Woman knocks on ex's door after suspicious feeling and whole world crumbles

Irish Daily Mirror

6 hours ago

Alice thought she was reigniting an old flame when she reconnected with Mark, a childhood chum and former classmate. But instead, she fell prey to a harrowing romance scam that cost her €50,000 and left her emotionally in tatters.
Diverging from the typical profile of online romance swindles starting between unknown parties, Alice, a legal professional hailing from Shropshire, shared a personal history with her swindler. Using assumed names here, Alice and Mark had a fleeting dating spell in their twenties, enjoyed numerous mutual friends on Facebook, and intermittently swapped birthday wishes over time.
Their relationship was rekindled in October 2020, as Mark began reaching out quite frequently. They found common ground reminiscing on past experiences, musical preferences, culinary likes, and even met face-to-face at a pub they frequented during their teenage years.
"It was amazing. It was like my youth was back," Alice divulged to the BBC. "We had a shared history. I felt completely at home with him."
The relationship blossomed swiftly. Mark became acquainted with Alice's family and circle of friends and she bestowed upon him her unwavering trust, reports the Mirror.
Hence, when he revealed his struggle with business-related financial woes amid the COVID-19 crisis, she harboured no scepticism. To reinforce his narrative, he presented menacing messages he had received and argued against her visiting his residence, citing security fears.
"He made it very clear that he needed help," she attested. "I was essentially in a position where I wanted to save him."
By April 2021, Alice had lent him €23,000. Being a solicitor, she formalised the loan in writing and confirmed that Mark was selling his property to pay her back.
However, the sale never happened, and neither did the repayments.
Gradually, the amount she lent him increased. Alice covered everything from rent and clothing to medical treatments and therapy sessions.
She even paid for a car and trips to Wimbledon and Croatia. She provided emotional support for Mark, and he was there for her when her grandfather passed away.
But behind closed doors, Mark was leading a double life. In October 2023, after lending him a total of €67,000 - of which he had only repaid €16,000 - Alice ended their relationship over the phone.
Feeling suspicious, she drove to Mark's house for the first time. There, she met a woman she recognised as Mark's supposed ex, Julie, standing in the driveway with Mark's dog, whose vet bills Alice had covered.
Julie told Alice to leave and warned her not to come back, accusing her of stalking. Mark had reportedly spun a different tale to Julie.
When Alice insisted she could prove their relationship, Julie threatened to call the police.
Alice's last encounter with Mark took place in a supermarket car park, where he claimed he had cancer and had returned to Julie for emotional support. But when Alice spoke to a neighbour, the truth came out: Mark had been living with Julie all along.
Alice shared her emotional ordeal: "For the whole period he was with me, promising a life together, he was going home to her every day,".
After Alice had it out with him, the couple moved out in short order. The landlady later confirmed that the bloke, Mark, still owed her five months' rent.
In December 2023, when Alice took the issue to the police, she was brushed off, being told it was a civil matter and not a criminal offence. But Alice didn't give up, instead reaching out to Love Said, a charity aiding victims of emotional and financial abuse.
Anna Rowe, who helped co-found Love Said, spoke to the BBC about the lack of recognition from many coppers regarding "in-person" romance fraud and how victims can be dismissed or even shamed.
With backing from the charity, Alice managed to get her case logged with Action Fraud. During this process, she asserted, "They asked, 'Are you saying this man deliberately entered a relationship to get your money?' And I said, 'Yes, I am.'".
As the anniversary of their split came around in 2024, Alice received a €140 bank transfer from Mark, with reports indicating he's pledged to pay back his debt monthly – a strategy that could take 30 years, at which point Alice would be reaching 80.
DI Daniel Fenn from West Mercia Police, part of the economic crime and cyber unit, recognised the complexity and emotionality of romance fraud cases. He reassured that "We have trained officers dedicated to tackling fraud and additional resources in place to investigate these types of crimes," confirming that the force is prepared to handle such sensitive issues.
For Alice, the repercussions extend far beyond finances; she's been left saying the scammer pinched "my trust, my love, my future" as well as her money.