Members of Parliament were informed that law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, and online platforms are not effectively addressing the increasing problem of romance scams, leaving those affected without recourse and feeling frustrated.
During the home affairs select committee inquiry on fraud, two women shared their accounts of being targeted, manipulated, and cheated through the internet.
On Wednesday, Cecilie Fjellhøy, who was highlighted in the 2022 Netflix documentary “Tinder Swindler” about true crime, stated that attempting to get social media platforms to take action against romance scams felt futile and frustrating.
The woman explained how she lost nearly £200,000 to Simon Leviev, who wooed her on a dating website and manipulated her into giving him money with false stories of being in peril and in need of urgent funds. She testified that although Leviev served a two-year prison sentence for his actions, he has since been released and is suspected of committing more crimes in Germany.
Fjellhøy stated that Leviev’s illegal actions had a severe emotional and financial toll on her life.
Initially, she stated that she had faith in Leviev, mentioning that he was her significant other. However, she revealed that he subjected her to emotional mistreatment and she is currently undergoing therapy to cope with the events that occurred.
She expressed disapproval towards banks that facilitate transactions for romance scammers.
She stated that the banks hold a lot of power and are not eager to share information about their internal procedures.
Together, she and Anna Rowe, who have both fallen victim to romance fraud, have united under LoveSaid to sound the alarm about the scams they and countless others have experienced. Additionally, Rowe has launched Catch the Catfish to educate others about the dangers of romance fraud.
During his testimony to the committee, Rowe stated that he had encountered his abuser through the dating app Tinder. The abuser had spent approximately three months grooming him online before they began meeting in person multiple times a week.
She stated that when he began offering justifications for why he couldn’t see her anymore, she grew wary and uncovered his deceitful behavior.
She noticed that he was using dating apps primarily for sexual satisfaction.
She obtained proof of 16 additional individuals who had similar experiences, including two instances of rape, one sexual assault, and several cases of being tricked into sexual activity. However, she stated that the authorities did not begin an investigation until two years after she had alerted them.
After establishing the two organizations, she informed the committee that she had received communication from thousands of victims.
Rowe stated that justice for victims of romance fraud is minimal. They could not come up with a reason for the police’s actions aside from them being uninterested.
During a broader examination of fraud, the supporting proof was presented. It was revealed that only 1 in 7 instances of fraud are actually reported, and even when law enforcement agencies are involved, prosecution does not always occur.
In England and Wales, fraud is the leading category of criminal activity, with approximately 3.3 million fraud-related incidents reported in the fiscal year ending June 2023. It is expected that this will result in a financial loss of over £1 billion for households in the UK.
Louise Baxter, the leader of the fraud investigations team at National Trading Standards, testified about various types of fraudulent activity. She stated to the committee, “This is a form of organized crime. Data is a highly valuable commodity that is traded among criminal groups. These criminals are constantly on the move and have more resources than we do. It’s like playing whack-a-mole.”
Source: theguardian.com
