Surrey Police warning after recent rise in romance scams
The force has issued tips on how to avoid becoming a victim
Surrey Police have issued a warning over romance scams - in the wake of what they say is a recent rise in cases.
Officers say it is when scammers will draw their victim in by appearing to be romantically interested in them - before saying they need money for things like clearing debts, flying to meet the person, or to care for an elderly or sick relative.
They also sometimes claim it is to pay fines so they can leave a foreign country.
Police say once the money has been sent, it is very hard to get back.
They are offering advice so that people know what to look out for - to stop them becoming a victim:
You can also contact police on Facebook and Twitter should you think you might have been targeted by a scammer.