A PLYMOUTH woman has alerted police to an internet dating scam that has cost its victims thousands of pounds.

Devon and Cornwall police are now warning internet users to beware after 30 women nationally lost around £500,000 over the past three months alone.

Many victims – often single mothers and widows – have parted with money secured through loans or credit cards, leaving them with crippling debts.

DC Stewart Bergman, who has collated some of the evidence, said: "The offenders are targeting single mothers and widows who are seeking new partners for long-term relationships and marriage.

"It is a cruel and deliberate offence feeding on someone's dreams of a happy ending.

"UK police forces do not have any jurisdiction to investigate crimes that originate within Nigeria. On this basis there is no prospect of prosecuting the offenders of this type of criminality."

The scam works by offenders placing fake profiles onto popular dating websites, normally of a white male aged in his mid-40s and a UK or US serviceman of high-rank – serving in the Middle East.

He will be a single parent with one child, normally aged between 13 and 17, who has lost their mother through an accident or cancer.

The offender then makes contact with the victim through email, instant messenger and text messages and builds a relationship.

He then says he is due leave and – in many cases – is going to hand in his notice after his latest deployment and will receive several thousand pounds gratuity on doing so.

As the relationship develops the offender starts talking about short-term financial problems, sometimes directly, sometimes after feeding the victim a story – resulting in them offering money.

Once the money is transferred to Nigeria there is no prospect of it ever being recovered.

PC Bergman said: "Our best efforts are to disrupt their criminal networks and alert the public as a crime prevention measure.

"I would always recommend that anyone engaged in an online relationship confide in a person they can trust for an impartial view on the development of that relationship."