Watch out for romance fraudsters.
The Gardaí has warned people of romance fraud after a woman lost €48,000.
The woman was showered with expensive gifts from an apparent online lover when he asked her to invest in his new company.
Over the next 13 months, the woman was scammed out of €48,000 and didn’t come forward to the police because it turns out that she was actually married.
Now, Detective Inspector Catharina Gunne from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau made a video to warn people about the dangers.
“Romance fraudsters use companionship and friendship to target victims. They’re end goal is to extract money from you, getting you to pay for goods and services.
“They communicate with you using social media networks, online forums and internet dating websites.”
Gunne also said that this is what to look out for if you think you’re being scammed:
- They want to communicate with you offline using texts or phone calls to develop strong emotional relationships
- They will ask you a lot of personal questions, rarely divulging anything personal about themselves
- They may be upfront and ask you for money for personal reasons
- They will make plans to meet you, cancel at the last minute and you will never meet them face to face
How to prevent becoming a victim:
- Be careful about how much personal info you share about yourself
- Never send money or give bank details or personal documents
- Trust your instincts and if something doesn’t feel right, make contact with the Gardaí
