Do you think the person you are falling in love with could be a Loan Shark?
The signs may not be obvious at first and when you meet someone you start to have a connection with, loan sharks will be the last thing on your mind. You could have met someone on an online dating site and having them offer to lend you money could have just been a nice, innocent gesture. But what if it’s not?
We’ve been spending more time at home in the last couple of years which can at times lead to loneliness and there has been an increase in the number of people using online dating sites to meet people. According to Research from Statista, around 15.5 percent of internet users in the UK aged between 25 and 34 years were now using online dating services, which is an increase of 14%. Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1278167/online-dating-reach-uk-by-age
The question is: are all of these people creating online profiles legitimately using them to find love online?
During lockdown we heard that Loan Sharks have now taken to online dating sites to target women who are a short of cash. They may portray their offer of a loan as a way of helping out, however it can turn out quite nasty when it comes to repaying the loan.
It’s for this reason that the England Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT) have funded Wave Community Bank to talk to women’s groups about the dangers of meeting Loan Sharks online and we would like to hear from you to help spread this message to as many different women as possible.
If you know anyone that has been targeted by a Loan Shark then the best thing to do is to report it on the 24/7 Helpline 0300 555 2222. and remember that it’s the Loan Shark that is operating illegally and not anyone that borrows from them.
You can also find additional information and support online at www.stoploansharks.co.uk. Live Chat is available on the website 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).
Don’t be a victim of crime and fall in love with a Loan Shark this February.
