Man Warns Of 'Devastating' Impact Of Romance Fraud

A Northern Irish man has shared his experience of falling victim to a romance fraud, losing over £200,000 to scammers who exploited his trust.

The victim, who wished to remain anonymous, entered into an online relationship with a fraudster over a two-year period. Despite never meeting in person, he was manipulated into sending significant sums of money for various fabricated reasons, including legal fees and medical expenses.

"This entire experience has had a devastating impact on my whole life, both financially and emotionally," the victim said. "I felt ashamed that I had let myself fall victim to this fraud."

Fortunately, with the assistance of the police and his bank, the victim was able to recover all of the lost funds.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is now urging the public to be vigilant against romance fraud, highlighting the emotional and financial toll it can take on victims. "Fraudsters seek to build a relationship of trust quickly before requesting money," said Superintendent Joanne Gibson, Chair of the ScamwiseNI Partnership. "They'll appear charming and come across as being really interested in you, but they'll have multiple excuses for not being able to meet face-to-face. They'll hint at financial troubles and starting asking for money to help them sort out their problems by playing on their emotions." 

Figures released by the PSNI show that 127 romance scams were reported between January and December 2024, with a total reported loss exceeding £1 million. 

"For some people who believe they've found a genuine, meaningful relationship, the stark reality is they've been emotionally and financially drained," said Superintendent Gibson. "It's devastating and is such a cruel form of deception."

The PSNI advises the public to be cautious of online relationships and to never send money to someone they have not met in person.

For further advice and information visit www.nidirect.gov.uk/scamwiseni or the ScamwiseNI Facebook page @scamwiseni. You can also call Action Fraud via www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040 or police on the non-emergency number 101 or make a report online via www.psni.police.uk/report. If you have lost money in this way, report it to your bank immediately.