SANTANDER has issued a scam warning to all UK customers.

According to the bank, affected customers lost £4,500 on average amid a 27 per cent rise in that particular crime.

The bank said customers aged 18 to 93 were affected, in a warning to bank account holders nationwide.

Half (50%) have received unsolicited online romantic or flirtatious messages, which they suspected or have confirmed to be a scam, according to an Opinium survey of 2,000 people for Santander in July.

Nearly a third (29%) said they would offer financial help to a romantic partner they have known for less than six months.

According to Birmingham Live, Paul Gorton, a former contestant on BBC’s The Traitors, said: “In my experience, it’s surprisingly easy to build deep trust, especially when someone is charming and says all the right things. As we start to feel a connection, whether it’s real or not, we can end up overlooking red flags and ignore any warnings from others around us.

Recommended reading:

Energy bill support available as Ofgem price cap rises £149

Energy bills: Meter reading warning as price cap increases

Urgent warning to everyone on Three UK mobile network

“Stay vigilant to spot a traitor, it’d be too easy if they simply messaged you out of the blue asking for your money. Approach any new relationship with cautious optimism, complete checks and having your wits about you at the start.”

Santander has shared some tips to stay protected from romance and friendship scams. It explains: "It could be a red flag if the person you have been talking to online will not video call or meet you in person. Fraudsters will make excuses about why this cannot happen or change plans to do so at the last minute."

The bank, which is rivalled by the likes of Lloyds Bank, HSBC UK, NatWest, Nationwide, RBS and more, also said: "Never send money or give card details, online account details, or copies of important personal documents to anyone you have only met online."