The rise of the internet and social media makes it possible to maintain contact with each other worldwide. You can get to know someone else via the internet or find your dream partner here. Unfortunately, this also has a number of dangers that you should be aware of.
You have found your dream partner online. That one has everything you look for in a person. Yet these questions keep popping up in your mind: am I really speaking to the person on the profile and is he/she not pretending to be someone else?
Your potential partner lives abroad and would like to visit you. He or she says that a number of financial matters still have to be arranged before the agreement will even be successful. Your partner needs your help to arrange these money matters. He/she also guarantees that you will receive the money back as soon as the bank account is opened again. Your partner’s money matters come up more and more in the conversation, and you are asked for help again and again.
Perhaps the alarm bells have already gone off for you. Or have you ignored the signs because you don’t want to lose the love of your life. If the above description matches your own situation, you may be dealing with dating fraud.
Tips
• If you are suspicious of the situation and you do not know exactly how to deal with the situation, you can contact the Fraud Helpdesk employees by telephone. They will guide you step by step: 088 – 786 73 72.
• Transferring money to people you have not personally met is strongly discouraged.
• You can check the photos you receive from your partner online.
• If you are not a victim yourself, but you do know someone from your environment who is involved, you can use the ‘Slachtofferhulp Nederland’ signpost.
What is Dating Fraud?
Thousands of people become victims of dating fraud every year. Scammers pose as dating partners and ask for financial help. Fraud Helpdesk reports that €2,350,000 in damage has already been reported in the first half of 2020. The scammers are working worldwide. They create fake profiles and take pictures of men or women from the internet. They manage the profile and pretend to be that person. They then approach a potential victim and make the victim fall in love. When the victim has succeeded in making the victim fall in love, the scammer asks for money.
Financial matters
Often the scammer uses his/her financial situation to ask for money from the victim, such as by saying, “I’d like to come, but I’m financially too short to buy a ticket.” Or: ‘I had an accident a while ago and I still have to pay the hospital bill before I can come’. In addition, scammers also use the excuse that they lost their bank cards during the accident and therefore no longer have access to their bank balances. These are just a few examples of excuses used by scammers. The scammers charge small amounts at the beginning. The amounts increase as time goes by. When the scammers notice that their trustworthiness is being questioned, they will convince you that the doubt is unnecessary. All kinds of fake IDs are used to support their ‘story’. It often happens that the victims continue to transfer money despite their doubts. They don’t want to risk losing the attention they get from their ‘partner’. If they no longer send money, this can be the end of the relationship: they don’t get to see the love of their life and/or don’t get (part of) the money back.
Consequences of Dating Fraud
The consequences of dating fraud are serious: the victims not only suffer financial loss, but also suffer emotional damage. They must erase their desired future with their ‘dream partner’ at once and go on with their lives normally. While the loss is hard to deal with. The victims often walk around with a sense of guilt and shame. They are afraid of being judged by the people around them. Sometimes it even happens that the victims have worked themselves into debt during the relationship in order to support their loved one financially. This situation makes them lose their faith in humanity and isolate themselves. The consequences of dating fraud can continue to play a role in the lives of the victims for years to come if they are not dealt with properly.
Cooperation
The Center for Crime Prevention and Security, the Ministry of Justice and Security, the Police, Victim Support Netherlands, the Fraud Helpdesk and Match Group are working together on a campaign to warn people over 40 about dating fraudsters.
Read more about dating fraud: click here.
