Staffordshire Police have issued an urgent alert following reports of local residents being conned out of thousands of pounds by romance fraudsters. Ahead of Valentine’s Day, officers confirmed they are investigating three recent local cases involving both male and female victims.
Romance scams involve criminals creating elaborate fake identities to gain a victim’s trust over weeks or months. Once a “relationship” is established, the scammer usually invents an emergency or a travel-related crisis to request money. Nationally, the scale of the problem is staggering, with more than £100 million lost to this type of fraud every single year.
Police are urging residents to never send money to someone they have only met online, regardless of how genuine the relationship may feel.
🗣️ The Hub Valentine’s Debate
With £100m lost every year to romance fraud, should dating apps and social media sites be held legally responsible for failing to verify their users?
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