9/12/10 – Romance scam – Michelle – Nine News Perth

Presenter:
A Perth widow who lost her home and life savings in an internet dating scam has broken down in tears as she warned others against making the same mistake.  The 43-year-old was tricked out of $600,000.

Reporter:
Homesless, bankrupt and heart-broken.

Michelle:
I don’t feel any more – I can’t.  I’m not crying any more, I’ve got to get my life back together.

Reporter:
A widow for 11 years, Michelle, who doesn’t want us to use her surname, fell in love with Christopher on match.com.  Within a year, she funnelled $600,000 into his accounts.  Supposedly she was investing in an oil and gas project near the Nigerian/Cameroon border.

Michelle:
He used to ring me and talk about the company and stuff.  He provided me with all the documentation I needed.  Christopher always answered every question I ever had.

Reporter:
When both her money and online boyfriend vanished, the mother of two was in dire straits and forced to sell her homes in Redcliffe and Swanview as well as her cars and jewellery.

David Hillyard, Consumer Protection:
It is fairly common.  They are professionals, they are con artists and they are very good at convincing people of the genuineness of their offers and about their existence.

Michelle:
I don’t know how you do that to people, I don’t get it.  But that’s what they do for a living.

Reporter:
The Department for Consumer Protection and WA Police are investigating.