You may need to stop transactions, Nationwide says
Nationwide, which serves 16 million customers throughout the UK, has written a warning on its website to anyone transferring funds, cautioning that transactions may need to be halted. The building society’s website explicitly advises people to never “let money come into your online relationship. This includes sending and accepting money”.
Highlighting the severity of romance fraud, Nationwide emphasises that while many may underestimate the threat, these scams represent a “huge problem for online dating”. According to the UK Finance’s Half Year Fraud report, “a total of £20.5 million was lost to romance scams between January and June 2025. This is an increase of 35% when compared with the same period in 2024”.
Nationwide strongly urges customers never to send money, regardless of the excuse given, whether it’s for “medical fees for a sick parent to travel money to come visit you”. Stressing that “these are lies”, they remind people that “they are not who they say they are”.
The building society warns that millions could easily become victims, as these scams don’t unfold immediately. Rather, “over time, scammers build online relationships based on trust and do what they can to make people think this is the real thing. Eventually, they start asking for money. And they use emotional manipulation and exploitation to lure people in”.
Be aware of this
- Never invest your own money on their behalf or on their advice: Never put your own money into investments based on their advice or for their benefit: Fraudsters may attempt to coax you into investing, promising simplicity and guaranteed high returns. Don’t be taken in.
- Keep your interactions on reputable dating platforms: Fraudsters often attempt to move your conversations away from established dating apps and websites, urging you to use private emails, phone calls or instant messaging. These methods are harder to monitor and lack the security of official platforms.
- Arrange to meet them in person: If they continually provide excuses for why they can’t meet up, consider it a red flag. They may be attempting to conceal their true identity. And remember, if they ever ask for money, it’s time to walk away.
- Be cautious about how they communicate: Fraudsters often use pre-prepared scripts and juggle multiple victims simultaneously. They tend to avoid using your name, opting instead for generic terms like ‘honey’, ‘babe’ or ‘angel’.
- Do some background checks: If things start to get serious, it’s perfectly acceptable to do a bit of online sleuthing. Are they present on other social media sites? Can you verify what they’ve told you about their job, residence, or personal circumstances? Consider running a reverse image search on their photos, as fraudsters often recycle images found online.
- Discuss it with trusted friends and family: Scammers frequently try to keep your relationship a secret. Share details with trusted friends and family members who might spot something amiss.
- Remember the Scam Checker Service: If you’re ever uncertain about a payment being made from your Nationwide current account, you can contact Nationwide directly or pop into a branch, where they can advise if it’s likely to be a scam. Check out Nationwide’s Scam Checker Service.
