Romance Fraud Investigation
Have you been a victim of a Romance Fraud, or are you suspicious as to whether the person you are talking to is genuine?
You may be unsure as to whether you are a victim and have been scammed by romance fraud, or you maybe online dating and suspicious as to whether the person you have been talking to is who they say they are. You may also be embarrassed to talk to friends and family or feel ashamed to admit that your romance was not real and that you have parted with a lot of money. It may also be that you are not able to go to the Police as you have insufficient evidence.
We provide a strictly confidential service in which we can provide a view, and advise on what enquiries we would recommend, to establish whether your romantic interest is genuine or a fraudster. The further enquiries may involve analysing images, documentation and communications exchanged, and also undertake investigations utilising open-source intelligence (OSINT) to establish the identity, location and authenticity. If necessary discrete enquiries can be made with companies and authorities to establish whether the person is genuine. In some instances, we can also carry out background checks on the individual.
All enquiries will be carried out in an ethical and legally compliant manner so that the evidence is not compromised and can be used, if necessary, as evidence in a Court of Law at a later date. We can also provide advice and information on free helplines, websites, law enforcement and authorities that can help. A few examples of these are:
The National Crime Agency; Police National Fraud Intelligence Bureau; Action Fraud; Victim Support; Get Safe Online; and the Revenge Porn Helpline.
There are a lot of people, especially the older generation who will not be internet savvy and need reassurance.
The key is to stop all communication, do not pay the person any money or make any further payment if you have done so already, and tell someone you can trust. For a relatively small fee, we can save you a lot of money and provide you with peace of mind.
Any investigation must comply with both civil and criminal law, not only to justify the methods used and to protect innocent parties and avoid prosecution but also to be admissible as evidence. A Legitimate Interest Assessment (LIA) and Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) must also be completed, to comply with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
