You don’t have to think back too far to remember a time when meeting any potential romantic partner online was a reason for ridicule. Similarly, you won’t have to wait too long for a time when meeting someone any other way will be regarded as bizarre. Regardless of how you choose to meet the future Mr. or Mrs. Right, dating provides a number of highlights and pitfalls. Let’s face it, there are good people and there are bad people and then there are those people that simply don’t exist, and they’re harder to spot than you might think. So don't get yourself involved with a date to forget - online dating scams can break hearts. As dating sites aim to bring those seeking love and affection closer together, the screen and keyboard can create a barrier that’s harder to ignore. This was the case for divorcee Suzanne Hardman when she registered on match.com looking for someone special to share her life with. Armed with the best of intentions and a open heart, Suzanne registered in good faith. She may have been new to this exciting online world but, at 58, she was no naive young girl caught up in the dizzying whirlwind of first love. She was, however, financially buoyant and willing to fall in love. A dangerous mix for many, a flashing neon pound sign for others. Within a month of registering Suzanne thought she had struck gold. James Richards, a 48-year old, American-born widower who lived in Portsmouth, had reacted favourably to her ‘wink’. He was everything Suzanne was looking for; handsome, sporty, educated and tall. According to his profile he worked in construction, was now a British citizen and was looking for a women in her age range. His photo confirmed everything his profile promised. He was single, good-looking with a range of photographs showing his well-travelled past. What more could she want. Over the next couple of weeks Suzanne and James started to share details of their lives and their growing feelings towards each other. With every message that landed in Suzanne’s inbox, her heart was more smitten by this hazel-eyed, dark-haired stranger. The messages became more effusive and Suzanne found herself falling for James; hook, line and sinker. She was smitten. Their communication soon progressed from emails on the site, to private email, through to telephone calls. James proved to be an expert at working his way into Suzanne’s heart. Coincidentally, it turned out that they had a number of things in common. They were both only children and had both recently lost their parents. Their phone calls were pleasant, easy going and becoming more regular. Even when Suzanne was busy and couldn’t talk for long, James understood and didn’t take offence, a novelty in itself for many in the online dating world. Very soon, James was confessing his love for Suzanne, a woman who was already in a vulnerably emotional state and struggled to resist his advances. Inevitably, his declarations of love soon turned into something much more demanding. James started to tell Suzanne of his financial problems caused by his father’s death and needed to go to India to free up the funds. Pulling on Suzanne’s heartstrings after recently losing her father, the stories seemed plausible and were emotionally close to home. He never asked outright, instead circling the options he had used already which had proved fruitless. When it seemed like he’d exhausted his options, Suzanne became his only hope. The first figure of £700 was needed to pay officials to gain access to his father’s account which, he claimed, contained over £895,000. Of course, that was only the start. The money she continued to pay him wasn’t paid directly to James but via a ‘solicitor’. Within a month, Mrs. Hardman had handed over more than £174,000, a figure that included almost all of her savings and recent divorce settlement. Incidentally, the law firm James asked her to use was real, but Rod, the person she had to deal with, didn’t work there. By the time the enormity of her mistake came to light, it was too late for Suzanne and her money. She contacted the police and, when the story appeared in her local paper, a number of other people who had similar stories also came forward. Thankfully, the 4 Nigerian-born perpetrators of this heinous act have since been brought to justice. Whilst they may have been born in Nigeria, the men behind this scam all lived in the UK. It’s easy to look at this story and cringe or mock, but love can make fools of us all. We all have a Master degree in Hindsight and no-one can know the emotional strain Suzanne was under before, during and after this event. One thing is for sure, even the largest dating site has its share of charlatans and however believable people appear to be, be careful who you give your heart too. Happily there is an alternative and here at Avenues Dating we only deal in high calibre, executive, professional people or the active retired. It is a service where all of our clients are interviewed, ID checked and thoroughly vetted, enabling you to join with confidence and knowing you are fishing for partners in very clear and clean waters. Why not come and join us today?
A Date To Forget - Online Dating Scams Can Break Our Hearts
