Overview

• The victim described weeks of constant contact after meeting a man on a dating app, who sent photos and voice messages but refused to show his face on video.
• The man claimed he was on a work trip before alleging he was mugged and hospitalised, which he used to justify escalating requests for money.
• He built credibility by naming local streets and sharing family details, then pushed for secrecy that left her isolated from friends and relatives.
• Transfers totalled £85,671.30 before her sister uncovered the ruse by finding that the images he sent belonged to someone else.
• North Yorkshire Police repeated prevention advice and reporting routes, noting the case comes as UK romance-fraud losses were reported at over £106 million last year.