Elizabeth Ferguson, a widow of 51 years who turned to online dating after her husband’s death, fell victim to a cruel £250,000 scam orchestrated by a man posing as a telecoms expert. Despite her successful career, Elizabeth was manipulated by the scammer, who pretended to be a lovelorn individual seeking a relationship. The scammer used fake stories and manipulated images to gain Elizabeth’s trust, eventually convincing her to transfer large sums of money to him under false pretenses. The scammer fabricated an elaborate story about needing funds for work-related emergencies, exploiting Elizabeth’s vulnerability and desire for companionship.
The scam began on a dating site, where Elizabeth met the scammer, who called himself Courtney Roy. He fabricated stories about his personal life and work, creating a false sense of connection with Elizabeth. As the relationship progressed, he asked her to send money for various reasons, all of which turned out to be lies. Despite initial hesitations, Elizabeth trusted him and sent large amounts of money, even borrowing from friends and family to fulfill his requests. The scammer used emotional manipulation and false evidence to deceive Elizabeth, leaving her feeling trapped and isolated.
The scam escalated as Courtney claimed to be in danger due to a fictional oil rig explosion and asked for more money. Elizabeth, caught in a cycle of fear and manipulation, continued to send funds, ultimately losing over £240,000 in cryptocurrency payments. The scam took a toll on her physical and emotional well-being, causing stress, sleep disturbances, and weight loss. Her family was shocked and angry when they learned the truth, but they rallied around her and helped her seek legal help to recover her money.
After contacting the authorities and solicitors, Elizabeth managed to recover £252,000 of the stolen funds. The experience left a deep emotional impact on her, and she hopes to raise awareness about romance fraud to prevent others from falling victim. She urges dating sites to improve their security measures and warns against trusting strangers with large sums of money. Despite the traumatic ordeal, Elizabeth remains resilient and determined to share her story in the hopes of protecting others from similar scams. She emphasizes the need for vigilance and caution when forming relationships online, especially in vulnerable situations.
