Romance scam costs Perth widow thousands
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An elderly woman has opened up about her harrowing ordeal with a romance scammer and the horrifying moment she realised she'd been conned.
Perth widow Maggie Ayres admitted she lost tens of thousands of dollars last year to a love-bombing criminal who used the fake name 'Brian'.
She bravely came forward this week to warn Aussies to be wary of trusting people they meet online as part of Scam Awareness Week.
Ms Ayres had just moved to Australia from South Africa to be closer to her children following the death of her husband of 46 years and desperate for companionship, she turned to online dating.
She received her first email from Brian in July 2023, and was surprised by his immediate 'love' for her - which she now recognises as a 'red flag'.
'He showered me with love and compliments, calling me 'love' and 'honey' very soon,' she said.
'I found that his kindness and patience grew on me, making me feel safe, appreciated and loved.'
Brian initially backed off after Ms Ayres told him that she was in a relationship but got back in touch five months later.
Perth woman Maggie Ayres (pictured) admitted she lost tens of thousands of dollars to a love-bombing criminal named 'Brian'
He claimed to be a geological engineer from Sydney who was working on an oil rig in The North Sea near Scotland.
To back up his story, he showed Ms Ayres his contract, passport and ID - which were all created using AI and deepfake technology.
She would regularly video chat with Brian which, although the calls were often distorted and planned in advance, gave reassurance that she wasn't being scammed.
Brian initially said he would soon return to Australia but an apparent power failure on the rig left him financially responsible to replace machinery.
He promised to pay back Ms Ayres with interest, which rang alarm bells for her children.
Nevertheless, Ms Ayres loaned Brian the money and sent more funds when he needed to cover expensive shipping taxes for the parts to be sent from America.
'Every time there was something else. He started blaming me because I took too long to send the money,' she recalled.
Brian's web of lies eventually came undone during a video call with Ms Ayres.
The scammer had been using deepfake technology to appear the same as the fake photos he had emailed her.
However, during their chat, his filter glitched - revealing his true identity.
The scammer was 'sitting in a cupboard, covering with a blanket but so that I could see his face and his mouth'.
Brian (pictured) claimed to be a geological engineer from Sydney who was working on an oil rig in The North Sea near Scotland
The scammer immediately disconnected the call, leaving Ms Ayres with the horrible realisation she'd been swindled.
'The impact this experience had on me emotionally and psychologically is destructive,' she said.
'I went through the darkest days of my life. How could I have been so blind?
Ms Ayres is now totally dependent on her children after being conned thousands.
'Scammers get away with trails of broken hearts, destroyed dreams, empty promises and bank accounts without being tracked down,' she said.
'I've not only lost my companion, but also my independence, my self confidence and my value,' Ms Ayres said.
Western Australians alone have already lost $2.9million to 26 romance scams this year. The total for 2023 was $3.7million.
WA Commerce Minister Sue Ellery described romance scammers as the 'worst of the worst' who represent the worst of humanity.
Western Australians alone have already lost $2.9million to dozens of romance scams this year (stock image)
'Their victims lose thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars, are left feeling shattered emotionally, as well as suffering from the financial loss,' she said.
'Our advice is to be incredibly vigilant, to be cautious.'
Australians who believe they've been conned are urged to report it to Scamwatch.
The government agency works to help stop scams, share warnings and offer support.
