A new survey suggests more than 200,000 people in the United Kingdom have been the target of dating fraud, thinning out bank accounts and leaving lonely hearts that much lonelier.

The University of Leicester in Britain completed what is believed to be the first detailed study on dating fraud. The results suggest that far more people are victimized than previously thought.

The survey, which questioned over 2,000 people, found that 52 per cent of respondents had heard of romantic fraud, while another 2 per cent knew someone who has admitted to having been victimized.

Action Fraud, a British organization that tracks fraud, says only 592 people have reported dating fraud between 2010 and 2011.

"Our data suggests that the numbers of British victims of this relatively new crime is much higher than reported incidents would suggest," Monica Whitty, a professor at the University of Leicester, said in a statement.

"It also confirms law enforcement suspicions that this is an under-reported crime, and thus more serious than first thought."

Dating fraud comes in various forms, but all begin with the perpetrator assuming a false identity.

The University of Leicester says the con artist will present themselves as an honest, successful person looking for love. The hook comes after the relationship is formed and a seemingly deep connection is cultivated.

A sudden financial problem or illness in the family forces them to rely on their new partner to lend them some money. Once the victim has taken the bait, the con artist disappears.

Britain's Serious Organized Crime Agency says they have seen reported losses between $80 and $400,000, in Canadian currency.

Whitty adds that dating scams can cause twice the damage to the victim because of the personal nature of the scam.

"It is our view that the trauma caused by this scam is worse than any other, because of the ‘double hit' experienced by the victims – loss of monies and a ‘romantic relationship," she said.

"It may well be that the shame and upset experienced by the victims deters them from reporting the crime. We thus believe new methods of reporting the crime are needed."

An empty wallet isn't the only danger facing those seeking love, unfortunately. Earlier this year the Vancouver-based online dating site Plenty of Fish said it had been hacked and had hundreds of user passwords and personal details stolen.

Reports of violent criminals meeting targets through dating sites also occur on occasion. In May, Edmonton's Mark Twitchell was convicted of first-degree murder after killing a man who believed he was going out on a date with a woman he met online.