A WOMAN who went looking for love on the internet ended up out of pocket when a scammer posed as a soldier and took her money.

Jean Baker, 58, of Greenstead, Colchester, joined dating website Uniform Dating on the hunt for a soldier.

She got chatting to a 50-year-old man who sent her pictures and they talked over the phone.

Within a few days, he asked her to send him money.

Mrs Baker said: “I didn’t want to do it, but I felt sorry for him, being out there and having no money, so I sent it over.

Uniform Dating advises its members online scammers often pose as soldiers to dupe people looking for love.

The site advises members never to hand over any money or give out their phone number.

 

See today's Gazette for the full story.