Crooks, often based overseas, use online dating sites to pose as people looking for love in order to rob their victims.
After starting an online relationship and gaining the trust of the unsuspecting man, the scammer then persuades the guy to send money, often claiming it is to help pay for an emergency.
While many of the scammers are men pretending to be women, law enforcement officials have found that there are a number of female romance scammers operating, who specifically target men over the age of 50. (Telegraph)