People trying to find love online in the UK have been warned against scammers, with the amount of money lost to "romance scams" in the UK rising by 60 per cent last quarter.

A romance scam is when someone pretends to be interested in starting a relationship, but is actually trying to scam you out of your money. British bank Barclays has warned daters to be vigilant, with their research showing that victims of such scams lose an average of £4,090.

According to the bank's research, people aged 51 to 60 are most at risk, accounting for more than a third (35%) of all money lost to romantic scams.

Barclays said the data showed that 77% of such scams took place on technology platforms, such as dating apps and social media sites. They want people not to be complacent, as 66 percent say they are confident they will not fall victim to such scams.

Ross Martin, head of digital security at Barclays, said: "Dating apps can be a great way to meet new people, but it's important to remember that not everyone you talk to will have the best intentions. Scammers can use dating apps and social media sites to manipulate you into sending them money."

Of course, you don't have to stress about it, and if it sounds suspicious or doesn't feel right, stop interacting with the other person and talk to someone you trust for a second opinion. We are not advocating to treat netizens with suspicion, but if the netizens you are communicating with have some of the following signs, it is likely to be a liar!

Profile photo

Someone with only one photo or no photo at all can be a red flag. Or, if someone has glamorous photos showing off a lavish lifestyle, it could also be trying to fool you.

If their photos look professional, then they may have been stolen from somewhere else, and one way to check this is to do a "reverse image search" on their photos to see if they were stolen from somewhere else.

Declare their love early

The scammer may try to confess his love to you after a week or two in an attempt to seduce you and make you feel like you're in romantic love. Keep in mind that they may use your emotions to manipulate you and get you to let your guard down before they ask for money.

Refuse to meet

If the person you're talking to keeps making excuses for why they can't meet, then they're probably not who they say they are.

They may also refuse to talk via video or phone, but their willingness to talk to you via video call doesn't mean they're not a liar.

Website link

Some profiles may try to direct you to click on links to learn more about them. If you are not sure, do not click on the link.

Transfer requirement

The biggest red flag is that if someone starts asking you to transfer money for whatever reason, whether it's an emergency or an investment opportunity, make sure you don't!

You should always question why someone is asking you for money, and always remember to ask someone you trust for a second opinion.

Source: FX110