“I’m sorry Martin, there’s no more money.”

This was the text that tipped off our anonymous interviewee to the fact that his mum had been the victim of a romance scam. From an initial contact on Words with Friends, to a carefully coordinated web across social media, the criminal gang took advantage of one woman’s loneliness to defraud her of her life’s savings.

We’ve watched Tinder Swindler, but as this story shows romance scams don’t all happen against the backdrop of a private jet and a CEO lifestyle. The interviewee talks the Money Medics through the techniques the scammers used to win his mum’s trust, the warning flags to look out for and the impact it’s had on his family’s lives. 

If you've been the victim of a romance scam, contact Action Fraud in confidence online or by phone 0300 123 2040.

For more information about romance frauds, check out the following websites:

Action Fraud's A - Z of fraud

The Met Police's Little Book of Big Scams