Hundreds of people across Kent have fallen victim to romance fraudsters in the past year.

In total, 248 dating scams were recorded by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB), with scammers pocketing £2.9 million.

Lonely singles striking up romantic conversation online between Christmas and Valentine's Day may be more at risk - March 2021 saw a peak in reports recorded by NFIB across Kent.

Most of the victims were women aged between 40 and 70.

Criminals will typically spend weeks gaining the trust of the victim before tugging on the heart strings and asking for money.

They will use an emotional story to encourage their 'love interest' to transfer money without suspicion.

These stories are often very believable and the emotional attachment makes it hard for the victim to refuse.

Recently in North Kent, a woman started a relationship with a man who had contacted her online via social media.

They exchanged phone numbers and this is when the fraudster told the woman that he was travelling overseas to take medication to his mother.

The scammer added that his father needed treatment following a fall and was able to convince the woman to send him money.

This is when she realised he wasn't genuine but it was too late and the money was in his account.

She reported the incident to Kent Police and her bank, in this instance she was able to get her money back.

It is thought the actual number of romance scams is considerably higher than recorded, but victims often feel embarrassed or too hurt to report the crime.

Detective Inspector Helen Smithers from Kent Police’s serious economic crime unit said: "Victims are being conned out of their savings and left heartbroken because of these criminals and we want to do everything we can to prevent innocent people from being exploited.

"We know how this type of offending can affect people and there is absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about.

"Why should fraudsters get away with committing such heart-breaking crimes?

"They will try every trick in the book to get people to part with their money, innocent people who think they are in a loving relationship and we want to find the criminals responsible for that."

She continued: "We urge people to protect themselves online and to look out for their friends and family, especially those most vulnerable in our society.

"Anyone who thinks they are being targeted or has been a victim of dating fraud should report it immediately.

"This information will continue to help us to identify and track down these heartless offenders and bring them to justice."

Kent Police is now supporting a national two-week awareness campaign led by the City of London Police.

The campaign launched this week to help online daters and their families spot the signs of romance fraud.

Kent Police have now shared the tell-tale signs which mean you could be being scammed.

For example, they may wish to communicate with you through instant messaging and texts, rather than through the dating website or chat room where you met.

You should also be cautious if they ask you lots of questions about yourself, but don’t answer basic questions about where they live and work.

It is also important to remember that profile pictures may have been taken from somewhere else on the internet.

To report fraud contact Action Fraud via their website, or by calling 0300 1232040.