Love Island personality Georgia Steel has teamed up with Tinder and Get Safe Online to safeguard young individuals against online romance scams. Recent studies reveal a surge in romance scams targeting freshers and young graduates who are seeking love online. These scams are deceiving even the most tech-savvy individuals, resulting in an average loss of £2,228 per scam.
Research commissioned by Tinder indicates that a significant 44% of students and graduates have shared personal information with strangers they met online, including sensitive details like university addresses, phone numbers, and banking information. This willingness to trust unknown individuals in the realm of online dating has made young people susceptible to exploitation, with 65% of surveyed 18-24 year-olds admitting to overlooking warning signs in the pursuit of enjoyment.
Georgia Steel, a former Love Island contestant, shared her own experience of falling victim to a fraudulent individual she was romantically involved with. Despite initially being showered with gifts by a man named Miguel Johnson, who turned out to be convicted fraudster Medi Abalimba, Georgia eventually discovered his deceitful actions, including defrauding others of substantial sums of money. Abalimba was sentenced to over four years in prison for multiple fraud offenses.
Speaking on the Secure The Insecure podcast, Georgia emphasized the importance of learning from her experience and raising awareness to prevent others from being duped by fraudsters. Tinder’s research highlights that romance scams are evolving to be more convincing, with 63% of respondents finding such scams harder to detect than before.
Detective Superintendent Oliver Little of the City of London Police, the lead force for fraud, warns that romance scams are prevalent during the initial weeks of university, exploiting the vulnerability of students exploring new experiences. Little stresses that these scams target trust rather than just money and urges victims to report such incidents without fear of stigma. Data from the City of London Police reveals that young men aged 18-24 are twice as likely as young women to fall victim to online romance scams.
To educate and empower students in recognizing and avoiding romance scams, Tinder is collaborating with Get Safe Online and Georgia Steel. They aim to equip students with tools to stay vigilant online and have introduced an in-app Swipe Card featuring safety tips for dating during Freshers’ Week. Georgia advises individuals to remain cautious, trust their instincts, and not hesitate to ask questions to avoid falling prey to scams.
By enhancing awareness and providing practical guidance, initiatives like these aspire to safeguard young individuals from falling victim to online romance scams and empower them to navigate the digital dating landscape securely and confidently.
