Number of Internet dating scams triple in 2011
Scam artists prey on lonely hearts by showering attention; women over 40 are most vulnerable
Singapore | Updated today at 06:00 AM
By Kezia Toh
Last October, Janet (not her real name) went to the airport, all eager to welcome an American she had befriended on a dating website.
While she was waiting at the arrival hall, the 34-year-old's cellphone rang. An 'immigration officer' said that her friend had been detained for bringing in a large sum of money.
He could be released but only when she had transferred $14,000 to a bank account. Smelling a rat, she went to the police. But many others took a hit in their pockets.
According to the police's annual crime briefing last week, the number of Internet dating scams tripled last year to 62 from 21 in 2010 - the biggest rise since they surfaced four years ago.
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