Beware online dating scams
14/02/2006 07:39  - (SA)  

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London - Looking for love on the internet on Valentine's Day? Better watch out for the crook who will steal your cash as well as your heart, according to the British government.

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) issued a warning on Tuesday about the dangers of online dating scams, where criminals use dating agency websites or chat rooms to find potential victims.

"The internet has opened up a new and exciting way to meet your potential life partner and, although the vast majority of those who sign up to an online dating agency are genuine, some scam artists are out to trap the unwary," the OFT said.

The scammers take time to build up a relationship with their online victims and convince them it is true romance.

They then suggest a meeting as a natural progression - but the catch is they need cash in order to make this happen.

After getting the money, the crooks disappear.

"This latest example of an online scam shows how scammers use legitimate services to prey upon people's vulnerabilities and hopes for companionship to defraud them of their money," said Christine Wade, OFT director of consumer regulation enforcement.

The scam is just one of those that costs Britons an estimated £1bn a year, the OFT said.

- Reuters

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