Scams of this nature have soared over the past year, with older Brits facing the largest threat.
Pensioner loses £11,000 to ‘cruel’ Facebook scam as bank issues warning (Image: Getty)
A pensioner was scammed out of thousands of pounds by a fraudster who sparked up a fake relationship with her through social media. Kathy, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, was tricked into handing over a staggering £11,000 to “Freddie”, who claimed that he needed help.
Lloyds Bank has now issued an urgent warning to Brits to beware of romance scams, as new data from the bank shows cases have surged by as much as 52% among groups aged over 55. Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director at Lloyds, said: “Romance scams are some of the cruellest cases they deal with. Taking advantage of people who are looking for love and companionship, fraudsters play with victims’ emotions when they could be at their most vulnerable.” Sharing details of the latest case, Lloyds Bank said the 80-year-old met “Freddie” through a Facebook word game. After initially communicating online, they began speaking on the phone, which eventually developed into a relationship.
Scams of this nature have soared over the past year, Lloyds Bank data shows (Image: Getty)
Lloyds said: “Freddie told Kathy his son was working on an oil rig near Germany and that he was travelling soon to England. Freddie then told Kathy his son was in a tragic car accident and had passed away, and Freddie was going to work on the oil rig to finish the job in place of his son. He mentioned to Kathy that his card was blocked.
“After finishing the job on the oil rig, he told Kathy he had been arrested travelling back as the machinery he had with him was worth £300,000 and he had to pay £30,000 in tax for this machinery.”
It continued: “He asked Kathy to help with this payment, telling her he could get nearly £20,000 himself by selling jewellery, but he would need help with the rest. Kathy agreed to send £11,000 to Freddie and was told to send it to a policeman’s bank account as his own account had been closed by the police.
“When Freddie said he was unable to get the money from the policeman, Kathy spoke to the bank, and they informed her she’d been a victim of a scam. Kathy’s total loss was £11,000.”
What is a romance scam?
Romance scams involve fraudsters taking advantage of those using the internet to find companionship. They often use fake information and photos to gain the trust of potential victims, whether through social media, online forums, online gaming websites, and dating sites.
Once they have this trust, they will make up various stories and excuses to explain why they cannot meet in person and why the victim should send them money.
Lloyds Bank shared five red flags people should be aware of when strangers contact them on the internet. Firstly, scammers will often profess their love very quickly. They’ll also avoid face-to-face meetings or video calls.
They will also request money for various emergencies and expenses. Lloyds Bank data showed the most common reasons for needing money include medical emergencies, flights, legal fees, and business problems.
Their stories will be inconsistent and change over time. They also tend to use emotional manipulation, such as guilt-tripping or creating a sense of urgency, to get what they want.
Ms Ziegler said: “Whilst they can be convincing, it’s easy to spot some of the most obvious mistakes these scammers can make. Always take a step back and ask yourself if what they are telling you sounds believable.
“Never in any circumstances, send money to someone you’ve met online. No good relationship starts off in this way, and there aren’t many valid reasons in 2025 why someone can’t speak to you on the phone.”
She added, “If you have an older person in your life who is active online, make sure to educate them as best you can on the risks and signs of potential fraudsters looking to take advantage of them.”
Det Supt Oliver Little, from the lead force operations room at the City of London Police, said: “Romance fraudsters are highly manipulative and often operate with chilling precision- coercing victims through emotional control, false urgency, and elaborate lies. Recently, we’ve seen a case where money is hidden inside teddy bears or transferred under the guise of rescuing someone from an oil rig. These types of fraud are rarely simple but always devastating.
“If you’ve met someone online, stay within the app’s messaging platform, be wary of requests for money, and speak to friends or family before making decisions. Criminals will try to isolate you – don’t give them the opportunity. Remember: if you haven’t met them in person, you don’t owe them anything.”
