An elderly woman opens up about her horrific experience with a con artist and the terrifying moment she realised she had been scammed.
Perth widow Maggie Ayres has admitted losing tens of thousands of dollars last year to a criminal using the false name ‘Brian’.
This week she bravely came forward to warn Australians to be careful about trusting people they meet online, as part of Scam Awareness Week.
Mrs Ayres had just moved to Australia from South Africa to be closer to her children after her husband of 46 years died. Desperate for companionship, she turned to online dating.
In July 2023, she received her first email from Brian and was surprised by his immediate ‘love’ for her. She now recognizes this as a ‘warning sign’.
“He showered me with love and compliments, and soon started calling me ‘honey’ and ‘darling,’” she said.
“I noticed his kindness and patience growing stronger and stronger, making me feel safe, valued and loved.”
Brian initially held off when Mrs. Ayres told him she was in an affair, but five months later he got back in touch.
Perth resident Maggie Ayres (pictured) has admitted losing tens of thousands of dollars to a love bomber who went by the name ‘Brian’
He claimed to be a geological engineer from Sydney who worked on an oil rig in the North Sea, near Scotland.
To support his story, he showed Ms Ayres his contract, passport and ID, all of which had been created using AI and deepfake technology.
She had regular video calls with Brian, and while the calls were often scrambled and pre-planned, it gave her peace of mind that she wasn’t being scammed.
Brian initially said he would return to Australia soon, but a power outage on the rig meant he had to financially replace the machinery.
He promised to pay Mrs. Ayres back with interest, which raised alarm bells with her children.
However, Mrs. Ayres lent Brian the money and sent him more money when he had to pay the high shipping costs for the parts that had to be sent from America.
“Every time it was something different. He started blaming me for taking too long to send the money,” she recalled.
Brian’s web of lies was finally unravelled during a video call with Ms Ayres.
The scammer used deepfake technology to look identical to the fake photos he had emailed her.
However, during the conversation his filter broke, revealing his true identity.
The scammer ‘was sitting in a closet, covered with a blanket, but in such a way that I could see his face and his mouth’.
Brian (pictured) claimed to be a geological engineer from Sydney who worked on a drilling platform in the North Sea off Scotland
The scammer immediately hung up, leaving Mrs Ayres with the awful thought that she had been scammed.
“The impact this experience has had on me, both emotionally and psychologically, has been devastating,” she said.
‘I’ve been through the darkest days of my life. How could I be so blind?
Mrs. Ayres is now completely dependent on her children after being scammed out of thousands of dollars.
“Scammers get away with a trail of broken hearts, shattered dreams, empty promises and bank accounts that go undetected,” she said.
“Not only have I lost my companion, but I have lost my independence, my confidence and my worth,” Ayres said.
West Australians alone have lost $2.9 million to 26 romance scams this year, with the total for 2023 being $3.7 million.
Western Australia’s Trade Minister Sue Ellery described scammers as “the very worst”, representing the worst of humanity.
West Australians alone have lost $2.9 million this year to dozens of romance scams (stock image)
“Their victims lose thousands, sometimes even hundreds of thousands of dollars, are left feeling emotionally devastated and suffering from the financial loss,” she said.
“Our advice is to be extremely vigilant and careful.”
Australians who believe they have been scammed are urged to report it to Scamwatch.
The government agency is committed to stopping scams, spreading warnings and providing support.
