A 69-year-old widower has called for stronger protections against scammers after losing Ksh14.5 million (approximately £85,000) in an online romance fraud. Rodrick Lodge, a former United Nations worker, was tricked into sending the large sum to a woman named “Anita,” who he believed he was in a relationship with. Lodge, who had been living in Leiston, Suffolk, and was grieving the loss of his wife, Pauline, in 2019, said he was drawn into the scam by the emotional connection he developed with the woman online. His relationship with Anita began after a friend introduced them three years ago while he was working in Kenya.
Lodge fell in love for the first time since his wife’s death and was convinced by Anita that they would marry in Kenya. He began sending money to help her prepare their future home, believing that he was supporting his future wife. However, upon arriving in Nairobi, he discovered that Anita did not exist. The reality of the scam became apparent only after he had drained his life savings, leaving him with nothing.
This devastating financial loss left Lodge homeless. After the scam, he spent six weeks living on the streets and in shelters in Guildford and Woking. With no assets left, Lodge is now surviving on his monthly pension, but he says he is often left with only a small amount of money to cover other expenses. His life has been drastically altered, and he claims that both of his banks, Halifax and Charter Savings Bank, failed to adequately protect him during the scam. Lodge said that while they offered sympathy, they ultimately blamed him for the situation.
According to Lodge, both banks had warned him about his payments to the scammer, but he believes they did not do enough to stop the fraud. His frustration with the banks is clear: “They said it was my fault, and I know I did a stupid thing, but I am a victim, and they did not protect me enough,” he said. He also criticized the financial institutions for not providing enough safeguards to prevent such scams from occurring.
This case is just one example of a growing issue, as data shows a sharp rise in romance fraud incidents. Romance fraud cases in the UK increased by nearly 60% between 2019 and 2023, highlighting the rising threat of online scams targeting vulnerable individuals. In 2023 alone, there were 7,660 cases reported, up from 4,842 in 2019.
The UK’s national fraud and cybercrime reporting centre, Action Fraud, has issued guidelines on how to avoid falling victim to romance scams, urging people not to send money to individuals they have not met in person or share sensitive personal information online. The centre also advises caution when receiving requests for financial assistance from people they meet online.
Since October 2024, UK regulations mandate that banks and payment service providers must reimburse customers who fall victim to certain types of fraud. The financial services industry has identified fraud prevention as a key priority, with the sector investing significantly in measures to protect customers from scams. However, despite these efforts, critics argue that more needs to be done to prevent fraud, particularly when it comes to romance scams, which exploit vulnerable individuals’ emotions and trust.
The Financial Conduct Authority has also urged consumers to exercise caution when transferring money, especially to overseas recipients. They expect banks to implement robust processes to protect customers from fraud and to offer support to victims when such crimes occur.
Despite the growing awareness and regulatory efforts, victims like Rodrick Lodge continue to suffer devastating financial losses. His call for more proactive measures by financial institutions to protect vulnerable customers serves as a reminder of the damaging impact of fraud and the need for greater safeguards in the digital age.
