A man from Northern Ireland has come forward after being scammed out of over £200,000 in a cruel romance fraud. He’s sharing his story to warn others and stop more people from gettin’ cleaned out by these chancers.
The man, who’s keepin’ his name private, says the whole thing “near wrecked my life” – leavin’ him broke, ashamed, and emotionally drained.
How It Happened
It all started between 2020 and 2022, when he met a woman on a dating site. At first, she seemed dead on, chattin’ away and buildin’ trust. Before long, they moved off the dating app to private messages, and that’s when the sob stories started rollin’ in.
She claimed she needed cash for legal fees after her wealthy granny died, then later said she’d been in a bad car crash and needed help with medical bills. Every time he hesitated, she piled on the pressure. They spoke on the phone a few times, but she always had some excuse for not meetin’ in person.
At one point, she even sent a link to a fake bank page, pretendin’ she had money to pay him back. But, of course, the cash never came.
“I’ve always been the type to help people if I can, but this time I got taken for a right mug,” he said.
By the time he realised what was goin’ on, it was too late – over £200,000 gone. He was in serious debt, under massive stress, and felt completely humiliated. That’s when he contacted the police.
Thankfully, after a lot of back and forth with the bank and investigations, he managed to get every penny back. But not everyone’s that lucky.
A Cruel Scam That’s Costing People Millions
With Valentine’s Day comin’ up, the Police Service of Northern Ireland is warnin’ folks to be extra careful. Romance scams are on the rise, and scammers don’t care who they target – they just want your money.
Between January and December 2024, there were 127 reported romance scams in NI, with a total loss of over £1 million. Some victims lost hundreds of pounds, others lost over £100K.
“These fraudsters build trust quickly and seem genuine at first,” said Superintendent Joanne Gibson, Chair of the ScamwiseNI Partnership.
“They’ll chat away, charm you, and pretend to be really interested. But then the excuses start – financial troubles, emergency bills, a business investment. They’ll promise to pay you back, but they never will. It’s all lies.”
For those who believe they’ve found a real connection, the reality can be devastating – emotionally and financially. Even if money is recovered, victims are left heartbroken, ashamed, and struggling to trust anyone again.
How to Spot a Romance Scam
💔 They want to move chats off the dating app quickly – Stick to the app, where there’s security.
💔 They won’t meet in person – Always an excuse. Red flag!
💔 They ask for money – No matter the reason, if they ask for cash, it’s a scam.
💔 Their stories don’t add up – Check their social media, do a reverse image search on their photos.
💔 They play on your emotions – They’ll guilt-trip you or make you feel bad for saying no.
Don’t Get Caught Out – Report It
If someone online is askin’ for money, run a mile. If you think you’ve been scammed, contact your bank immediately and report it to the police.
For more advice, visit www.nidirect.gov.uk/scamwiseni or check out @ScamwiseNI on Facebook. You can also call Action Fraud at 0300 123 2040 or ring the police on 101.
Don’t be ashamed – you’re not the eejit, they are. Let’s make sure these scammers get nae luck in Northern Ireland!
