Mate crime is when someone says they are your friend, but they do things that take advantage of you. Here are some examples of mate crime -
- asking you to say or do things that may put you in danger
- wanting you to ‘act the clown’ for their own amusement
- asking or demanding money from you
- expecting you to pay for everything
- stealing from you
- wanting you to take part in criminal activity
If someone who says they are your friend hurts you, steals from you or makes you do something you do not want to do, you should tell someone you trust right away.
Someone, who only wants to be your friend because they want something, is not a true friend. A real friend would never take advantage of you in this manner.
You can report a Mate Crime to the Police by telephone on 101.