A South Yorkshire widow has been left desperate after losing over £10,000 to a cold-hearted romance fraudster. Jane*, 61, from Rotherham, was tricked by a fake lover she met on Facebook and now struggles to buy food or pay her bills.
Lonely Widow Falls for Fake Construction Worker
Jane was contacted by a man calling himself Darren, claiming to work in construction in the US. “He sent me a friend request. Being alone and not going out, I accepted. He said, ‘I’ll be here for you, you can always talk to me,'” Jane explained. She believed Darren was genuine and hoped to meet him one day.
Darren quickly moved their chats to WhatsApp, making the scam harder to detect. Then the requests for money began.
Small Requests Spiral into £10,300 Loss
- £50 for a plane ticket repayment
- An extra £100 for airport fees
- Bigger sums over months, totaling £10,300
Jane said, “The last I heard from him, he was stuck in a Liverpool hotel and needed £500. I sent it, saying it was all I had left. Then he vanished.” Despite warnings from her family, Jane was convinced she had found someone special. Her son urged her to report the scam to Action Fraud.
Life in Ruins After Losing Life Savings
Jane’s lost inheritance means she’s now relying on food parcels from her son and local food banks. The stress has left her just six stone and battling sleepless nights. South Yorkshire Police have offered support and helped connect her with local aid agencies.
“If anyone else is out there, be careful. As soon as they ask for money, just say you haven’t got it. I wish I’d done that. I feel stupid – I got sucked in,” Jane warned.
Spot the Scams – Don’t Let This Happen to You
If you think you’ve been targeted by a romance fraudster, report it immediately to Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040. For advice on spotting romance scams and protecting yourself, visit Action Fraud’s romance fraud campaign.
Originally published by UKNIP.
