Man begged bank to send his £10,000 to 'woman on oil rig'

Man begged bank to send his £10,000 to 'woman on oil rig'

A jump in reports of over-55s being conned by romance scams has been recorded by a major bank, as it disclosed the most common jobs these criminals claim to be doing, and the most likely excuses they make for urgently needing cash. Lloyds recorded a 52% rise in romance scams among victims aged over 55 over the past year, compared with the previous year.

Lloyds said 55 to 64-year-olds are the most targeted age group, making up a fifth (20%) of romance scam victims, followed by those aged 65 to 74, who make up 18% of cases, according to its data. Alongside the jump in reports involving over-55s, Lloyds has also seen a 20% annual rise in cases involving victims aged 35 to 44.

Victims aged 75 to 84 lose the most on average to roma