JOHNSTON COUNTY – A Johnston County woman says she lost a half million dollars in a romance scam. The victim was trying to find companionship but ended up losing most of her life savings.
It started back in January 2019. The woman met a man online, and over the following weeks, through countless emails, fell in love with him even though they had not met in person. He said he wasn’t from the United States, thus his reason, and many excuses, for being unable to travel to meet.
The electronic communications continued. Soon, the man began asking for money from the 73 year-old victim. Between 2019 and April 2023, the victim says she sent multiple money transfers totaling about $500,000.
The man recently promised to pay back some of the money but never did. When she began asking questions why, he reportedly threatened to post nude photos of her on social media.
Local authorities are investigating the case. They say it took the victim four years to realize she was conned out of her money. It wasn’t love, it was a scam.
The FBI says about $1 billion was lost in 2021 due to romance scams. Since most originate overseas, it is difficult for the FBI to track down the suspects. These scams prey on people’s heartstrings and some people don’t want to report, or admit, they have been swindled.
The FBI says there are red flags to watch for. Beware if the individual seems too perfect or quickly asks you to leave a dating service or social media site to communicate directly. Beware if they attempt to isolate you from your friends or request inappropriate photos or financial information that can later be used for extortion.
Research the person’s photo and profile using online searches to see if their image, name, or details have been used elsewhere.
Like this case, scammers come up with excuses why they can’t meet in person. And never send money to someone you haven’t met.
Go slowly and ask lots of questions.
Please people, check on your elderly relatives!! Criminal scammers are targeting them every minute of every day. They are very lonely and very gullible. It is not their fault, they grew up in a different society than we are living in now. This woman will never get that money back and the criminals will probably never suffer the consequences of stealing her life savings.
Some people have more money than brains.
I’m so sorry for her and this is why I have trust issues…..someone is always wanting something for nothing….I’m glad that I’m old, fat and broke…
Cinder Lou Who..that is HILARIOUS 😂 oh my goodness..I needed this laugh this morning!! Thank you🤭
I don’t know of any person that age who would ever consider sending nude photos. Is this a scam? Sometimes people make up stories to tug at the heartstrings of people in order to get cash via a self-funding site. I fully trust NO ONE!
People as a Senior Citizen myself, and also have a Ministry which receives an average of 10 to 15 calls per day, 80 percent are from Scammers, please teach yourself how to recognize them, by area codes, by accent of people from overseas, desperation of their voice, deceptions(facts too extreme to be true), and our right lies. Please hang up on them, and if they do say I am, gives a name, and you do not know who they are hang up. And if you are still not sure, call the phone number back and 95 percent of the time, operator will say this line is not real and you cannot connect with them. And if you use Spectrum as your provider, phone calls coming in will have “Spam Risk” wrote on them. If you see this, let the phone ring 5 times, but do not pick up on it. Then they know your phone line is not real, and will not call back. so, please Johnson County Residents be careful. These scammers will steal your money. And as Scriptures say: “The devil will come to steal, kill, and destroy”, Please, Please, be careful.
Too easy. He obviously sent photos that were not him. He listened to her. Was communication just through email? No phone contact? Hadn’t even heard his voice? He hooked her and got paid.
I,’m sorry, but the older you get supposedly the wiser you get? I wouldn’t give anyone an effin red cent, but they deserve a 5 star azz kikkn!!
How can you feel sorry for someone who fell for this? Dude doesnt supposedly live in the USA and youre sending money to them?
She is 73 years old and she was probably very lonely. A lot of people fail for this scam. Everybody, of any age, needs to be educated and aware that these criminals exist and they are not going away any time soon. STOP BLAMING THE VICTIM!!!
I don’t consider her a victim. She was a willing participant. No one made her transfer money to the guy. She had free will and she used it. No one made her send nudes to the guy, but apparently, she did by her own free will. Calling people “victims” because of their own choices is dangerous.
No, blaming the victim of this crime is dangerous! Have you even stopped to consider that this lady might have dementia or some other kind of mental impairment that could have caused her to be susceptible to his manipulation? My guess is she was very lonely and was just looking for anybody to pay attention to her. The criminals are really good at what they do and say exactly what their victims want to hear. My advice to you is to get off of your high horse and start having some empathy for this lady and the other thousands of victims who fall for this scam every year. They truly are victims and should not be belittled for it.
That’s what I said…. Very well stated. Those who don’t relate or show empathy in a case like this usually don’t consider the mental aspect involved. I agree with you.
I would have been her friend, lover and whatever else for $500,000
I would’ve done it for $450,000!