There were eighty incidents of “romance scams” in the North last year — almost seven every month — including one woman who was conned out of £130,000, police have warned.
As St Valentine’s Day approaches, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is cautioning those looking for love to be wary of fraudsters acting as would-be partners.
A surge in singles looking for “friendship, companionship or love online” is expected over the coming week, as celebrations — and intense commercial targeting — gears up for the annual February 14th celebration of romance and love.
Those using dating apps or websites, in particular, to seek out “someone special” in their lives should be “on the lookout for scammers who want to take advantage” of them, a senior PSNI officer said.
Superintendent Gerard Pollock, chairman of the Scamwise NI Partnership, an umbrella group involving police, faith groups, youth organisations and charities, said the scale of “romance scams” is “heartbreaking”.
“Unfortunately, in 2021, 80 incidents of romance scams were reported to police and one female from the Greater Belfast area was deceived out of over…
