Romance fraud victims conned out of £900k

More than 100 people in Lincolnshire have been conned out of almost £900,000 after falling victim to so-called romance fraud, police say.

The crime involves fraudsters creating fake online personas to gain someone's trust through the disguise of a romantic connection, ultimately leading in the victim being exploited for money.

Lincolnshire Police said 137 victims lost £899,361 between them in the last year, with the money going to accounts in Australia, Nigeria and America.

Det Sgt Emma Ward said: "In this day and age with everything being online it is very, very easy to fall into that trap."

Ward said: "We find most of the time the money that is transferred from the victim's bank account does tend to go out of the country.

"In the last year I've known sums to go to Australia, Nigeria, America.

"As soon as that money goes out of the country it is very hard for the police in England and Wales to track."

Temporary Det Ch Insp Georgia McCormack, from Lincolnshire Police, said: "Perpetrators of romance fraud are extremely devious and incredibly convincing and manipulative.

"It's a cruel form of fraud often leaving victims both financially devastated and heartbroken.

Ward added: "People will feel embarrassed, they will feel ashamed, they will feel guilt, all those things.

"Ultimately, this can happen to anybody. They are targeting vulnerable people.

Nationally, victims lost more than £102m last year, with 10,784 reports made to Report Fraud, a 29% increase from 2024, according to City of London Police.

Lincolnshire Police advises people to be alert to the following warning signs:

• People who develop relationships very quickly or express strong feelings early on
• Excuses not to meet in person or to avoid live video calls
• Wanting to send money, cryptocurrency or gift cards to someone you have not met face‑to‑face
• Talk of investments, medical emergencies or travel costs
• The person you are communicating with does not like it when you use ways to protect yourself from fraud

Anybody who believes they have fallen victim of romance fraud should contact their bank immediately and report the matter to Action Fraud.

A list of organisations in the UK offering support and information with some of the issues in this story is available at BBC Action Line.

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