Fraud warning after widow scammed three times

Dating scams go "unreported" because people are convinced the relationship is real, police say

Romance fraudsters prey on people's emotions, police have warned, after a widow was targeted three separate times.

Cumbria Police said a man in the county, who had recently lost his wife, struck up online relationships with a number of women and was defrauded by three of them, sending them £30,000 in total.

There were 74 reports of dating scams in Cumbria in the last 12 months, police said.

"Many people will feel embarrassed or ashamed and blame themselves," the force's Det Con Claire Keyes said. "But it is really important to remember that romance fraud is never the fault of the victim."

Of those targeted in the county who gave details, 49% were male and 38% were female, while the age groups most likely to fall victim were those between 50 and 79.

Det Con Keyes said fraudsters had exploited the widow "emotionally".

One told him she needed money to release an inheritance.

"Many victims are convinced that the person is real and is genuinely in a relationship with them," Det Con Keyes said.

"We believe a lot of these crimes go unreported as a result."

Cumbria Police said people had reported losses of more than £630,000 as a result of dating scams in the past year.

It warned that anybody could fall victim to fraud and told people contact Action Fraud in the first instance if they have been targeted.