A professional "Internet lover" was arrested in Beijing on Monday, accused of cheating a woman of 120,000 yuan (about US$14,457).

Police said the man, surnamed Qiao, met his victim, a 40-year-old woman with the surname Lin, in an Internet chat room in 2001.

Qiao told Lin he was 27, a university graduate working in a Beijing-based company as assistant manager. He convinced her that he was in love with her, and e-mailed a photo of a handsome man, claiming that it was his own picture.

His gullible victim fell for her Internet lover, and started giving Lin money whenever he asked.

Within a year, Qiao had allegedly acquired 120,000 yuan from Lin, but always making excuses why they could never meet in person.

Last September Qiao turned off his mobile phone and refused anyconnection with Lin.

Lin reported the case to police in August and Qiao was arrested.

Police said Qiao, was in fact, unemployed, and allegedly made his living by cheating women over the Internet. All the photos he e-mailed to his victims were downloaded from the Internet.

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