Love bombing for your bank details
Lesson 7 of 14 in our free Relationships, Family & Money guide: a 5-minute money game with the key points below.
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Questions you'll answer
"Alex" now says they'll send YOU money if you pass it on to their "cousin". What is this?
Quick facts
- Red flag: “My camera's broken again so we can't video call,” — Always avoiding video calls is a classic sign the person isn't who they claim.
- Red flag: “but there's a problem. My wallet got stolen at the airport” — A sudden emergency right before you're due to meet is the classic set-up for the ask.
- Red flag: “and I need £400 in the next hour to get my flight,” — Sudden emergency + urgent deadline = pressure tactic.
- Red flag: “can you send it as a gift card?” — Gift cards are untraceable. No genuine emergency needs gift card codes.
- Red flag: “Please don't tell your friends, they won't understand us.” — Isolating you from people who might spot the scam is a huge red flag.
- Myth: “Only older people fall for romance scams.” — Young adults get targeted too, often via dating apps and social media. Scammers are pros at this.
- Fact: “If you've sent money to a scammer, contact your bank straight away.” — The faster you act, the better the chance of stopping or recovering a payment. Then report it to Report Fraud, formerly Action Fraud (England, Wales, NI) or Police Scotland.
- Myth: “Being scammed means you were stupid.” — Scammers use psychology that works on anyone. Shame keeps people quiet — reporting helps stop the next one.