You may make a payment but this will lead to further requests for money, each coupled with a plausible excuse. The criminal will ask for money for a variety of reasons, such as saying they want to meet you but cannot afford the travel costs, they have unexpected bills because of a family tragedy or they need help with medical bills. They then progress to the subject of money. They may claim an 'instant connection', very quickly express feelings of love and build up a false relationship with you. If you are targeted by a criminal, they will try to romance you. Some criminals will also gather information on people via the internet or other sources and use this to target people who may be looking for love, via email the telephone or social media. Criminals, however, will use fake photographs and false personal information designed to appeal to those people they believe are likely to fall for the scam. The personal information that you upload on to the site is matched to potential partners. You should pay attention to this advice and remember that prospective dates may not be all that they seem. Reputable sites will also offer you advice on how to stay safe. Most reputable dating sites have systems in place to offer basic protection to those who wish to join but these can be circumvented by the criminal. If you fall victim to a romance scam, the cost can often be emotional as well as financial, a bond having been formed with someone who you believed had genuine feelings for you.

You may be successful in finding love through internet dating or social networking sites but the popularity of this route to finding a partner means that it is also a popular mechanism for criminals to con and manipulate unsuspecting victims out of their money. It's important to remember that all scams are fraud and therefore a crime. In all cases, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Criminals use clever tactics and will try to appear genuine to gain your trust, until they have got your money or personal details.

Many people become the victims of criminals intent on conning them out of their cash.

This guidance is for England, Scotland and Wales

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