In a distressing turn of events, an 83-year-old woman from Oldham fell victim to a romance scam orchestrated by a fraudster she encountered while playing Scrabble
online, according to police reports.
The scammer, masquerading as a 60-year-old American widower of considerable wealth, cunningly lured the victim with promises of a second chance at love, particularly after the passing of her husband several years prior.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) shared the woman's harrowing ordeal as a cautionary tale, shedding light on the prevalence of romance scams in today's digital landscape.
Over an 18-month period beginning in 2022, the con artist cultivated a relationship with the pensioner through the innocuous word game. Subsequently, the fraudster steered the interaction to an external chat platform, initiating a series of pleas for financial assistance.
The victim, driven by compassion and trust, transferred more than £20,000 to the scammer before growing suspicious and confiding in her brother, who promptly reported the matter to Action Fraud upon guidance from GMP.
The fraudster concocted elaborate stories to manipulate the victim into parting with her money, including fabricated emergencies such as a dire need for funds to cover his daughter's urgent medical treatment or to secure his release from alleged incarceration in Istanbul.
The woman's brother expressed outrage at the calculated targeting of vulnerable individuals, particularly older women with financial resources, through platforms like online Scrabble. He emphasized the importance of speaking out to raise awareness and protect potential victims from similar schemes.
Presently, the victim's brother holds power of attorney and collaborates with her bank to scrutinize suspicious transactions. Despite concerted efforts, the perpetrators behind the scam remain unidentified.
Detective Sergeant Stacey Shannon of GMP's economic crime unit underscored the significance of sharing such stories, as they serve to enlighten others about the insidious tactics employed by scammers and encourage victims to come forward and seek assistance. Photo by Paul Townley, Wikimedia commons.