Don't let romance fraud ruin your Valentines Day
February 1, 2021
Sky News
recently reported that romance fraud cost UK victims over £63m in 2020 according to figures obtained from Action Fraud.
Andy Knight, Head of Counter Fraud at SAFE, says that:
"Romance fraud involves a fraudster adopting a fake persona and striking up a friendship or romance with their victim in order to obtain money and/or gifts. This can happen either in person or via online dating websites when it's called catfishing."
The crime is a form of social engineering that often targets vulnerable individuals including the recently bereaved and those for whom another relationship has recently ended.
"We all share a lot of information about ourselves online nowadays and fraudsters use this information to research potential victims so it's worth thinking about what your posting on social media platforms or dating sites and apps" said Andy Knight.
As Valentines Day approaches we've put together a romance fraud prevention quick guide to help those of you looking for love to spot the romance fraudsters because it's better to be SAFE than sorry!
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As fraud risks continue to evolve, staying informed and vigilant is more important than ever. This summer, SAFE is proud to launch a comprehensive Fraud Awareness Webinar Series designed to equip our clients and the wider healthcare community with the knowledge and tools to detect, prevent, and respond to fraud effectively. Why Attend? Fraud is a growing threat that impacts organisations across all industries. Our expert-led webinars will cover a range of timely topics, including mandate fraud, imposter fraud, the fraud triangle and the benefits of early intervention.
We are excited to announce that we have recently had the ISO 9001:2015 audit and can confidently say we passed with flying colours!
When Sarah Whitaker approached an introductory care agency to find a carer for her 89 year old father she expected they would refer a suitably qualified and professional carer. Instead, Sarah was 'horrified' to discover that an unqualified imposter had been in her fathers home for almost three weeks! Unfortunately Sarah's story, reported by Sky News , is not as uncommon as one might expect. In January 2024, a man admitted impersonating a nurse and accessing resuscitation and children's areas at a hospital in Glasgow (BBC News) . SAFE has experience of dealing with a number of similar cases where an unqualified imposter had been found to be working in place of the qualified professional that was expected.
