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Kevin Peachey, Cost of living correspondent, highlighted the increasing cases of scams targeting students on dating apps, especially blackmail incidents. The Nationwide fraud teams emphasized the importance of seeking help from trusted friends to avoid falling victim to sending intimate images in new online relationships. Urging victims to report such cases to the authorities, Nationwide warned students to be cautious as scammers are becoming more efficient with their tactics.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) raised concerns about sextortion, a crime where criminals trick victims into sending explicit material and then blackmail them. Annya Burksys, head of fraud operations at Nationwide, described these scams as “commonplace” among students, with 28% of students surveyed admitting to being scammed. Despite difficulties in gathering data on such crimes, the NCA highlighted the alarming rise in blackmail cases linked to sextortion within the past decade as reported by police forces in England and Wales.
In a cautionary tale, a student in Cardiff revealed how a suspicious conversation on a dating app led them to uncover a potential scam involving an AI chatbot. Encouraging individuals to avoid oversharing personal information and photos with strangers, Nationwide’s Jim Winters advised seeking advice from friends or family members when in doubt about online interactions. By staying vigilant and reporting any suspicious activity to authorities, victims can protect themselves from falling prey to blackmail schemes.
In a disturbing trend, fraudsters have also targeted grieving families by impersonating deceased loved ones online and charging mourners to access funeral livestreams. Exploiting the emotional vulnerability of bereaved families, scammers set up fake donation pages and demand payment for viewing funerals that should be free. To combat this heartless form of fraud, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute urged people to remain alert, share warnings, and report any suspicious activities to prevent further victimization of grieving families
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