Woman loses hundreds of thousands of dollars to romance scam
WARNING SIGNS AND SOME OF THEM ARE SO GLARING AND OBVIOUS? NSCOUMER INVESTIGATOR BRIAN ROCHE HAS OUR STORY. REPORTER: OVER THE YEARS, I’VE TALKED TO DOZENS OF VICTIMS OF ROMANCE SCAMS, PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BECAUSE OF THEIR DESIRE TO LOVE AND BE LOV.ED BECAUSE THEY ARE EMBARRASSED, NONE OF THEM WANTED TO TELL THEIR STO IRYN PUBLIC UNTIL NOW. BEFORE YOU SAY, “HOW COULD SOMEONE ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BE VICTIMIZED BY THIS KIND AOF SCAM?”, LISTEN TO THIS STORY OF HOW A WIDOW’S EMOTIONS WERE MANIPULATED. >> IAS W MARRIED 44 YEARS. REPORTER: WE’RE GOING TO CALL HER KATHERINE. IT’S NOT HER REAL NAME. BUT THE EMOTIONAL PAIN AND THE FINANCIAL LOSS SHEAS H EXPERIENCED IS QUITE REAL. >> IN 20 MONS,TH I LOST MY PARENTS AND MY HUSBAND. THAT IS A LOT OF LOSS. REPORTER: KATHERINE SAYS THE LONELINESS WAS OVERWHELMING. >> THEIR FST YEAR WAS TOUGH, ETH FIRST FEW MONTHS, BUT HONESTLY, I THINK THE SECOND YEAR HAS BEEN TOUGHER. I AM NOT READY AT 65 YEARS OLD TO BE BY MYSELF. REPORTER: A DATING WEBSITE DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 50 GOT HER TEATNTION, AND KATHERINE STARTED COMMUNICATING REGULARLY WITH SOMEONE. >> THIS GUY SMEEED REALLY NICE. WE TALDKE FROM MARCH UNTIL JUNE. REPORTER: HE CALLED HIMSELF RICK. HE TOLD KATHERINE HE HAD LIVED ALL AROUND THE WORLD. HE EVEN SENT H PERICTURETHS AT HE CLAIMED FOR HIM, BUT SEEMED TO BE INTERNET STOCK PHOTOS. AND TEXT MESSAGES ANDHO PNE CALLS HE CALLED HER HONEY, BABY, , SWEETIE, AND SEXY. THEN HE ASKED HER FOR MONEY FOR AN, INVESTMENT THAT HE SAID WOULD BENEFIT BOTH OF THEM. >> I STARTED WITH AN EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS CHECK. REPORTER: KATHERINE WAS TOLD STORY AFTER STOROFY WHY MEOR MONEY WAS NEEDED. >> JUST KEPT GOING AND GOING. BEFORE YOU KNEW IT, IN THREE MONTHS, IT WAS UP TO $280,000. THESE ARE COPIES OF THE CHECKS THAT I SENT. REPORT:ER THERE WERE MANY RED FLAGS KATHERINE RECOGNIZED, BUT SHE STILL SENT THE MONEY. >> IT WAS THE THINGS HE SAID, I GUS.ES AND I WANTED THEM TO BE TE.RU REPORTER: AFTER GOING THROUGH A LOT OF H RERETIREMENT MONEY, KATHERINE ALSO TOOK OUT A $30,000 LOAN. >> I AM READY TO RETIRE AND I DON’T SEE HOW I CAN. REPORTER: KATHERINE TELLS ME ESH HAS REPORTED HER CASE TO THE FBI AND CONTINUES TO COMMUNICATE WITH RICK IN THE HOPE THAT HE WILL REVEAL A DETAIL THAT COULD LEAD TO HIS ARREST. CINASES LIKE THIS, SCAMMERS OFTEN USE INTERNET-BASED PHONE NUMBERS, WHICH MAKES THEM DIFFICULT TO TRACE SINCE THEY AR E NOT CONNECTED TO A PHYSICAL ADDRESS. ROMANCE SCAMS TARGET EVERY AGE GROUP, PEOPLE IN THEIR 20’S, NOT JUST SENIORS. AGAIN, THESE SCAMS TOOK A RECORD AMOUNT OF MONEY IN 2020. AND REMEMBER, MOST VICTIMS DON’T REPORT LOSSES IN CASES LIKE THIS BECAUSE THEY ARE SIMPLY TOO EMBARRASSED SO THE LOSSES COULD , BE MUCH HIGH
Woman loses hundreds of thousands of dollars to romance scam
Updated: 1:13 PM EST Dec 9, 2021
Last year, romance scams claimed a record amount of money: more than $304 million.Why do victims fall for these scams when some of the warning signs are so glaring and obvious?8 On Your Side consumer reporter Brian Roche has the story. You can watch it in the video player above.
Last year, romance scams claimed a record amount of money: more than $304 million.
Why do victims fall for these scams when some of the warning signs are so glaring and obvious?
8 On Your Side consumer reporter Brian Roche has the story. You can watch it in the video player above.
