A MAN has revealed how he was scammed out of more than £200,000 as the PSNI warns people about romance fraudsters ahead of Valentine's Day.
The man, who is not being named to protect his identity, says the experience 'almost destroyed my life'.
With more than 120 romance scams reported to the PSNI last year, investigators have warned those looking for love to be wary.
"Even if any money lost is recovered, the person is still left to cope with the emotional impact and distress," said Superintendent Joanne Gibson, Chair of ScamwiseNI Partnership.
"It's devastating and is such a cruel form of deception."
'Ashamed'
In the case highlighted by the PSNI, the man from Northern Ireland was defrauded over a two-year period between 2020 and 2022.
Having met a woman on a dating site, the man came to believe he was in a genuine relationship with a person he trusted.
Their communication moved on to private messaging, after which the man began to receive requests for money for a variety of scenarios.
These included legal fees relating to a wealthy grandmother's will and medical bills after the woman claimed she had been in a car crash.
When the man was reluctant to send money, the woman applied pressure to make him comply.
At one point, she sent a link to what police believe was a fake online banking site in order to prove she had money to repay him.
Despite speaking on the phone a few times, they never met face-to-face, with the man given different excuses each time as to why not.
After losing everything he had — more than £200,000 — the man found himself under severe strain and in debt, at which point he called police for help.
Fortunately, thanks to subsequent enquiries and the man's bank, the money was recovered in its entirety, however, the man revealed the wider impact it had on him.
"The people behind this fraud… almost destroyed my life," he said.
"This entire experience has had a devastating impact on my whole life, both financially and emotionally.
"I felt ashamed that I had let myself fall victim to this fraud."
'Despicable'
Ahead of Valentine's Day, the PSNI is urging people to be aware of the signs of romance fraud, with 127 such scams reported to the PSNI in 2024, representing a total loss of £1,083,007.
However, it is believed such frauds are under-reported because people feel embarrassed.
"For some people who believe they've found a genuine, meaningful relationship, the stark reality is they've been emotionally and financially drained," said Superintendent Gibson.
She added: "This is a despicable type of crime which, we believe, is under reported because people feel embarrassed.
"We hope by raising awareness of this type of fraud, people will know the signs to look out for and feel empowered to stop fraudsters taking their money."
Superintendent Gibson provided tips to help prevent people falling victim to romance frauds.
Dating app users are urged to keep communication on the website as many have inbuilt security and assistance, while fake accounts are regularly removed.
Fraudsters will try to get users to chat or text away from the site so as to keep in contact if their fake profile is deleted.
Users should also check the social media presence of those they are talking with to see if it matches what's on the dating site.
Looking at key details such as name, location and family members can help identify inconsistencies in what you have been told.
Using a website to perform a reverse image search on a profile photo may also reveal if it is genuine or if it has been taken from the internet.
Finally, if you're looking for friendship, companionship or love online it should never start with being asked for money.
