The romance scam signs to look out for as over-55s frequently targeted for their money
A large bank has been an increase in their reports that these criminals have been connected by romanticism frauds, since they explained the most common work they claim to have done and the excuses they needed urgently.
Lloyds, compared to the previous year, over 2024/25 years old over 55 years of victims of romance frauds of 52 percent increased.
The analysis was based on scammers reported by Lloyds Banking Group customers, including Califax and Bank of Scotland and Lloyds.
Romanticism deception reports were compared to 12 months in July 2025 with the deception reports made in the previous 12 -month period.
Lloyds, according to data, the age group of 55 to 64 years of age is the most targeted age group, and 18 percent of the cases of 65 to 74 years of victims, he said.
In addition to reports over 55 years of age, Lloyds saw a 20 percent increase in cases with victims aged 35 to 44 years.
Lloyds said that victims between the ages of 75 and 84 have lost the most romantic fraud from £ 8,068. The average loss in all age groups is £ 5.219.
Romantic scammers will often claim that they are doing certain jobs to give an excuse that they can be difficult to contact or not personally.
According to Lloyds data, the most common professions alleged by romantic scammers:
- Military personnel. Frauds usually claim to be soldiers in charge of abroad or conflict zones.
- Oil equipment workers. Lloyds said that this excuse was used by both male and female, male and female scammers.
- Other common professions are business owners, engineers and doctors who claim that they are often working abroad in conflict zones or humanitarian tasks.
According to Lloyds’ data, the most common excuses that romantic scammers need money are as follows:
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- Medical emergency situations. Sometimes fraudsters claim that they or a family member need urgent medical treatment, such as after a traffic accident.
- Travel and living costs. Criminals may ask for money for flight or travel costs to visit the victim. Or they may ask for help with rent, food or other daily expenses.
- Other reasons they need money include legal fees, tax or customs payments or business problems.
Frauds will often ask the victims to send them money via bank transfer, but other tactics ask the victim to buy online gift cards and send them instead. Lloyds said that they were easy for the scammer to sell and make a profit.
In a case, an 80 -year -old woman, emphasized by Lloyds, met someone online through a word game.
The person claimed that his son was working on an oil equipment near Germany.
He then claimed that his son was a traffic accident and that he had died and that he would work on oil equipment to finish his son instead.
He then claimed that he was arrested while traveling and that he had to pay a tax invoice and that women agreed to send £ 11,000.
Then he spoke to the bank and was told that he was defrauded.
In another case, a 86 -year -old man met a woman on a single website and started texting. He claimed that it was a bad line for phone and video calls.
A few weeks after chatting, he asked for help with money, claiming that he had traveled to Australia to get the gold he had inherited.
He sent his money to cover his travel expenses to visit him, but he couldn’t. He realized that he had been defrauded and ended the theme. He lost £ 2.260.
“Our expert fraud prevention teams work hard to protect and protect the fraud from the fraud, and romance is some of the most courtyard cases they deal with.
“The fraudsters who benefit from people looking for love and friendship play with the emotions of the victims when they are the most vulnerable.
“Although convincing, it is easy to identify some of the most prominent mistakes that these scammers can make.
“He never sends money to someone you’ve met online under any circumstances. A good relationship does not start this way, and there is not many valid reason for someone in 2025 not to talk to you on the phone.
“If you have an older person who is active online in your life, make sure you do your best about the risks and symptoms of potential scammers who want to benefit from them.”
Oliver Little, the detective responsible of the Lead Force Operations Chamber of London Police, said, “Romanticism scammers are quite manipulative and often work with creepy sensitivity, forcing victims through emotional control, wrong urgency and detailed lies.”
“If you’ve met someone online, stay on the messaging platform of the application, be careful against money requests and talk to your friends or family before deciding.
“Criminals will try to isolate you – don’t give them the opportunity. Remember, if you haven’t met them in person, you will not owe them nothing.”
Lloyds emphasized some romance red flags to pay attention:
- Frauds usually give love very quickly. Be cautious about foreigners who communicate with you on social media and ask yourself if their intentions are real.
- Criminals usually make excuses to avoid video interviews or face -to -face meetings. Be careful against someone who has an eternal excuse for not being able to meet personally.
- Frauds want money for various emergencies or costs. Lloyds said that people should avoid transferring to a stranger, especially to a foreigner they have never met in real life.
- Criminals can be “out of the scenario ve and can be inconsistent in their stories. Lloyds, if you suspect someone you’re talking about online, how personal you feel, how personal you feel, talk to someone you trust in your daily life.
- The scammers will try to manipulate their victims by pressing with a sense of urgency or trying to feel the victims guilty. If you feel under pressure, step back and question their intentions.
