Beware of Scams Impersonating Love

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By:

Team of Hukumindo

Previously, the Hukumindo.com platform has talk about "Important Evidences In Preparing Police Report For Online Scam", "Legal Basis for Criminalizing Online Gambling", "Contoh Pledoi Kasus Narkoba", "How To Report Online Scammer Or Fraud To The Police In Indonesia", "What's The Difference Between Police Report and Public Complaint?" you may read also "How to Open a Police Report in Indonesia?" and on this occasion we will discuss about 'Beware of Scams Impersonating Love'.

This story is real, happened in England, only the names were changed to protect identity. In May 2019, Sophia started communicating with Aaron via a dating site. Sophia dreams of having a family and getting married. Aaron said something similar. The two talked more deeply, and their relationship progressed quickly. Sophia never thought that later in life, she would not only fail to have a partner but also incur a £300,000 debt after handing money over to a man she knew.[1]

'Fake home loan'. Sophia, and the man she considered her partner, began discussing plans to buy a house together - though they had never met in person. Looking back, Sophia feels she was told "a lot of lies" about their future. He said the man made fake home loan documents and fake e-mails from lawyers. He was selling dreams, and Sophia basically just believed.[2]

Sophia sent Aaron a large sum of money as requested as part of a future plan to buy a house. "I took credit and withdrew my savings which totaled around £50,000-60,000. "Then I borrowed a lot of money from family and friends." In all, Sophia admitted to having sent around £300,000 to the man. Sophia is not the only victim of romance scams in the UK. According to UK Finance, the UK's association for the banking and finance sector, there was a 20% increase in bank transfers linked to romance fraud between 2019 and 2020.[3]

When the man asked for another £50,000 (equivalent to Rp. 967 Juta Rupiah/million), Sophia decided to question what happened to him. He contacted the bank he believed kept a joint account in his name and in Aaron's name. The bank said Sophia's name was not on the account. "I felt the ground I was stepping on was sinking. I couldn't believe it. I felt like I was having a very bad dream," he said. "We see stories, read stories, we hear other people's stories, but we feel like we're not going to experience them". "But it's really happening, because there's emotional torment that we don't even know we're going through."[4] After realizing that she had been scammed, Sophia contacted a lawyer to open a Police Report to the local police. And if you have any legal issue with this topic, then contact us, feel free in 24 hour, we will be happy to assist you. 

*) For further information please contact:

Mahmud Kusuma Advocate

Law Office

Jakarta - Indonesia.

E-mail: mahmudkusuma22@gmail.com

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References:

1. "Penipuan asmara online: 'Saya serahkan dana Rp5,8 miliar kepada pria yang saya kenal lewat aplikasi kencan'", www.bbc.com., Diakses pada tanggal 24 April 2022, https://www.bbc.com/indonesia/majalah-59206176

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.