Keith Piper, 70, said he had been trying to raise money for a visa to bring his wife, Melanie, to Great Yarmouth from the Philippines when he was targeted by fraudsters posing as a legitimate loan company.

He said he came across a Facebook ad for a firm calling itself “UK Finance” - not to be confused with the financial services body of the same name, which has since issued a warning about the alleged scam.

Mr Piper, who works as a school bus driver, said the company claimed it could provide him with a loan to help cover the approximately £5,000 visa application fee.

Keith Piper, 70, says he lost £3,275 in an online scam while trying to raise money for his wife's visa application. (Image: Supplied)

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