An older woman has spoken out about her terrifying experience with a romance scammer and the horrifying moment she realised she had been scammed.
Perth widow Maggie has admitted losing tens of thousands of dollars last year to a criminal using the false name “Brian”.
This week, as part of Scam Awareness Week, she bravely came forward to warn Australians to be careful when trusting people they meet online.
Maggie had just moved to Australia from South Africa after her husband died and, desperate for companionship, turned to online dating.
She received her first email from Brian in July 2023 and was shocked by his immediate “love” for her, which she now recognizes as a “red flag.”
“He showered me with love and compliments, calling me ‘love’ and ‘darling’ very early on,” she said.
Brian initially backed out after Maggie told him she was in a relationship, but got back in touch five months later.
He claimed to be a geological engineer from Sydney who was working on an oil rig in the North Sea near Scotland. 7News reported.
Perth woman Maggie (pictured) has admitted losing tens of thousands of dollars to a love-bombing criminal using the fake name ‘Brian’.
To back up his story, he showed Maggie his contract, passport and ID, all created using artificial intelligence and deepfake technology.
Maggie regularly video chatted with Brian, and although the calls were often garbled and pre-planned, they gave her confidence that she wasn’t being scammed.
Brian initially said he would soon return to Australia, but an apparent electrical fault on the rig left him financially responsible for replacing the machinery.
He promised he would pay Maggie back with interest, but the twist in their relationship set off alarm bells for their children.
However, Maggie lent him the money and sent him more funds when he needed to cover the expensive shipping taxes on the parts that needed to be shipped from the United States.
“Every time something happened, he started blaming me for taking too long to send the money,” she recalls.
Brian’s web of lies finally unraveled during a video call with Maggie.
The scammer had been using deepfake technology to look like the fake photos he had emailed her.
However, during the chat, his filter failed, revealing his true identity.
The scammer was “sitting in a closet, covered with a blanket but so that I could see his face and mouth.”
Brian (pictured) claimed to be a geological engineer from Sydney who was working on an oil rig in the North Sea near Scotland.
The scammer immediately disconnected the call, leaving Maggie with the horrible feeling that she had been scammed.
“The impact this experience had on me emotionally and psychologically is destructive,” he said.
“I went through the darkest days of my life. How could I be so blind?”
Maggie is now completely dependent on her children after being scammed out of thousands of dollars.
“Scammers get away with leaving behind trails of broken hearts, shattered dreams, empty promises and untraceable bank accounts,” he said.
Western Australians alone have already lost $2.9 million in 26 romance scams this year. The total for 2023 was $3.7 million.
Western Australia’s Trade Minister Sue Ellery has described romance scammers as “the worst of the worst” who represent the worst of humanity.
Western Australians alone have already lost $2.9 million in 26 reported romance scams this year (file image)
“Their victims lose thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars, are emotionally devastated and suffer financial loss,” he said.
“Our advice is to be incredibly alert and cautious.”
Australians who believe they have been scammed are urged to report it to Scamwatch.
The government agency works to help stop scams, share warnings and offer support.