The love victims were tricked into handing over £100,000 in money to a gift shop on Oxford Street for a celebrity they were dating, police revealed.
Two arrests have been made as City of London police investigate the alleged scam operated in a back room on central London’s notorious shopping street.
One victim is said to have gone through more than £60,000 in money after being sucked into the fraud.
The arrests were made in the context of Valentine’s Day, which the City of London police, the national head of the fight against economic crime, declared a peak of so-called “romance frauds”.
Police said victims targeted online “would be told to move to an underlying workplace, separate from the main store and deposit giant amounts of cash where they were told it would be sent to a well-known celebrity with whom they believed they were in a relationship. “
“The location given the reaction of a souvenir shop on Oxford Street, one of London’s busiest shopping districts. “
The two arrested were released under investigation, while police said more than £100,000 worth of the cryptocurrency was also confiscated.
Police had won a “wave of victim reports” on the Action Fraud Hotline.
“Romance fraud is one of the most deplorable and ruthless crimes,” said Detective Inspector Steve Weller, specialist operations officer of the City of London Police.
“Not the victim suffers a significant monetary loss, but they also suffer the emotional torment of a lost love.
“In many cases, patients do not disclose the crimes committed in opposition to them.
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“Romance fraud is linked to serious organized crime and those arrests mark a vital step in preventing broader harm. “This is a ruthless crime, and we urge the public to remain vigilant. To someone you’ve only met online, especially if you haven’t met them in person.
“If you are advised to buy or invest in cryptocurrency, make your advice and apply. Never give cash or goods in exchange for cryptocurrency. “”
Nottinghamshire Police issued a caution in 2023 of the rise in romance scams involving celebrities, revealing that TV frontman James Martin had been accustomed to victims.
In January of this year, he revealed that a French woman had been sold for $855,000 when she believed for a year that she was dating movie star Brad Pitt.
The Oscar winner spoke at the time, saying, “It’s terrible that criminals take credit for the strong bond of enthusiasts with celebrities. “He added: “This is a reminder not to respond to online awareness without phrases, specifically from actors who do not have a social media presence. “
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