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Original poster

Fraud - Elderly Woman Romance

29 replies

LostRider · 15/06/2023 10:08

Hi All,

Asking on behalf of a colleage, Their MIL is caught up in a romance fraud with a man in china. He is scamming her out of 100s that they are aware of. He has called the police, the CIL advert you hear on the radio and they say they cant help if they're not the victim. She believes hes coming over for xmas (they're never met, met on an online forum). Any advice on how to break through to this poor woman? She is in complete denial and clearly lonely poor soul.

OP posts:

Frequency · 15/06/2023 17:41

Men like this usually target more than one woman. If you know anyone with his "target" type facebook profile you could ask them to bait him. If he starts sending similar type of messages your colleague can show these to his MIL.

Smallbirdgreengrass · 15/06/2023 17:49

verdantverdure · 15/06/2023 15:15

It's like Brexit, it's obviously bullshit, but people want to believe.

These scammers exploit people's emotional weaknesses and press their buttons to manipulate them.

The Leave campaigns used similar techniques, so there are clearly a lot of susceptible people around.

It’s like people who believe all Brexiteers are stupid. It’s obvious bullshit but people want to believe.

The remainers exploited people’s emotional weaknesses and press their ‘need to feel superior to others’ buttons to manipulate them.

The Remainers used similar techniques to scammers so there are clearly lots of susceptible people around.

Smallbirdgreengrass · 15/06/2023 17:53

Confusedmumannoyedson · 15/06/2023 15:50

Many she needs the attention and hope that someone might love here. Maybe there is something missing. Another way of looking at it might be that she pays them for her time chatting to her and making her feel a certain way? That said I do agree with everyone that the scams that take money from vulnerable people are awful but perhaps some are aware they are throwing money away and don't care? I'm probably wrong but just a different view.

Show quote history

These romance scammers are definitely filling a deep emotional/ psychological need in their victims, imo. I doubt they could scam someone who already felt their life was complete and filled with love.

Or they catch people in earlier stages of dementia and who are vulnerable.

scrantonelectriccity · 15/06/2023 17:58

LakeTiticaca · 15/06/2023 15:20

Could your friend get onto this site and say they are Interpol and they have his address? Might scare him into backing off

I was going to suggest something like this, if his mum won't listen then maybe try and scare the scammer away

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