Kind of scam
Fake romance and emergencies
Someone you trust, or think you do, needs money urgently and in secret.
3 reports
Sun 18 OctOur write-upOngoing
Romance scams: love, then an emergency
A new partner online cannot meet or video call, then has a medical bill, a ticket or a fee that needs money. They ask for hard-to-reverse payments.
Fake romance and emergenciesDating app or social media
Sun 18 OctOur write-upGrowing
Family emergency calls, now with cloned voices
A caller sounds like your child or grandchild and says they are in trouble and need money, in secret. A short audio clip can be enough to clone a voice.
Fake romance and emergenciesPhone call
Sun 18 OctOur write-upGrowing
Financial sextortion aimed at teenagers
A stranger posing as someone else gets a young person to share images, then demands money or threatens to share them. It can happen within minutes.
Fake romance and emergenciesSocial media and chat apps