Scam warning issued after woman in Newtownards swindled out of £15,000 in romance fraud

The woman is believed to have met the fraudster on an online dating site and the relationship developed over a couple of months, before the scammer convinced the woman to transfer money to him, which she did on three separate occasions.

Chief Inspector Hutchinson said: "Sadly, this is another example of this type of crime happening right here, right now in Ards and North Down, where a real life victim has lost savings.

"Not only is there the stark realisation for the victim that she has been lied to by an individual she was building an online relationship with, but she is also having to deal with the financial fallout this incident has resulted in, which is truly heart-breaking.

“As a service, we warn the public of the dangers of romance scams frequently and that these crimes can happen at any time of the year on many dating apps used to meet others.

"Fraudsters will seek to build a relationship quickly with the victim, to chat or text away from the dating site or app you first met them on.

“To do this the criminals use some common tactics, invent stories of deceased partners, single parents working away from family, pulling on the heart strings of the recipient. “Soon enough they will present you with a great investment opportunity they have made money from or an emergency requiring a short term loan of money which they promise they will pay back.

"However, they do not intend to do so because they do not exist. All they wanted was your money and to get as much of it as possible.

“It’s tempting to ignore doubts and see what we want to see being the promises of a relationship.

Police say following certain steps can help protect against romance scammers and anyone online dating should follow the guidance.

“Always keep communication on the dating website or app you’re using. Many have in-built security and assistance. They also take steps to remove and ban fake accounts so you’re kept safe.

“Conduct your own research on the person you’re speaking to, checking their social media presence to see if it matches what’s on the dating site.

"Looking at key details such as name, location and family members can help identify inconsistencies in what you have been told.

“Profile pictures can be deceiving and be taken from anywhere on the internet. You can use various websites to check photos using a reverse image search to prove if the photo is legitimate.

“Never ever send money to someone you haven’t met in person. If you’re looking for friendship, companionship or love online it should never start with being asked for money even to invest, and if it does, it’s not a relationship worth having.

“Always remember to stay on site, using reputable dating platforms. Be alert and keep yourself safe.” If you have been a victim of a scam, report it to police on 101, to your bank immediately, and online at www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040. Information and advice is also available at http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/scamwiseni or the ScamwiseNI Facebook page @scamwiseni