POLICE are warning people to be aware of two scams in West Devon.

The first is ‘Friend in trouble’ — when you receive an email from a friend who is in trouble. They’re abroad and all their money has been stolen and they ask you for help.

A police spokesperson said: ‘Beware! Imagine your friend is called John — his computer has been hacked. The hacker has sent an email to everyone on John’s list of contacts, not just you. The email will be very convincing, with details about you and other friends — all these details have been found on your computer. The hacker will have diverted John’s email account so any emails you send will go to the con artist, not John. They may have changed John’s email address in a subtle way such as changing “.co.uk” for “.com“. Golden rule — insist on speaking on the phone. Ignore the convincing excuses why they can’t get to a phone. If they can send an email, they can call you!’

The second scam involves dating websites. Police say all sites include people who want your money, not your company.

The spokesperson said: ‘Con artists target certain types of people. In the UK they target middle aged women who are divorced because they probably have a house and are alone. Identifying these people used to be tricky, then along came dating sites where people actually state that they are middle aged, divorced British women.

‘This is a particularly clever scam because the con artist spends months and sometimes even a year doing nothing other than building up a “relationship”. They may even come to meet you despite the fact they live abroad.

‘Eventually they will ask you for some money to help with some small emergency. Gradually the requests for money get bigger — at the same time promises of meeting and marrying etc are made. Some people end up selling their homes to finance these “relationships”, not realising until too late that they are actually exchanging emails with a total stranger sitting in an office with a dozen other people doing the same thing. One extra word of warning — if you are asked to “pass on money” you are becoming involved in money laundering. This is a criminal offence and guess who is the only person involved who can be prosecuted? You — because you are in the UK and they are usually in a foreign country which they have chosen because they can’t be extradited.’

Police say the golden rules are to never send anyone money unless you really know them — you have met them a number of times, have been to their home and know their friends and family. Exchanging texts and emails does not mean you know someone. Never give anyone your bank details. Do not allow anyone to transfer money through you, whether using your bank, a post office or any other means. You’re not helping a ‘friend’, you’re funding organised crime and terrorism.