Lonely men conned by online date fraudster

AN ONLINE dating fraudster duped lonely men into paying her more than £100,000 after she set up a fake profile on Match.com.

Grace Akintaro, 24, told the men she needed them to send her money for her travel fare before they met.

She would then fail to turn up, but would request more money for rent and to pay off loans.

The men believed they had struck up a relationship with a woman called Amanda Jenson, Woolwich Crown Court heard.

One of the victims handed over more than £46,000 and another gave her money from his dead wife’s life insurance policy. A third took out an equity release on his house to pay her.

Akintaro received almost £105,000, using it to buy a new car. Her accomplice, Victoria Nwogu, 22, received £3,490, the court heard.

Akintaro, of Pettacre Close, Woolwich, south east London, admitted seven charges of fraud by false representation.

Nwogu, of Piedmont Road, Woolwich, admitted acquiring criminal property

Detective Constable Mark Cresswell of the Met’s Fraud and Linked Crime Online unit said: “One victim we identified in this case said he had not reported it to police because he felt he had been a ‘foolish old man’.”

Akintaro and Nwogu will both be sentenced at the same court next Tuesday.