Sadly on other occasions the fraudsters have been long gone along with the client’s money.

Joining a Dating website is as old as the Internet and most remain a wholly useful tool to meet your future partner, but increasingly those sites are being targeted by gangs who’s only interest is to fleece the unsuspecting.

The most common fake male profile, meanwhile, has light brown hair and is in his forties.

Forty-eight was the most common age found across the profiles.

While online dating may have made meeting people easier, it has also paved the way for fraudsters.

Often the scammers create fake profiles and pretend to be a love interests before gaining their victim's trust so they reveal personal information which they can then use to steal from them.

Selfies of women with low-cut vest tops were most commonly used, with female fraudsters describing themselves as a student, with no strong political leanings.

The UK’s National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, which has been tracking the problem for four years, says almost 4,000 people reported frauds in 2016.When you think you’ve met the perfect partner through an online dating website or app, but the other person is using a fake profile to form a relationship with you.They’re using the site to gain your trust and ask you for money or enough personal information to steal your identity.Alternatively they may prey on your sympathies, telling you a family member or someone else they are responsible for is ill and they need money for medical treatment.Once you send them money, the fraudsters will keep coming back and invent new reasons to send them more.