A housebound widow has been left penniless after she was swindled out of her lifesavings by a con man she fell in love with over the Internet.

The 52-year-old, from the East Riding, who was too ashamed to be identified, sent £45,000 to a man she thought was her new partner, to help him move from America so he could come and live with her and her two children.

He had spent months chatting to the woman, who is registered disabled, over e-mail, after they met on legitimate website Dating Direct.

He told her he was in the US Army and even requested her 10-year-old daughter call him dad.

But days after the woman sent the money, she was visited by Humberside Police officers, who broke the devastating news to her that she had been robbed.

The pictures the conman had sent her, claiming to be of himself, were in fact of a retired Major General of the US Army, who had been the second-highest-ranking military officer in Iraq.

Her money had in fact ended up in Africa and, according to police, is likely never to be seen again.

The victim, who suffers with chronic bronchitis and emphysema, two diseases of the lungs in which the airways become narrowed, said she now feels stupid and alone.

She said: "I feel sick, annoyed, but most of all stupid.

"I know people won't understand why I sent the money, but I had no reason to doubt he was moving to the UK to be with me.

"I'd fallen in love with him, he used to send me poetry.

"I would have a message when I woke up and throughout the day and last thing at night, he made me feel special.

"We would speak two or three times a day, we seemed to have so much in common."

Looking back now, the woman says she still struggles to believe what has happened to her.

She added: "He was just that good though, I can't explain how I got sucked in, he was a professional con man.

"Now not only have I got to deal with the loss of the money, it's almost like someone has died because I had this relationship with someone who turned out not to exist.

"I can get over what he did to me, but not what he did to my daughter.

"She believed he would be her dad."

Humberside Police are now warning women to be extra careful with men they meet on Internet dating sites.

There have been several similar incidents reported to officers in recent months.

Inspector Paul Welton, from the Economic Crime Development Unit, said: "We know that this particular scam was invented in Africa and we are working with the authorities in Ghana, however the chances of seeing this money again are slim.

"For many people, their immediate reaction is 'how could this person be so stupid', but what they don't realise is that these conmen are good at what they do and are able to exploit peoples weak points.

"Often people who fall victim to these scams are well educated, they have good jobs. Generally, they are intelligent people.

"We need people to be aware of these scams and to make sure they do not send money to people they do not know.

"We would also urge anyone who has been a victim to come forward."