Romance & Dating Scams
Bouncing Back from Love Fraud: Reclaim Your Scam Losses with Allegiant
What are they?
Romance scams prey on people’s emotions and desire for companionship. Fraudsters create fake online profiles on dating sites or social media platforms to build a relationship with their victims. Once trust is established, the scammer begins to request money, often citing emergencies or opportunities that require immediate financial assistance. Romance scams have seen a surge in recent years and are increasingly incorporating elements of other scam types, creating more complex hybrid scams.
Understanding the Romance Scam Phenomenon
Romance scams have become an alarming global issue, with ruthless fraudsters capitalising on the emotional vulnerability of innocent victims to defraud them of their money. These swindlers create enticing profiles on various platforms including dating websites, social networks and email chains with the sole intention of attracting potential victims. They carefully craft captivating stories, posing as attractive, emotionally available personalities who, for a variety of reasons, are in desperate need of financial assistance. The tactics they employ are subtle and manipulative, designed to tug at the heartstrings and exploit human compassion.
The Ploy of Trust and Emotional Manipulation
Once a bond has been formed, fraudsters begin the calculated game of gaining trust. They meticulously foster an emotional relationship, carefully exploring and exploiting the victim’s soft spots. Having the victim emotionally committed, they introduce a critical need for monetary help. This plea often begins with trivial amounts and escalates, typically bundled with an emotional, persuasive storyline. This crafty narrative pressures the victim into assisting their supposed love interest.
Recognising the Red Flags in Online Relationships
The ability to discern potential romance scams is a crucial self-defensive measure in the digital dating world. Warning signs may include premature confessions of love, a persistent unwillingness to meet physically, or appeals for financial aid. Also, be cautious if they continually provide excuses to avoid interaction outside the online platform. Scammers often weave a web of lies to keep their victims entangled. Genuine romantic bonds, however, are founded on trust, openness, and mutual respect. It’s crucial to stay vigilant and heed these red flags to guard yourself against online deception.
How Allegiant Aids in Reclaiming Scam Losses
Navigating the aftermath of a romance scam can be harrowing, but you’re not alone. Being a victim of a romance scam can feel like a violation of trust, but with Allegiant by your side, you can rest assured that we are committed to setting things right. At Allegiant, our care for victims extends beyond just financial restitution. We are steadfast in our commitment to providing holistic support in the wake of these damaging experiences. Respecting your privacy and ensuring your confidentiality throughout the process are of paramount importance to us.
Promoting Online Safety and Scam Awareness
At Allegiant, we’re not only committed to reclaiming your scam losses but are also advocates for promoting safety in the online sphere. Our preventative stance aligns with the adage that it’s better to prevent a problem than to resolve one. We believe that with heightened awareness and understanding, individuals can quickly recognise and sidestep the early signs of fraudulent activity, reducing the risk of falling victim to such malicious schemes.
Ms C was a victim of a Romance Scam1
Ms C met someone on a dating site and built up a relationship with them over the following six weeks. Ms C started sending money to the person, for reasons including medical bills and buying a property. Ms C paid out £109,000 over a period of a couple of months. She got this money from savings, credit cards and loans.
But the person on the dating app was in fact a scammer. The scammer knew that Ms C’s bank might try and stop the payments if they suspected there was a scam, so the scammer gave Ms C a cover story to tell the bank, about the reason for the payments.
However, Ms C’s bank should have spotted that Ms C was being pressured by someone to make large payments. Whilst Ms C’s bank were not completely to blame, the bank was required to refund 50% of the losses from the scam.
A familiar story?
Ms C’s experience is all too common in today’s digital landscape. If her story resonates with you, you’re not alone – and more importantly, you’re not without recourse. At Allegiant Finance, we understand the emotional and financial toll of falling victim to sophisticated scams.
Don’t let scammers win. If you’ve experienced a similar situation to Ms C, you could be entitled to compensation for your losses. With Allegiant by your side, you’re not just starting a claim – you’re beginning your journey towards financial justice.
While we can’t guarantee a successful outcome in every case, we can assure you of our unwavering dedication, and no upfront fees.
1 https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/decision/DRN-3747999.pdf
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Service Highlights
Andy Ramsay, Fraud and Scam Claims Manager
With over 40 years of experience spanning both financial services and legal services, Andy has been tirelessly dedicated to providing access to justice for people in need. His diligent work ethic is a testament to his unwavering commitment to his clients. Andy is ready and eager to assist with any claim you may have.
Questions about our Scam Reimbursement Claims Service…
Click below to see answers to common queries.
I've been scammed and now have low trust of companies. How can I check that Allegiant is a legitimate company?
It’s understandable that your trust will have been dented in businesses, particularly when dealing online. It’s great that you are thinking about how to check a company is real.
Before engaging the services of any company or person offering to help you recover lost money through fraud that they are legally authorised to do so.
Our full name is Allegiant Finance Services Limited. We are a Claims Management Company that is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Firm Reference Number: 836810.
You can check our credentials on the Financial Conduct’s Authority’s Financial Services Register.
The register lists all the firms authorised to conduct regulated financial services activities which includes Claims Management Services. You can find the Financial Service Register by entering “FCA register” on your internet browser.
You may be seeing our website, but we have physical offices in Cheshire, England. We are based at 400 Chadwick House, Warrington Road, Birchwood Park, Cheshire WA3 6AE. We were founded in 2010, so we’ve been around a while.
You can check the above facts by typing in “Companies House Search” into your internet browser and searching for “Allegiant Finance Services”.
You can also check independent review sites like Trustpilot and Google Reviews.
Do you charge for your services?
Yes, our service is chargeable but only where you receive compensation.
You do not need to use a claims management company to make your complaint to your bank. If your complaint is not successful you can refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service for free.
If you choose to use our service our fees are owed upon a successful claim and are a percentage of the amount recovered.
We do not charge upfront fees, and if your claim is unsuccessful there is no charge. You can cancel your claim for free at any point unless an offer has been made, at which point our success fee will apply.
Am I eligible to claim?
We can help you with all sorts of fraud claims including bank transfer fraud (authorised push fraud), safe account, impersonation investment romance, purchase and invoice scams.
If you believe that you have been a victim of a fraud scam, contact us to find out more about what this involves. If you are not sure if you have a claim, we can find this out for you.
I have been told / I believe I was at fault. Can you still help me?
Yes – because you may not actually have been at fault, or because your bank may also have been at fault! 1 in 2 claims are unfairly rejected by the banks. Based on our experience and expertise we present a claim based on the relevant rules, codes and best practice standards to see if the bank shouldn’t have taken your instructions at “face value” or considered the wider circumstances surrounding the transaction, before making the payment.
How do I start a claim with you?
You can start a claim by entering your details here. The more information you provide, the more likely we can make a quick decision on whether we can take your case on.
By filling in the claim form you’re not committing to using our service, and if you change your mind we’ll not take your case forward or contact you again.
If we decide to take on your case, we’ll let you know and at that point, you’ll be sent a copy of our contract with other documentation via email. You’re only committing to our service once you sign and return the contract.
How long does a fraud, scam or sham claim normally take?
It is very difficult for us to place a timescale on the claims process. Much will depend upon whether your bank agrees to your claim, or whether they defend it. If your bank agrees to your claim following the submission of our Letter of Complaint, we would expect the compensation offer to be received within approximately 8 to 12 weeks.
If the claim needs to be referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service, this may add 6 to 24 months to the claim (depending on the Financial Ombudsman Services’ capacity and what arguments the bank has made in defence). In cases where there is severe and immediate hardship, the Ombudsman may be able to fast-track your claim. If this applies to you, please tell us.
What should I do If my bank contacts me directly with an offer?
Please notify us immediately so that we can give you guidance on whether the offer is fair. Our fees are due whether the bank sends the offer to you or us, so there is no benefit in not seeking our guidance where an offer is received.
Can a non UK resident make a claim?
Yes! Subject to the bank account being a UK bank account, you are able to claim. This includes UK bank accounts where money was withdrawn in connection with the fraud.
Our Fraud & Scam Claims Process
We realise that claiming against a bank may feel daunting. We aim to make the claiming process as simple as possible. Our experienced team will communicate with the bank (and where required, the Ombudsman service) on your behalf. We use bespoke technology to ensure efficient claims handling. Throughout the process, we inform you of claim progress using a “stage process”, so you can track your progress easily. Please remember though, that you do not need to use a claims management company to make your complaint to your bank, and if your complaint is not successful you can refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service yourself for free.
Step 1
Pre complaint investigation and analysis
Step 2
Formal complaint made, where appropriate.
Step 3
Bank responds with a Final Response Letter
Step 4
If an appropriate outcome cannot be reached, referral to Financial Ombudsman Service.
Our Fees - What You Need To Know
Our success fee is due only if your bank makes a compensation payout, and is calculated on the amount of the compensation payout
The success fee amount is calculated using a band charging system. There are five charging bands. Each band has a maximum amount that we will charge.
Success Fee Charging Table
| Band | Compensation Payout | Percentage rate the Success Fee is calculated on (including VAT) | Maximum Success Fee in band (including VAT) |
| 1 | £1 to £1,499 | 36% | £504 |
| 2 | £1,500 to £9,999 | 33.60% | £3,000 |
| 3 | £10,000 to £24,999 | 30% | £6,000 |
| 4 | £25,000 to £49,999 | 24% | £,9000 |
| 5 | £50,000 or more | 18% | £12,000 |
Below are examples of how this would work in practice.
| Band | Comp Payout (Lower) | Success Fee (Lower) | Comp Payout (Higher) | Success Fee (Higher) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | £100 | £36 | £1,499 | £504 |
| 2 | £1,600 | £537.60 | £9,999 | £3,000 |
| 3 | £12,000 | £3,600 | £24,999 | £6,000 |
| 4 | £30,350 | £7,284 | £49,999 | £9,000 |
| 5 | £55,000 | £9,900 | £100,000 | £12,000 |
If you want to see how much we would charge for a specific amount, please visit our online fee calculator at https://allegiant.co.uk/fraud-and-scam-claim-fees/.
Please note that the examples in the tables are for illustration purposes only. They are not an estimate of the likely outcome or success fee.
Cancellation Rights
You can cancel for free at any time within 14-days without giving any reason and without incurring any liability. You can communicate your cancellation by telephone, post, email or online.
You can cancel this agreement at any time after the 14-day cancellation period. However, if a complaint submitted by us is successful, the Success Fee will apply in the usual way.
You can cancel by post: Allegiant Finance Services Limited, Freepost RTYU–XUTZ–YKJC, 400 Chadwick House, Warrington Road, Birchwood Park, Warrington, WA3 6AE; (b) by email: helpdesk@allegiant-finance.co.uk; (c) by telephone: 0345 544 1563; or (d) online at HERE.
A Claims Management Company You Can Trust.
A Safe Choice For Scam, Sham and Fraud Claims.
A trusted name
Allegiant Finance Services was founded in 2010 and has helped over 100,000 customers reclaim over £80,000 across all claim types.
Friendly and understanding advisors
Fraud and scam claims can be traumatic. We’re here to support clients through their quest for re-imbursement.
Confidential & Discreet
We will only correspond with you and keep your details secure. We’ll never sell your data
Online Application System
Fill in our form and our advisors will review whether you are eligible for our service.