A woman from Perth who lost a total of $ 780,000 after she was the target of scammers, encouraged Australians to think twice before sending money to strangers.
Annette Ford, 57, admitted that she was 'desperate for love' after her wedding of 33 years ending in 2018 and she decided to participate in the online dating site many fish.
She met 'William', who after a few months early at $ 5,000 that thieves had stolen his wallet during a bust outside his workplace in Kuala Lumpur.
He then asked for more money to cover his hospital bills, a hotel stay and pay his employees after having claimed to have lost access to his bank cards.
Mrs. Ford said she accused William of being a scammer, and that they 'had huge arguments by telephone' – but he always had a statement.
She said that the fraudster stole more than $ 300,000 and “drained her self-managed Superfund”, reports the West Australian.
Mrs. Ford reported the scam on the Australian federal police but heard 'nothing'.
A few years later in 2022, Mrs. Ford started chatting with 'Nelson' – a second romance scammer on Facebook – who reportedly lived in Amsterdam.
Annette Ford, 57, admitted that she was 'desperate for love' after her 33 year old marriage ended in 2018 and she decided to participate in the online dating site a lot of fish
One of his first requests for cash was $ 2,500 to help his friend, which he claimed to work for the FBI for an investigation.
Mrs. Ford was asked on 'many occasions' to deposit money by Nelson in a Bitcoin money machine that cost her $ 1,000 every time.
“Money came to my account and went out of my account that I wasn't even aware of,” said Mrs. Ford.
It took Mrs. Ford two failed attempts to meet her lover in Amsterdam to discover that 'Nelson' did not exist.
By that time she had lost $ 280,000 on his romantic scam – which was the entire capital gain that she earned by selling her house.
Mrs. Ford – who was self -employed with her own dog care company – said that she is unable to work after she had injured her shoulder to earn some extra money.
The 57-year-old now relies on the benefits of the Centrelink and is busy applying for a disability pension.
She is Homeless and bank surfing while trying to find a house in a pension village.
“I am physically or mentally unable to get back to work at the moment … I'm very embarrassed,” said Mrs. Ford.
Nationally, Australians reported more than 3,200 romance last year, with losses that have almost $ 24 million almost
She shared an urgent message with Aussies: 'They say all the right things, they wipe you off your feet … but they will take your money and they make you broke.
“Don't feel like an idiot, don't feel stupid, this is your money … Remember how hard you worked damn well before you start sending it to someone you've never met before.”
Nationally, Australians reported more than 3,200 romantic scams last year, with losses that have nearly $ 24 million nearly $ 24 million.
Commissioner of Consumer Protection Trish Blake said that people should remain vigilant in guarding against romantic scams.
“An average loss of more than $ 87,000 and in one case almost $ 800,000 – that is the devastating reality of romantic scam in 2024,” said Blake.
'For many, these stunning figures represent a lifelong savings and can be financially paralyzing.
“We have to remain vigilant because scammers constantly adjust their tactics and use a broader range of channels to focus their victims, including dating sites, gaming apps and social media.”
