Nearly £4 million was lost by victims of romance fraud in Sussex last year.

Figures released on Valentine’s Day show that fraudsters took an average of £14,000 from victims in the county.

The crime is on the rise with 15 per cent more people reporting they have fallen victim.

Mary Cheater reported receiving an online message from a Dr Campbell Smith in December 2022 with the relationship developing into “intimate conversations” over the course of their contact.

Sussex Police say Mary was persuaded to fork out around £3,000 to help Smith with “medical research” he was allegedly carrying out.

After her bank stopped one of her transactions, Mary found out that many other people had been contacted by a man with a similar name.

Further research found that the image she had been given by “Smith” was actually a doctor from Denmark.

Bernadette Lawrie BEM, Sussex Police’s financial abuse safeguarding officer, said: “I can't express how important it is for victims of romance fraud to come forward and report it. It is a horrible crime and is one of the most underreported fraud types we see and that is in part because the victims feel embarrassed, ashamed and blame themselves a lot of the time for not seeing the warning signs.

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“This is a crime where fraudsters prey on the vulnerable, manipulating and grooming their victims over a lengthy period, isolating them from those closest to them, to enable them to exploit them financially. The impact can be so devastating both emotionally and financially on those individuals and also on their wider family.

“I would encourage you to look out for friends and family, particularly any who have entered into a new relationship which is perhaps becoming intense and moving fast.”

Sussex Police say the vast majority of romance fraud victims are now being contacted online through social media and dating sites or apps.

Around £3.8 million was lost by romance fraud victims in 2023.

The majority of romance fraud victims are 50 or over and the average age is 59.

Nearly two thirds of victims live alone and loneliness and social isolation can have a “significant impact” on victims, the force say.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “If you believe you have been a victim of romance fraud or you have concerns that someone you know may have been targeted by a romance fraudster, please contact Sussex Police on 101 to report it.”