Scammers target people at their most emotionally vulnerable. Photo: Pexels
Looking for love on Valentine's Day could end up breaking the bank and your heart.
BNZ fraud investigator Nicholas Vryenhoek said romance scams were more common than people thought, especially around Valentine's Day, when lonely hearts might be most vulnerable to a sophisticated scam.
"These scams affect people across all walks of life - young, elderly, professionals, retirees - no-one's really safe from these," he said. "Scammers are incredibly sophisticated at targeting people when they're most emotionally vulnerable, unfortunately."
While relationship scams primarily involved romantic relationships, criminals also exploited friendships.
He said anyone could become a victim, as criminals would go to great lengths to provide evidence to support their fake personas, including bogus social media profiles and doctored documents, like boarding passes or letters from fake employers.
One of the best defences was to avoid keeping the romance secret and beware of any requests for money.
"Share it with people and, if there are warning signs that you might have missed because you're emotionally invested, they'll spot them for you."
How to recognise a romance scam:
- Strong emotions are expressed within a short timeframe.
- The scammer gives you excuses why they cannot meet in person or video call.
- They've asked you to keep the relationship a secret.
- You're asked to provide financial assistance.
- You're asked to receive money on their behalf and forward it to them.
Top tips to protect yourself from romance scams:
- Never send money, or give personal or financial information to someone you have just met or have not met in person.
- Do not trust anyone who claims to be in love with you after a short time without meeting you.
- Do not trust anyone who asks you to communicate only through email, phone or chat apps, and avoids video calls or social media.
- Do not trust anyone who has a lot of excuses for not meeting you in person or cancels plans at the last minute.
- The internet is your friend - use reverse image search to check if their photos are stolen from someone else. Search for their name, email, phone number or other details on the internet, and see if they match what they have told you.
- A great relationship isn't a secret, so talk to your friends and family about your new relationship. They may be able to spot the signs of a scam that you may have missed.
- Report any suspicious or fraudulent activity to the online platform where you met the person. If you've sent any funds, contact your bank immediately.
