Santander UK has partnered with TV relationship expert Anna Williamson to raise awareness of romance scams.

Romance fraud is when criminal goes to great lengths to win their victim’s trust and convince them they are in a real relationship to scam them out of money.

According to the bank’s research, around 83 per cent Brits who fell victim to a romance scam said it was because of the scammers’ choice of clever words or the intimate conversations they initiate.

The bank’s figures show that around a third of British people have been targeted by romance scams, with those who fall for them losing an average of around £2,300.

Santander said that scammers use certain phrases to reel their victims in, including “only you can help” and “we’re so alike”, with the bank printing these phrases onto sweets as part of its campaign.

The bank warned customers against lying to their bank about payments they are making because they know the signs to look out for and want to protect their customers.

Romance scams also have a wider impact, with Santander revealing that 81 per cent of victims had put off dating and meeting new people while two thirds said they have struggled to trust a romantic partner.

Chris Ainsley, head of fraud risk management at Santander said that people should guard against “sweet talk” and avoid sending payments to people they had only just met.

“Scammers can be convincing and clever with their language, which is why we want to help people be more alert to the telltale signs of a romance scam,” said Chris. “No matter how sweet a situation may seem, it’s important to think twice and ask yourself whether the romance is real, particularly when the conversation veers towards finances.”

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