Surrey woman falls victim to dating website scam

Police have warned residents in Surrey looking for love to be on their guard for dating website scams.

The alert follows an incident involving a Horley woman who corresponded with a man who claimed he was in the US Army.

Officers said the man persuaded her to top up his mobile phone, and then asked her to complete release forms and pay £300 in order for him to visit her.

The woman said she could not afford the sum and it was lowered to £100, although she did not pay the money.

Sgt Simon Ward said: "This appears to be a well-established scam which has been used in other parts of the country.

"It was carefully planned and designed to build up a relationship with this lady over a period of time to give it credibility.

"Our advice is never part with money to a person you have never met, no matter how convincing they sound."