A warning has gone out to people in the Banbury and Bicester patch who may be looking for love online

Advice has been published by Neighbourhood Watch (NW), which explains how victims are tricked out of money by criminals posing as possible partners.

In its February newsletter NW says: "Romance scammers use an apparent (but fake) romantic connection or relationship to lure victims into a false sense of security before tricking them into giving them money - or information which helps them steal money from them.

“If successful, they will usually come back with further reasons for needing more. Sometimes, the victim is asked to pass money from another country through their account – this could be money laundering.”

NW says victims report the same pattern.

"If you or someone you know is using online dating or friendship sites and sees any of these signs, it may indicate you or they are being scammed: The scammer asks a lot of questions about yourself without saying much about themselves,” they say.

“The discussion turns romantic very quickly. Their story changes over time and becomes inconsistent. They refuse to video call you, or meet in person. Eventually, they ask you to lend them money.”

Despite the prevalence of online romance scams and fraud, it doesn’t mean that you have to stop using dating sites altogether. Just be aware that scammers do exist and follow some simple rules to protect yourself online,

Don’t accept friend requests from people you don’t know; don’t give away too many personal details about yourself online; never send or receive money or give your bank details to someone you’ve only met online and use reputable dating sites.