ROMANCED BY SCAMMER Facebook Romeo conned me out of £40K... but my lovely hubby is standing by me
£17,000 for a helicopter to get his men off the rig I sent every penny in my account, via several bank transfers,” said Susan.
“I was so relieved when he called to say they were all safe.”
Susan’s relationship with Gordon was struggling.
“The spark had vanished,” she said. “I went to stay with a friend for a week and wrote to Gordon to say how miserable I was but still didn’t mention Gideon.”
Back home, Gordon tried to repair their marriage but Susan had another plea from Gideon. He sent a photo of a pay cheque for $1,500,000 but asked for a loan as it would take a month to clear.
“This time, he needed to fund his flight to Dubai to be with Paul, cover hotel costs and pay the hospital bills,” said Susan. “I had no money left and my overdraft was at its limit, so I began pawning my rare £30,000 collection of gemstone jewellery. I got £7,000 for it – a pittance.
“And when that wasn’t enough, I then maxed out my credit card and applied for more and ended up sending Gideon every penny that I could.
“He couldn’t stop thanking me and we talked about me moving to America. In my head I started planning our future. It was pure fantasy. I got a message saying Paul had recovered from surgery then another saying Gideon had been paid and would transfer the money to me next day. I was so relieved – I’d had sleepless nights, wondering how I’d afford the repayments.”
But the money never came – and Gideon’s calls ended.
“I then got a distraught message from Paul to say his dad had died of a heart attack in his sleep,” Susan said.
“In a moment my world crumbled. I felt I’d lost the love of my life and my heart ached for his son.”
Predictably that was the last Susan heard from Paul too. She finally told the whole story to Gordon and daughter Elizabeth, 49.
“They told me it was a con but I refused to believe it,” she said. “I couldn’t accept his promises were lies.”
When police came to their home in Blackfield, Hants, Susan finally accepted it was all a scam.
“The officer said there was no trace of Gideon or Paul, that their photos were probably fake and I was one of hundreds who are targeted. I felt such a fool. I was in my seventies, es, too old to be taken in by ya a
Romeo conman...but but
I’d been utterly ly hoodwinked.
“I gave a stranger nearly £40,000. We’ve been to hell and back but I know how lucky I am to have such ha a kind, generous and d caring husband.
“I want to warn anyone reading this: Never fall for someone you meet on social media.
“Fake profiles and invented identities are easy to create. Please learn by my mistakes.”
Ex-civil servant Gordon said: “I’d suspected something was wrong. When Susan finally broke down everything fell into place.
“Of course, I felt an element of hurt but I loved Susan and wanted to help her. I felt guilty I hadn’t give her attention.
“I paid off £ 7,000 in credit card loans and £ 700 70 buying back jewellery jew There is s t i l l around £ 15,000. It’ll take years but we’ll w pay it off.
“Some would have h left, unable to cope with the lies lie but I meant every w word of my vows. We’re rebuilding our marriage.
“It wasn’t how I thought retirement would turn out but I don’t blame my wife. These conmen know what they’re doing and target the vulnerable.”