concerted effort to get the person to ‘invest’
Lisa Barber, Which? Tech Editor, said: "It’s appalling that 2023 has seen scammers continuing to thrive, as a