Romance scams are among the most emotionally damaging forms of fraud. A criminal builds a relationship over weeks or months, then engineers an urgent need for money. Because the victim chooses to send the funds, traditional fraud controls that look for unauthorised activity often miss it entirely.
Where the name check matters
Victims are often told the money is going to a friend, a shipping company, or the love interest themselves. When the IBAN belongs to a completely different name, Verification of Payee shows it — and that gap between expectation and reality is a powerful prompt to stop and think.
A pause can break the spell
Scammers rely on momentum and secrecy. A clear, well-worded 'the name doesn't match' message at the point of payment gives the victim a reason to question what they have been told.
Designing the warning
For consumer payments, wording matters. The warning should be plain, non-judgemental and specific — naming the mismatch rather than just showing an error — so a vulnerable payer actually pauses instead of clicking through.
A check that protects customers
RoxPay's Verification of Payee gives banks and PSPs a real-time name check they can present clearly to consumers, turning a silent transfer into a moment of informed choice.