Gardaí in the midlands are urging people to report romance scams.
Victims of romance fraud are being advised to report it.
As the country celebrates Valentines Day today, Laois Offaly Crime Prevention Officer Sgt. Graham Kavanagh says no one should feel embarrassed about admitting they have given money to someone they met online.
Almost two million euro was stolen by scammers last year - seven in 10 of the all victims were women.
A pensioner lost €100,000 after she met a man on a dating app who claimed to be working abroad and needed the money.
Sgt. Kavanagh says the age of victims ranges from 20s - 70s and says there are signs people can look out for:
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