A woman has shared her Tinder Swindler story after falling for a man who ended up conning her out of a whopping $31, 591.
Every year, millions of pounds are stolen from unsuspecting victims all over the world — and online dating apps, such as Tinder, have now become traps as well.
With people losing an average of around $13,900 such crimes are on the rise, ruining victims’ lives — and no one knows it better than this woman.
Appearing on the BBC1 program, For Love or Money, she told how she lost an overall of $31,591 — and her home.
”I met Kiran through a dating site,” revealed Kuldip, who believed she had been scammed not once but twice.
After communicating via email, the two swapped with phone numbers, and at first, things were off to a promising start.
”Kiran’s profile sounded really good and it said ”no lies” and ”honesty”, and he looked genuine from his photo.”
But then, things took a turn, and the would-be Romeo began asking for money – this, Kuldip recalled, happened around ten to 15 times in total.
”I just got into such a mess. I just went downhill.”
The second time the Kuldip was targeted, she ”didn’t see it coming” – ”even though it was in front of me”.
”I should’ve seen it, but maybe because I was still vulnerable, I was still blinded by everything.”
Approaching the show, hosted by Kym Marsh and Ashley John-Baptiste, Kuldip said that all she wanted was ”closure”.
In 2013, after divorcing from her ex-partner, Kuldip considered moving across the ocean to New York in hopes to find a new man.
Looking for love and relationship, she joined a dating website where she was contacted by a man who claimed to be a government consultant based in ”The Big Apple”.
”He said that he was looking for a marriage and a steady life.”
Tall, with dark hair, he seemed ”genuine” and Kuldip liked what she had matched with.
But it wasn’t long before, out of the blue, the would-be Romeo he told her his passport had been stolen and was in a desperate need to borrow some $631.
”Because he said that passports were quite expensive,” Kuldip revealed, adding that it hadn’t even been a month by that point.
”It felt like he was begging me or pushing me into a situation where I couldn’t say no.”
Just days after she had transferred him the money, Kiran reached out to her again – this time, claiming he was in hospital and didn’t have enough resources to cover his medical bills.
Fed lies and hopes she would be given the money once the two meet, Kuldip fell into the trap again.
And although there was some part of her that felt like something wasn’t quite right, the woman followed her heart and not brain – like many of us.
With more requests coming, Kuldip reckonded she had given the man a whopping $12,636.
But after refusing to transfer any more, Kiran vanished.
”I attempted to email him but nothing came back.”
However, things didn’t end there, as a while later she received an email which at the time she thought came from FBI.
The messaged explained that not only Kiran had been arrested but that Kuldip would also be able to get her money back – as long as she’d paid out a lump sum first.
”I think I sent…I think it was $6,318 in total.”
After being left with very little and not being able to afford her rent, the woman had no choice but to move into her parents’ home.
”I was devastated, ill. I wasn’t eating.
”I had to declare bankruptcy through this.”
With a big of digging and online reverse image search, the host, Ashley, came to find out that the Kiran’s photo belonged to a series of profiles on dating websites.
But more worryingly, also to a scammers’ warning site.
The name and the photo that had been used by the person allegedly working for the FBI were also there simply for a fake identity.
After hearing the man’s voice on the phone and learning the truth, Kuldip said: ”I feel I can breathe.
”You know, forget what’s happened. And it’s a sense of relief that I’m not the only one.”
This story originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced here with permission.
