Play It Safe - Beware of Romance Scams

Some of these scams work by setting up a dating website where you pay for each email or message you send and receive. The scammer will send a whole series of vague-sounding emails filled with gushing talk of love or desire. The scammer might also send emails filled with details of their home country or town that do not refer to you much at all. These are all attempts to keep you writing back and paying money for use of the scammer's dating website.

Legitimate dating websites is not immune from scams either. If you begin corresponding with a person with a view to a possible romantic relationship, remain cautious even if the relationship seems to be progressing very well. These scammers are very skilled at building trust and know how to make vulnerable victims fall in love with them. Regardless of the strength of your feelings towards a correspondent, you should view any requests for money as highly suspicious.

You might be approached by someone who claims they are terribly poor or have a very sick family member and are in the depths of despair (often these scammers claim to be from Russia or Eastern Europe). After they have sent you a few messages, and maybe even a glamorous photo, you will be asked (directly or more subtly) to send them money to help their situation. Some scammers even arrange to meet with you, in the hope that you give them presents or money, and then they disappear.

In other cases, the scammer might start off by building a rapport with you, perhaps even sending you flowers or other small gifts. After building up a relationship, the scammer will tell you about a large amount of money they need to transfer out of their country, or that they want to share with you. They will then ask for your banking details or money for an administrative fee or tax that they claim needs to be paid to free up the money. This is a variation on the Nigerian 419 scam. Regardless of how you are scammed, you could end up losing a lot of money.

Warning Signs:

• You are addressed by the wrong name or the email is not personally addressed at all.
• You receive a photograph of a potential date and you can't believe your luck.
• Your potential date tells you that they love or desire you after only a few letters or emails.
• The email is poorly written, vague or repeats itself.
• You are asked for your bank account details or for gifts or money.
• The emails become more desperate or direct if you do not send money straight away.

Protect yourself from dating & romance scams:

• Make sure you do some research on the internet dating sites you are using. Use reputable dating sites only.
• NEVER send money, or give credit card or online account details to anyone you do not know and trust.
• Do not cash cheque or money order to your account and send the money to someone you meet on dating site or chat room.
• Do not open suspicious or unsolicited emails (spam): delete them.
• NEVER reply to a spam email (even to unsubscribe).
• Make sure you know how to stop any dating subscription service you want to sign up to.
• Check the website address carefully. Scammers often set up fake websites with very similar addresses.
• Never send your personal, credit card or online account details through an email.
• Do not agree to transfer money for someone else.