Conned out of €20k by online date scam artist
Retired dentist, 75, took out payday loans to send money to this ‘girlfriend’ but the woman in photo was a US porn star
Simon fell for woman’s story access her father’s €5million inheritance which included a stash of gold. Simon sent €6,000 savings, €3,000 on credit cards and two €5,000 advances from payday loan company Amigo.
He also paid €1,600 for Eva’s flight to the UK in August this year – when he expected her to repay him. But Eva Scammer had this photo of US porn star Briana Lee as a profile pic Okay my husband and one more thing do you have credit card babe Yes you are darling. When can we talk tomorrow. Hopefully about 16.00 Yes I do. Why I have no money available for credit though
send me the card details so that i will let them put money on it babe send the CVV NUMBER AND THE EXPIRY DATE AND YEARS BABE failed to turn up and when he was unable to contact her it became clear he had been scammed.
Simon said: “I was sold a complete sob story and was completely used.
“I believed everything she said. I thought I’d be able to clear my debts and we’d be able to enjoy the money and buy a house together.
“But she clearly had no intention of Eva got Simon to send cash and tricked him into revealing bank data coming here. I was lonely, and I still am, and I was looking for company. Eva seemed genuine. But I was obviously an easy target.”
The loans come with a huge 49 per cent interest rate and Simon now needs to pay over €600 a month for two years to clear his debts. His bank account is locked following suspicions over his transfers to Ghana – so
Oh Ok his daughter is having to pay his bills. Diabetic Simon was so stressed that he contemplated suicide.
He has reported the scam to police and Action Fraud.
According to AF there were 3,557 reports of romance fraud last year as con artists pocketed €41million – an average of €11,500 from each victim.
amy.coles@mirror.co.uk
SIMON FROST VICTIM OF INTERNET DATING SCAM