SCARS Institute’s Encyclopedia of Scams™ Published Continuously for 25 Years
Online dating website users conned out of millions
From the BBC 28 October 2015
Online dating fraudsters conned victims out of more than £33m in the last year, the UK’s national fraud centre says.
Action Fraud said 3,543 people reported falling victim to dating scams in 2014-15. It said dating sites “very rarely” vet members to prevent fraud.
Commander Chris Greany, national police lead for economic crime, said the crime was “reprehensible” and that some victims had lost “everything”. Scams included asking for travel costs or to pay medical bills, police said. Victims were often contacted through dating websites and befriended by fraudsters before requests for money were made.
The warning comes as part of a campaign to identify “common fraud myths”. The 13-day campaign – which is being organised by Action Fraud and the City of London Police – warns that dating fraudsters are often “particularly convincing”, especially if victims already think they have been vetted by dating websites. Commander Greany, who will be overseeing the campaign, said sums stolen in dating fraud ranged from small to “huge” amounts.
Tragic examples
Commander Greany said:
“It is a reprehensible criminal act which preys on one of the oldest human emotions, which is love. Fraud does seem to be on the increase and with dating fraud we can definitely say it has gone up in the last year.”
He added:
“Dating websites are all good and sometimes they help people find partners but people need to be circumspect about what they find. There are some very tragic examples where people have sent everything they have and now they have got nothing.”
Organisers of the campaign say the absence of checks by some dating websites can make it even easier for the fraudster to manipulate their victim.
A City of London Police spokeswoman said:
“The reality is that most dating websites allow people to sign-up to the website without vetting checks, which means that fraudsters are able to use the website to target people online and defraud them.”
-/ 30 /-
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Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and to not blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and to help victims avoid scams in the future. At times this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims, we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.
These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.
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The information provided in this article is intended for educational and self-help purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for professional therapy or counseling.
While any self-help techniques outlined herein may be beneficial for scam victims seeking to recover from their experience and move towards recovery, it is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional before initiating any course of action. Each individual’s experience and needs are unique, and what works for one person may not be suitable for another.
Additionally, any approach may not be appropriate for individuals with certain pre-existing mental health conditions or trauma histories. It is advisable to seek guidance from a licensed therapist or counselor who can provide personalized support, guidance, and treatment tailored to your specific needs.
If you are experiencing significant distress or emotional difficulties related to a scam or other traumatic event, please consult your doctor or mental health provider for appropriate care and support.
Also read our SCARS Institute Statement about Professional Care for Scam Victims – click here to go to our ScamsNOW.com website.
Don…you will send halfof the airfare. Then she will miraculously come up with a phoney document saying she can not leave Ghana without 4000 dollats when traveling to. 1st world nation.
I have been slowly being scamed like you by someone useing the scamed of the month picture on Skype picture is of porn star going by Danielle ftv she told me she was going to school in Ghana and she was living with her uncle Abraham dorh he is the one picking up the money for her
She told me her real name was Yvonne Coleman
Jolie Hunter
im dating a woman in Accura Ghana, we havebeen daring for a long time1 year or more she has never asked me for money however i Volunteered small amounts of cash for her. IveI’ve asked her about scammers and her respononse has Ben that she knows some of those girls but swears that she don’t do that.we plan to be married soon she is putting up one half of the airfare and I’m putting up the other half..should I be worried
Don please be very worried. Any online dating in Ghana is a scam. I personally come from Ghana but lives in the UK and I can personally tell you she will start asking you for money with time. If you care to know you are a dating a young man with their lady accomplice.