Dating Fraud: Don't Worry, I'm Rich

Scam Secrets - A podcast by BBC Radio 4

You've met someone online. You chat every night and it's going well - but then they need your help. Would you know what to do?Romance fraud cost people more than £400m last year - and that's just the cases that were reported.In this episode, BBC reporter Shari Vahl, criminologist Dr Elisabeth Carter and former scammer Alex Wood dissect the harrowing story of a woman who sent £80,000 to a man she believed was her soulmate.Step by step, they uncover the criminal's elaborate tactics - from the powerful use of silence and love bombing, to a fake banking app and lies about a trip to hospital.They highlight the red flags to watch out for and how to see criminals coming.You can email the team at [email protected]: SHARI VAHLPRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY