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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU congratulating my friend on her new relationship

63 replies

LogicalOperations · 27/01/2017 16:22

My friend has entered into a new relationship and is blissfully happy and I am thrilled that she has found love.

So far, I have shared in her happiness and said that I am really made up for her.

At the back of my mind however, I feel slightly disingenuous as aspects of the relationship have all the hallmarks of a possible scam. The man is over thirty years younger than her and they met when he was on holiday in the UK (he normally resides in Morroco). He had proposed marriage within a few weeks after they first met, which seems a bit quick by most people's standards. She has now been over to visit him in Morocco a few times but has never been introduced to his family, who know nothing about her. He also describes himself as "Single" on Facebook, which I think is a bit worrying.

She is now going through the legal processes to bring him over to the UK and they hope to marry soon, either here or in Morrocco.

Her family and some of her other friends have been really critical and said that the man is just using her to get to the UK/gain access to her money.

I have said nothing about any worries I might have, and just said how pleased I am for her.

Should I be more honest? I feel that it is up to her who she wants to be with as she is more than capable of making her own decisions. On the other hand, I feel that if it did all go horribly wrong, I have "encouraged her". I feel especially worried for her children in the event it is a scam as I imagine she would stand to lose half her money.

WWYD?

OP posts:
SanitysSake · 27/01/2017 17:56

A scam...

A dirty, horrid, tawdry, illusion shattering scam.

Why oh why are women of the world falling for this crap?

Sad
TheDowagerCuntess · 27/01/2017 18:06

I would say something - but - is she likely to take any notice, if she's ignored everyone else?

marylennoxwasanaspie · 27/01/2017 18:11

There's a horrible story on the BBC news about a novelist who got together with a bloke (not Turkish/Muslim/black/significantly younger, just someone you might meet in your average English town.) She was murdered and he is on trial for her murder and on charges of fraud and deception relating to her money.

It's terrifying. Your friend needs to realise that she's like a chicken surrounded by foxes, and she urgently needs to wise up.

PoundingTheStreets · 27/01/2017 18:20

You need to talk to her. It's easy for the hardened types to rain on her parade. It's easy for those who don't like confrontation to murmur 'how lovely'. It takes a real friend to sympathetically tell her she could be making a massive mistake in a way that encourages her to see the truth for herself.

KC225 · 27/01/2017 18:58

Tell her to watch 90 days to wed series with Danielle and Mohammed. She is older American and he is a lot younger from Tunisia and as soon as they are we'd (he wouldn't even kiss her at the American wedding in front of her children and family stating it was against his religion) it was so sad after his green card he disappeared to a woman in Florida. Her children found sites where he was describing himself as single. It was so sad as she was so in love with him but she was 'green card' shortcut.

You are right to be wary.

BenadrylCucumberpatch · 27/01/2017 19:07

Tell your friend to inform her conman fiancé that she's become bored of the UK, has signed over her property to her DCs, and she wants to settle in Tunisia instead.

She won't see his grabbing arse for dust...

icanteven · 27/01/2017 19:11

I used to live in Morocco. It is 100% a scam. There is completely and utterly no chance of him being legit. I used to meet (older, unattractive for whatever reason, single) women like this on the plane, going to visit delectably hot young Ahmed for the weekend, swooning over how amazing he was.

It is highly unlikely that she will believe a word you say, but I would try to get her to protect her assets from him asap just in case she is "hit by a bus" and inadvertently leave her children destitute.

What an absolute idiot she is being.

Janey50 · 27/01/2017 19:15

OMG everything about this screams scam at me.

butterfly990 · 27/01/2017 19:15

How about suggesting a pre-nuptial.

answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100621180000AANmw42

maggiethemagpie · 27/01/2017 20:00

I had a friend who something similar happened to. I've no doubt they did have a relationship of sorts, but put it this way, when he'd been here for the two years he needed to be to get citizenship he dumped her pretty much straight away.

I think they do need to stay married for two years to stay here though.

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 27/01/2017 20:05

Yes I would definitely say something to her.

I have a mum friend here who has some learning difficulties, as do the rest of her family (mum, sister, daughter) - she met an army bloke online and was supposed to be marrying him at some point. He was "away on active service" but somehow needed her to send him $10,000 to pay for a diamond that he would be bringing back. We told her about Catfishing, and we warned her that he might not be all he claimed to be. She said she had actually met him, but here we are, another year or so later, and she's still living at her mum's and hasn't moved to be with him, or married him, or anything that was supposed to happen.

It was a hard decision to warn her, but we couldn't have lived with our consciences if something bad had happened to her or her DD through our unwillingness to speak out - so please do say something to her.

Wauden · 29/01/2017 20:19

Not another one! Typically, the man files for divorce soon after marriage and takes half of her money. Woman is so deluded that she trusts him.
At the same time he has younger woman/women/wife/boyfriend.

As Darlink says, tell immigration so that they are ready to deny him his visa. Because she doesn't deserve this treatment; nobody does. She will be miserable afterwards.

Darlink · 29/01/2017 22:02

Yes, please please tell immigration. They are amazing, totally geared up and equipped to handle these situations fairly and swiftly

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