A romance scam victim has turned the tables on scummy lotharios by exposing them online.
The older Teessider, who wished to remain anonymous, lost a “significant sum” to a fraudster she’d met in a long-term con while looking for love. Fortunately, Cleveland Police, the Victim Care and Advice Services (VCAS) and months of efforts chasing banks saw her claw the money back.
Now she has turned vigilante – stringing scammers along and reporting them when she spots them on dating apps and websites. Statistics from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) showed a big rise in romance fraud cases reported between November 2020 and October last year – with a staggering £14.6m lost by victims in one month.
Read more: Push for lifesaving device at Teesside Industrial Estate after man’s collapse
Teessiders have also suffered – with one victim losing more than £10,000 to a scammer from Nigeria while another tragic case saw a vulnerable Stockton resident believe they were speaking to ageing film star Sylvester Stallone. Teessider “Jane” was strung along for a long time by a would-be suitor who worked to gain her trust.
She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service how it was sickening when the penny dropped. But she hasn’t let the experience get on top of her – and now she has warned those looking for a partner of warning signs and red flags to spot online.
Jane said: “I just wish I could sit with some of the women or even men and tell them: ‘This is a…
