Love scams warning after sharp increase sees victims lose millions

A bank said the number of people falling for online love scams rose by more than a quarter in six months

The number of people being cheated online in romance scams has surged. There has been a 25% increase in just six months, according to a recent survey.

One bank reported that its customers lost approximately £3.8 million to scammers between March and August, with hundreds falling victim. A poll of 2,000 individuals found that half had received suspicious online messages, with nearly a third admitting they would consider lending money to a romantic partner they had known for less than six months.

However, almost two-thirds of respondents believed they would never fall prey to a romance scam. Paul Gorton, a contestant on BBC's The Traitors, warned: "In my experience, it's surprisingly easy to build deep trust, especially when someone is charming and says all the right things."

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"As we start to feel a connection, whether it's real or not, we can end up overlooking red flags and ignore any warnings from others around us."

"Stay vigilant to spot a traitor, it'd be too easy if they simply messaged you out of the blue asking for your money."

"Approach any new relationship with cautious optimism, complete checks and having your wits about you at the start."

In a separate case, a con artist who swindled a woman he met on a dating app has been ordered to repay £32,000. Kye Hughes, 35, from Rochester, Kent, was sentenced to three years and four months in prison for the fraud last year.