Islanders lose more than £400k to romance scams

Detective Constable Paul Otter said victims often didn't "feel like they've been involved in a crime"

Islanders lost about £460,000 last year from romance scams, Jersey police have said.

Recent figures from the police showed five cases had been reported in Jersey in 2024, compared to three cases the year before.

Police said romance scams typically started on dating websites, with fraudsters asking for money after developing an online relationship with the victim.

Det Con Paul Otter said victims often didn't "feel like they've been involved in a crime".

'Heavily invested'

He said: "They will believe that they are in a relationship, so they will continue essentially being defrauded until it's stopped."

Mr Otter said vulnerable people were the most at risk, including the elderly, islanders with depression or anxiety, and those who had recently lost a loved one.

He said techniques used by scammers included saying a parent was "in hospital and they need money for the care or they've sent a gift through customs and ask you to pay for it".

"Unfortunately a victim of romance fraud, they won't even believe us because they're so heavily invested in this romance scam," he added.

"The tactic of the scammer is to make that person separate from friends, family and even not trust us, they want the victim just to believe the scammer."

Jersey Police said although there was not a large number of romance fraud reports, financial loss was usually significant due to the "added complexities around the manipulation and emotional abuse".