Police have warned online daters of the risks of fake celebrity profiles after a woman lost around £5,000 to a romance fraudster posing as Yorkshire TV chef James Martin.
Nottinghamshire Police said the scam is part of a trend where fraudsters pose as celebrities on dating profiles in a bid to lure fans. Reports of romance fraud have 'soared' in recent years, the force said, but the true extent of it remains unknown as many victims are too embarrassed to come forward. The force revealed it received 12 reports of such cases last month and another 11 in August.
Detective Sergeant Tara Clapperton from the force's fraud prevention team said the scammers tend to target their victims on dating apps or social media, but often then try to move the conversation onto other platforms such as WhatsApp. They will often claim to be living or working abroad to explain why they cannot meet in person and will invent reasons not to turn their camera on during calls.
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