On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me…a broken heart… #FraudFreeXmas

Good morning,

Apparently, not my true love at all – they started asking me for money but thank goodness I had watched this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3uDrNG_SAc and read the attached “Staying Safe from Romance Fraud” so spotted the red flags before I sent any money or shared anything too personal. 

I’ve reported the suspect to the dating site, made a report to Report Fraud https://www.reportfraud.police.uk/   referred myself to the Victim Care Hub for free, confidential, support (details below), and contacted my bank by phoning 159 just to be on the safe side.

Looks like I’m “elf on the shelf” for another Christmas…

Please do share this important warning with friends and family and encourage them to sign up for their own Hampshire Alert: https://www.hampshirealert.co.uk/ 

Hampshire Alerts is not a crime reporting portal – please do not report crime here.

If you realise you’ve been scammed and wish to report a fraud that has already happened, please report it to Report Fraud either by phone 0300 123 2040 or online at:  https://www.reportfraud.police.uk/

However, if a fraud or other crime is in progress, and/or you are in fear for yourself or someone else, and/or there is evidence in situ that could be damaged/destroyed, please phone 999 immediately. 

Otherwise, report non-fraud crime online, or find out about other ways to report a crime at: https://www.hampshire.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/

If you would like to report a crime anonymously please contact: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/ or phone 0800 555 111

If you've been affected by a crime please contact Victim Care Hub for free, confidential, support:  https://www.hampshireiowvictimcare.co.uk/  or phone 0808 178 1641

If you’ve received a phishing email please report it to your email provider and/or forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk 

If you’ve received unwanted phone calls or texts from people you think are trying to scam you, but you haven’t engaged with them, please forward the text/phone number to 7726 or to your phone provider.

Thank you – Fraud Safeguarding Team