Widow loses $430,000 in romance scam - NBC 15 WPMI 

This woman did not lose her money to a scammer! She gave her money to a scammer!

All I see is someone giving away what her husband worked a lifetime to make. Shame on her.

Remember folks. The scammers won't always be online. You'll meet people in every day life who try to exploit the loneliness.

I'm always amazed these people ever amassed so much money in the first place.

I can't believe these women can be so stupid. No decent man would ask for money. I was married almost 40 yrs. Lost my hubby two years ago. Never getting married again. Never letting a man take a dime from me.

I know a woman when her husband passed away. He left her almost $4 million and a very nice home. She got started talking to a scammer and she talk to this guy for over two years. He said he lived in Greece come to find out he lived in Guyana. And he owns a shipping company. The biggest scam he ever pulled on her. Was he said that his shipping company was in trouble, and he needed to borrow money from her to save it. That’s win. She wired him several million dollars and even mortgage her home just to help this guy out. When she didn’t have any more money to send him that’s when he ghosted her an blocked her. Now she’s dead broke living off Social Security in section 8 housing. Her kids will not talk to her anymore, because they believe that she disrespected their father by giving all of his money away. And people just be careful. Because somebody who truly cares about you or wants to build a relationship with you isn’t going to ask you for money.

…Real men take care of business. They don’t live off women like a parasite….

I had a lady that I barely know try to get me to give her $8,000 to get some "doctor" out of some foreign country. I said to her that I barely knew her and I wouldn't lend her $80 much less $8,000 to bail some kind of thief out of a country like that. I told her I thought it was a scam and she told me she was lonely. I said get a dog or cat.

She didn't lose anything. She gave it away. No sympathy for such stupidity. This is what comes of believing that you are not complete without a romantic partner. What crap.

This is a mental illness with some seniors. It needs to be addressed as such. sending money to a person she has never met in person indicates a mental problem. She should have given the $ to her kids. or a charity.

How does this happen 3 different times :( She must be really lonely to be so vulnerable.

She has zero common sense and is obviously willfully ignorant. She didn't lose money, she was a willing participant.

They need to start educating seniors about what romance scams are and the signs of them to these seniors in senior centers, bingo halls, wherever they can reach them so they are aware of what these scumbag scammers are doing...

More money than sense!

I wish these people with all this money would just donate it to some good cause instead of trying to buy romance.

She was scammed online for 8 years. Oh my God.

Has she been livin under a rock?

Virtual relationship? Come on ladies.

Common scammer tactics: They love bomb the victim with flattery. It doesn’t take them long to start calling the victim beautiful, queen, honey or baby. If there’s a big age gap between the victim and the age the scammer is using, they will always say “age is just a number“. Frequently their occupations are oil rig worker, doctor stationed in Yemen or Turkey, interior decorator. These are not the only occupations they claim to have. They are widowed, separated or divorced. They usually have a small child in a boarding school in a different country. If their spouse is dead, it’s usually something tragic like cancer or a car accident. If they are divorced, the ex spouse cheated on them with their best friend. They will claim their child is looking for a mother. At some point The child or the scammers parent is hospitalized and needs money for an operation. Scammers will frequently say they’re from America yet they do not understand the American medical system where you are treated first and pay later. You do not need to pay upfront to have an operation. Sometimes scammers claim to be the only one in the world. All their family is gone making the victim believe they are the only ones that could help them. Scammers pretend to be wealthy and will give the victim access to a fake bank account that shows millions of dollars.(no rich person is going to give a total stranger access to their bank account). If the scammer claims to be working on in oil rig, they will claim that equipment has broken down and they need to buy new equipment and that’s where the victim comes in at. During the grooming stage of the scam, besides flattering the victim constantly, they also get the victim involved in phone sex. Most victims are too embarrassed to admit to this especially if they’re elderly. This is one of the tactics scammers use to keep the victim emotionally tied to them plus they can use it as leverage if they need to blackmail the victim. Scammers will always mention three or four different countries: the country they’re born in, the country they were raised in, the country they were living in and the country that their job has sent them to. They give the most illogical reason why they sound Nigerian when they are supposed to have been raised in America. they will say that their one parent is from one country and another parent from another country as if that has something to do with a persons accent. One scammer claims to have been raised in Germany but was forbidden to speak German that’s why he couldn’t speak German but his accent is Nigerian. The scammer will take a victim off the platform the originally met on and ask them to go to WhatsApp, Google hangouts or telegraph. on Facebook, after excepting their friend request, they will start communicating through messenger. If they can’t keep the conversation directly on Facebook for everyone to see, they are a scammer. Block them. One of the reasons victims are victims is not just because they’re not knowledgeable of scams or tech savvy, part of it is they’re not using logic. A 35 year old handsome man whose buff and can have his choice of any woman is not going to fall madly in love with a 75-year-old woman. Nor will some hot porn star looking woman (the pictures are usually those of porn stars) in her 20s is going to fall madly in love with some overweight guy with missing teeth who is old enough to be her father.

You don’t deserve that money.

I bet other than these scams she's not a very generous person.

Even never hearing about scammers, I really don't understand how someone can be taken in like this. I am 71 years old and have lived alone for several years. Many scammers have tried, but just looking at their profiles or their email addresses or doing an image search, it's so obvious. On Facebook, the male scammers are ALWAYS widows or divorced, good looking, usually trimmed beards, for some reason, and they have very few, if any, posts on their profiles. The ones who come up with excuses why they cannot talk to you, those too. It's difficult to feel sorry for these gullible people.

It is not unusual for a scam victim to fall for more than one scam. After being scammed the first time, a different scammer will contact the victim and claim to be a recovery specialist. They convince the victim that they could recover the money that they lost to the other scammer but of course it will cost them a fee and they are re-victimized again.

I would dearly love to hear a scammer try to pull that stuff on my mom, she would rip them right through the phone lines and give them a good thrashing. And at the same time lecture them on their *&^%$#@! evil scamming ways and make them wish they had never been born.

OMGawd, what do these woman see when they look in the mirror? The absence of self awareness is astonishing.

This woman is opening herself up for more scammers, she’s telling people how much $$ she has, freely opening herself to more scammers.

I just prevented my roommate and 6 other women from losing a lot of money. He wanted her entire disability check. Claimed to be a marine stationed in Sierra Leone. Once I texted this entity, I knew immediately, for I am an army veteran. A veteran never forgets his unit #, mos, etc. Also, all military regardless where you are, have access to their money,and a cell phone. The red flags were everywhere. Just remember when someone promises you everything look out. You must think reality, take the blinders off.

Wow. Shows you how faith can blind people from reason. She bought $430,000 of unbridled foolishness

These people unbelievably stupid. Giving $30K to someone you don’t know. I am in the wrong line of work….

$430,000 USD gone!. OMG, what an expensive way to learn a lesson & having 3 people do this to her as well. The thing with these scammers is that once you fall victim, they put you on a list & target you for further scams. So, she better be twice as vigilant now!.

I don't why this woman is allowed to take care of her finances,she clearly isn't capable and now she's flat broke and doesn't know why

I'm so glad my mom is smart and she'd never in life fall for this.

I can see this happening once to a person But three times?

This is so pitiful. Please don't judge these women, they're so lonely, that they couldn't think straight.

'He cannot be a scammer because we pray together'....unbelievable!

This video has definitely confirmed 3 things know. 1: Scammers are absolutely morons and ignorant and have a very low IQ! 2: I never ever want to be on Chappy's bad side and last but not least 3: Scambaiters rule!! *ASTRATRUSTHQ* and all of you out there on the Internet, I thank you for all that you do to make this world right again. HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of you. can't wait to see what you have in store for 2024!! Much much love!!! 💯🕊️

Almost every victim has had family and friends warn them about the romance scammer and as most victims do, but ignore the warnings. Men have been putting away money by working for decades to have a pension to take care of their wives when they die only to have their wives give away all their hard earned money to some scammer. Did this woman pay over $400,000 to get her first husband? Why did she think she needs to pay all that money to get the next one?

I don’t understand why they don’t understand they are being scammed at this point- it’s been all over television etc for the past several years and what women wants a man who is asking her for money?

So she sent them the money on her own. Sad but it’s her fault.

I really feel sorry for the spouses who worked and saved and died only to have the spouse that survived them spend all of the money they saved for retirement in minutes on line. Look in the mirror, sadly, appearance matters and age in our world, these women truly seem to be impaired cognitively or delusional.

First off, I second I hear someone say " Im Christian" I RUN. they are the worst. FAKE

Grandma, how’d you get this far?

Lord have mercy - she was so vulnerable and naive

The poor husband. Left her with all that money and she gave it all to a scammer.

There is no such thing as a “virtual relationship “ it’s an oxymoron

"Noooo! This man can't be a scammer, we pray together." 🙄😑

Great work, *Vortextrace* - I’m thrilled that you’re actively combatting these scammers. It’s crucial to prioritize the safety of the elderly and the public by taking every necessary measure to protect them. You truly deserve recognition for your efforts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!😊

I could never love a man more then 430 k. Sorry. 😅👍

When he says, "Let's pray together," grab your purse and run. The religious women are the most gullible.

Great work, *Vortextrace* - I’m thrilled that you’re actively combatting these scammers. It’s crucial to prioritize the safety of the elderly and the public by taking every necessary measure to protect them. You truly deserve recognition for your efforts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Poor lady. So gullible.

After eight years and he doesn't show up😅😅😅 Once should teach you! Three times you should be ashamed!

They’re probably all the same person. It’s sad that she didn’t see the red flags 🚩 and is out 430k. What will be left for her children?

She might not be internet savvy, but she sure as hell knows how to lose money😮

Easy to give away half a million dollars when you didn’t have to work for it.

I simply do not understand the level of complete naivety the scammees have. And women who treat their own money & life comforts like it's just paper they can throw away on a flimsy promise to someone who can't manage their own lives.

Dr. Phil has done like 10 shows on this. You'd think she'd be his demographic and seen it.

Why are women giving these men money.i don't understand.

Even Ted Bundy went to church and prayed. What's weird is that he was conservative as conservative gets. A strong ProLife advocate. I know, off topic, I'm sorry

These scammers are laughing all the way to the bank at all the deluded, desperate women who ignore all the red flags because they convince themselves that some stranger loves them, even though friends and family tell them otherwise. I’m 70, and if some hot, young woman said she was in love with me, I would laugh in her face.

Maximum respect for you *Bannytools* , it cannot be denied that you are one of those who work the most in the recovery genre I hope one day I can be like you in recovery moves, from Germany I will continue forward, blessings to all here.

Asking for $ is the number 1 red flag. For the love of all things, don’t send money WHATEVER the story. NO “buts” I know I shouldn’t send money: But he said he’d pay me back But he said he was Christian But he had documents (forged) But he ok’d me he loved me But his child was sick in boarding school But But But

The scammers also get people by saying they're Christian and God fearing. But people have to remember that the Devil himself was an Angel so just because someone prays or says the right things doesn't mean you can trust them.

56,000 people fell for the romance scam last year!!!! I had no idea this was that massive. Nigeria has to be a rich country by now. Of course this woman has learned her lesson, she's gone through all her money and now trapped in a reverse mortgage. A little late to wise up now.

No one can take advantage of you...unless you let them. 🤔

So simple .. NEVER, EVER, EVER give money to anyone, period. If I met a guy and he asked me for one dollar I'd block him. FTS.

"If god doesn’t show me a man, in my church…" Why god let this to happen to you, in the first place? Answer this first, madam.

Every woman should understand by now that if a man you only know online asks you for money you should run in the opposite direction as fast you can. Just about everyone lies these days. It has become popular in many areas of life for people to identify themselves as something they are not. This includes romance scammers.

Lady could had bought a new house and put her money in solid investments.

Thank you for all your good job my mom was scam on fb all thanks to you for helping my family I really appreciate it

"I'm not going to do that anymore", oh yes you will

I don’t feel sorry for people sending money to strangers.

Someone please help her she’s so sweetheart 😢

are we supposed to be feeling sorry for her 😐

The way she said "I WANTED to be married again......." as though that excuses her deluded behaviour. Look in the mirror in a good light.

People are just not content with what money they have or relationships...Hard to feel sorry for them when they get outside their comfort or family zone..

Sure she never earned that money...probably always a housewife

I don’t know how these people fall for this nonsense. How desperate, delusional, and naive can you be. Therefore, I don’t feel bad for these people, because they are actually paying for service and entertainment.

Poor lady 😢 Really everyone needs to be on guard for scammers. Some of the comments even under this video are scam bots. They're everywhere online.

What infuriates me is how such gullible people are making these evil scammers rich.

The Lord works in mysterious ways! Through these scams, He is doing more to help the people of Africa than any Christian missionary.

Oh, dear. Three of them. You must have had a stroke.

I dont feel to bad for them. If youve got half a million dollars in your account that your husband work hard for all his life and you dont have enough respect for it to keep it safe......and someone living in utter poverty in a 3rd world country gets some of it. Im hardly devastated for you.

Damn for 400,000… I know this sounds wrong but she coulda converted a chip n dales dancer to be her boy toy for at least 2-3 years with that.

Elderly widows, especially the religious ones, need to stay the heck off the internet.

I cant watch this any longer...Im sick to my stomach..why this women fall for such...omg...please...please..never depart with your money .never ever...

What the heck.....a virtual relationship???

1) working overseas 2) asking for money 3) handsome and younger man 4) using romantic phrases too quickly and too much 5) asking for help to cash large cheque or investment 6) moving too quickly without ever meeting in person...talk to your family and friends and the police before you send money. This is a scammer.

Thank you for sharing this. I had no idea of this going on.

Oh my God, these woman should not be on the internet, they don't seem to know what they are doing, I don't know if its because of their age or they just have a low level of intelligence .They are sitting ducks for many scammers .There should be more media awareness made public or by press or by mail to get the word out .They don't seem to be aware of catfishing that's all over the internet, hard to believe at this day and age at this is still going on.

She’s definitely still sending money. That’s why they sent her a text.

Why are they quoting the Better Business Bureau scam on a segment about scams?

"Sometimes the person you'd take a bullet for is standing behind the trigger." Don Corleone

I have no sympathy for this woman. With all the information available on scams I don't understand how someone can fall for this.

Wow, so many widows fall for the scammers. The widows are the loneliest I guess. It seems eventually they run out of money, after they sell their property , and empty out their bank accounts. Only then does it end.

If ANYONE ask for you money you immediately know what their motives & objectives are..family or friends. If a stranger ask for money the you need to RUN AWAY

I have to look into this as a new career!

This is SO Insane!

Wait a second...she was giving all these different men money at the same time? 🤣Yoooo!! Granny thought she was pimpin'!!

No law can protect a fool