128: Saving with Steve with Steve Sexton - Episode 128128: Saving with Steve with Steve Sexton - Episode 128
UK Health Radio Podcast
Cyber security expert Emily Hoyoke explains how romance scams and fake investment schemes hook kind, lonely people into sending money. The conversation breaks down the common scripts, warning signs and practical ways to protect yourself and gently support loved ones at risk.
44:58•9 May 2026
Romance Scams, Fake Investments and Lonely Hearts: Staying Safe with Your Money
Episode Overview
- Scammers study social media to emotionally profile people who appear lonely, caring and financially comfortable.
- Early contact feels normal and friendly, then quickly shifts into intense flattery and fast emotional attachment.
- Requests for money usually follow a dramatic sob story and push for urgent, hard-to-trace payments.
- Key red flags include rapid declarations of love, refusal to video call, unrealistic returns, and evasive answers about credentials.
- If something feels off, slow down, ask logical questions, and involve trusted friends, advisers or authorities without shaming the person at risk.
“"If it looks better than the stock market, then it's probably too good to be true."”
How do people find strength in their journey to stay safe, especially when loneliness and money worries are already weighing heavily on them? This conversation on UK Health Radio’s *Saving with Steve* takes that question seriously, breaking down romance scams with unnerving clarity and plenty of plain-speaking advice. Host Steve Sexton chats with cyber security and intelligence practitioner Emily Hoyoke, who specialises in the human side of scams.
She explains how fraudsters study social media, quietly building a psychological profile before ever saying “hi”. From there, you’ll hear how they use ordinary, friendly chat to build trust, then move into “love bombing” – showering someone with praise and attention – before pivoting to the emotional hook: a crisis, a sick relative, a business emergency, or the “too good to be true” investment.
Emily walks through each stage like a script: the initial contact, the emotional bonding, the sob story, and the escalating requests for money through hard-to-trace methods like cash transfer services, some apps, or crypto. She also points out the red flags: rushed timelines, grand declarations of love within days, refusal to meet or video call, and investment claims that magically beat the stock market. For anyone in recovery or supporting someone vulnerable, this episode hits close to home.
It shows how isolation, grief, divorce, ageing, or simple loneliness can be used against genuinely kind, giving people who just want connection. There’s practical guidance on how to check whether someone is real, what to ask about credentials and business plans, and how to approach a loved one who might be caught up in a scam without shaming or pushing them away.
If someone you care about is suddenly “in love” online or chasing a miracle investment, could this conversation be the gentle wake-up call they need?
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