"IF IT sounds too good to be true... then it probably is."

This is the warning from Blackpool police after a Fylde woman was duped into handing over £3,000 by an online con-artist.

The unnamed victim was targeted by tricksters after signing up to an online dating site.

After three months of regular contact with what she thought was an eligible male, she was asked to deposit an international money order into her bank account and then divide the cash between two other parties within the UK.

Despite initially being accepted by the bank, the victim was contacted weeks later after it was discovered the money order was a fake.

Unfortunately she had already distributed £3,000 in cash to the conmen.

This type of 'cashback' crime has seen sharp increase across the UK in recent months as highlighted by BBC consumer affairs programme - Watchdog - on Tuesday evening.

According to Watchdog investigators, hundreds of people are being lured into supposedly lucrative arrangements with Nigerian con-artists who target their victims through online sales ads.

After contacting them several times, a cheque or money order will arrive for an amount which is more than the item for sale is worth and victims are asked to forward the remaining balance to various addresses for "shipping costs". The money is then pocketed leaving the vendor out-of-pocket.

Blackpool police Crime Management spokesman, PC Geoff Duxbury said: "We would advise people who are contacted by these groups to completely ignore them.

"After all, nobody gives away something for nothing and these offers are proving to be, quite predictably, far too good to be true."

Anybody who feels they may have been targeted by conmen is asked to contact either Crimestoppers, in confidence, on 0800 555111 or Blackpool police on 01253 293933.