Emerald Fennel’s adaption of Wuthering Heights topped box offices over the weekend, taking nearly $80million globally as fans of romance flocked to the cinema. In the wake of this, Visa warns that romance scammers, who are increasingly active and successful at defrauding consumers, will likely use this increased focus on finding love to target innocent romantics.

 

It is estimated that there are 11million people on dating apps in the UK, and these platforms are popular tools for romance scammers.

 

The huge interest in romance and love stories, in addition to Valentine’s Day, is put in to sharp focus by FCA data1 that indicates romance fraud is on the rise, rising 9% in the financial year 2024/25, costing victims over £106m.

 

Cora Constantin, Senior Director, Tech and Risk Advisory at Visa Europe, said: “Another classic love story topped the box office last week. Wuthering Heights is a classic example of a tangled romance, showing us of the risks of seeing only what we want to see when meeting someone new.

 

“Every day fraudulent messages are shared across dating apps and social media, with scammers using increasingly sophisticated methods, AI and other technology to manipulate their victims into sending money using deception and manufactured emotional connection. 

 

“More than ever before, scammers are also using social media and AI to tailor their messages to each individual, meaning that the love note you receive from a new match that completely agrees with your assessment of Emerald Fennel’s take on the classic novel might not be serendipity. 

 

“If your prospective “Heathcliff” tells you they love you surprisingly early (“love bombing”), or makes up excuses for why they can’t meet you (isolation and moving discussions to private platforms and messaging apps), or finishes conversations by telling you about an upcoming financial windfall (urgency and coercion), alarm bells should be ringing. 

 

“Visa helps prevent thousands of instances of attempted fraud on its network each day, but when dealing with criminals that are master manipulators, consumers need to be aware that these profiles, messages and even photos and videos can be incredibly realistic, convincing and well-timed. Be cautious sending money to someone you’ve only met online, no matter how urgent or trustworthy they seem.

 

“Wuthering Heights also reminds us that dangerous relationships aren’t necessarily built on logic or transparency, but on intensity, isolation and obsession – the same emotional conditions that modern romance scammers deliberately recreate online. Today, these tactics are only amplified by advances in technology that can be exploited by fraudsters to create deepfakes or other credible and increasingly sophisticated social engineering approaches. 

  

“If you think you have been scammed, you should report the incident to your bank and the police as soon as possible – but please remember, you should never feel guilty or embarrassed for being targeted by versed criminals.” 

 

How to look out for a potential romance scam – and what to do if you think you’ve been scammed:

 

    • Common red flags include:
      • requests for money from someone you haven’t met in person, especially if they claim to be urgent/short notice
      • inconsistencies in their story
      • oversharing personal details quickly – especially tragic stories, designed to elicit sympathy (and financial support)
      • reluctance to meet in person or engage in video calls (no matter how much they insist they want to)
      • claims to have a high income or expecting a large windfall but with no access to short term funds
      • overly glamorous photos, or only having one or two images on their dating profile – most genuine people upload a mix of professional and personal pictures
    • It is crucial to verify someone’s identity through independent sources, including checking their photos with a reverse image search to make sure they’ve not been stolen from someone else 
    • Be careful of online relationships that move fast, especially if someone says “I love you” very quickly
    • Remember: criminals are master manipulators and intentionally appear vulnerable to gain trust
    • If you think you have been scammed, you should report the incident to your bank as soon as possible or call 159 to be connected to your bank
    • You can also report suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk and forward suspicious text messages to 7726, a free service

 

 

 

All brand names, logos and/or trademarks are the property of their respective owners, are used for identification purposes only, and do not necessarily imply product endorsement or affiliation with Visa.

 

1  https://www.fca.org.uk/publications/multi-firm-reviews/combating-romance-fraud-prevention-detection-and-supporting-victims



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