$1 million scam costs woman her life savings

Cops: West Whiteland woman victimized by man she met online

WEST WHITELAND >> Police are investigating a scam that began on a Christian dating website, costing a woman her retirement savings to a man obtaining nearly $1 million from several victims for a fake oil company overseas.

West Whiteland Township Police Det. Scott Pezick said that a New York resident reported to the Chester County police department that they wrote checks totaling $30,000 for a rental property to a resident from the West Chester area which turned out to be a scam. When police investigated, they said they found out

that the West Whiteland resident was also a victim and she lost her retirement to a man she talked to online on Christian Mingle, a dating website.

Pezick said that the 60-year-old victim informed them that the man identified himself as a Conshohocken resident who wanted to start an oil company in Nigeria. Over three years he asked and received $300,000 from her while promising to reimburse her more money than she lent. Pezick said that she may have felt obligated to continue sending him money for his business or she would lose her part of the investment.

They never met in person because every time they had plans to meet,

something would come up and he cancelled, according to Pezick. He sent her documentations when he claimed he was stuck in another country for work and needed money, which police discovered were false documents and fake identifications.

“She was more vulnerable because you think you’re going to meet honest people,” Pezick said about the man targeting a religious dating website. “He took advantage of her.”

Pezick said the man reportedly scammed out-ofstate residents and had them send checks to the West Whiteland woman to deposit and wire to him, upwards of $1 million.

“Many victims didn’t report it because they’re embarrassed, or they may be embarrassed if their children find out or they think they are already out the money, so they don’t report

it,” Pezick said.

Police recovered an account with $58,000 and they hope to learn who the money belongs to and return it to them, according to Pezick. He said that there may be a group of people involved in scamming others.

“Be your own investigator if you’re going to get involved,” said Pezick, who encouraged people to listen to their friends and family when considering lending money to an acquaintance. “Use common sense. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Some victims go against their own good judgment. Listen to the bells and whistles.”

Pezick advises people to research names because there are websites naming people who are involved in various scams.