Over £1m was scammed from people here in December alone.
But many scams are going unreported.
The warning was made at a meeting of Mid and East Antrim Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP).
Speaking at the remote public meeting of the PCSP on Wednesday evening, Mid and East Antrim’s crime prevention officer Paul Black told members that loneliness can make people particularly vulnerable to scams.
Mr Black said: “With somebody who is lonely, they are very susceptible to scams.
“In December, 230 scams worth £1.2m were recorded in Northern Ireland.
“We have people who are lonely who just want to speak to people and they are very susceptible to scams.”