More than £1,000 was lost to victims of romance fraud in Suffolk over the last year, police have revealed.

The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB), which is run by City of London Police, received 8,792 reports of romance fraud totalling a loss of more than £94.7m. 

Reports of the crime has increased by 8.4% compared to the previous 12-month figures. 

In Suffolk, there were 121 reports with a total loss of £1,400. 

Romance fraud is when people are defrauded into sending money to criminals who go to great lengths to gain trust and convince them they are in a genuine relationship.

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This can include paying for travel, convincing the victim to pay for an item or taking out loans on their behalf.

For almost a third of those targeted, fraudsters spent more than a year using various tactics to build trust and companionship.

Victims of the crime often suffer significant financial losses but also face psychological and emotional impact of losing a partner and support system. 

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Detective superintendent Oliver Little, from City of London Police, said: "Romance fraud continues to be one of the most common types of fraud that is reported and it is shocking to see an increase of nearly 10% in the number of reports made in the last year.

"Despite this increase, we know romance fraud is a heavily underreported crime so it is likely to be significantly more widespread. We encourage everyone to come forward if they think they could be a victim.

"There is no shame in telling your story as it is through this sharing of intelligence that can really help us learn about the tactics used and, ultimately, catch those responsible. Your report may be the final piece in the puzzle as often these callous criminals will target more than one person."