Ms Niamh Davenport:

They have not met face to face. Something important to note with the romance scams is there is a huge level of trust already built up. These can take anywhere from a number of weeks to six or seven months or even up to a year. The fraudster engages with the person over time and builds up trust. The person thinks he or she is in a relationship with this person and wants to help in a situation, for example, involving a family member. There is a good level of trust built up. The scams have generally taken place before the payment is even made.