[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
[00:00:04] Speaker B: Hello and welcome back to another episode of behind the Scams. I'm your host, Nick, and as always, I'm joined by my wife and co host, Sue. Hi, Sue. Give our audience a shout out, will you?
[00:00:17] Speaker A: Wow, Nick, what is this? Yo, MTV, I haven't heard you say shout out since the 90s. Anyways, hi everyone. Today we've got quite a story to share with you all. We cannot wait for you to hear it.
[00:00:32] Speaker B: Come on now. I'm just trying to maintain some of my 90s hipness. Or is it too late for that? Anyways, we really do have something very interesting for everyone. Today's episode focuses on a shocking romance scam that took place in Ukraine involving a British charity worker who lost nearly a quarter of a million dollars.
[00:00:54] Speaker A: Oh, wow. That's a staggering amount. And this wasn't just your typical online romance scam, was it?
[00:01:00] Speaker B: No, this was an elaborate in person scheme involving multiple players, fake wedding ceremonies, and even drugging the victim. It really shows how sophisticated these scams can become.
[00:01:13] Speaker A: It's honestly terrifying how far some scammers will go. I think our listeners are going to be shocked by this one.
[00:01:20] Speaker B: They certainly will be. This story has everything. Deception, manipulation, and even a private investigator who models himself after Sherlock Holmes. Let me set the scene for you. Our story begins in 2015 with James, not his real name, a 52 year old British charity worker who had never worked abroad before.
[00:01:41] Speaker A: So Nick, I am really curious just what brought him to Ukraine in the first place?
[00:01:45] Speaker B: A friend actually asked him to help set up a new project supporting children who were fleeing the conflict zone in Ukraine's east. You see, this was right after the revolution and Russia had just started supporting the rebel uprising.
[00:01:59] Speaker A: Ah, so he went there with completely legitimate humanitarian intentions.
[00:02:03] Speaker B: Exactly. He was shuttling back and forth between the UK and Odessa, balancing his full time job back home with this voluntary work in Ukraine.
[00:02:13] Speaker A: And I'm guessing he needed some help navigating things there.
[00:02:16] Speaker B: He did. He was working with a translator named Julia who helped him with the charity work. Everything was going fine until that winter when heavy snow brought their work to a standstill.
[00:02:28] Speaker A: Oh, interesting. So what happened then?
[00:02:30] Speaker B: Well, that's when things took an unexpected turn. Julia suggested that James might like to go on a date with one of her friends.
[00:02:37] Speaker A: Wait, so his translator played matchmaker? That sounds a little strange to me.
[00:02:42] Speaker B: Right. Looking back now, it's clear this was the first step in an elaborate trap. But at the time, it probably seemed like a perfectly innocent suggestion. Something he didn't think twice about. Since he was likely getting a little bored, a little lonely, and all those things people go through when spending a lot of time in a foreign country, especially in a place like Ukraine.
[00:03:06] Speaker A: I mean, he was there doing charity work. Was he even looking for a relationship?
[00:03:11] Speaker B: That's what makes this case so interesting, Sue. He wasn't actively seeking romance at all. He wasn't one of those Western men who go to Ukraine specifically looking for a younger wife.
[00:03:23] Speaker A: Which unfortunately is quite common, isn't it?
[00:03:26] Speaker B: Very common. Ukraine is one of Europe's poorest countries with an average monthly wage of only about $350.
There's a huge dating industry there catering to Western men.
[00:03:39] Speaker A: But James wasn't part of that scene.
[00:03:41] Speaker B: No, he wasn't. He was genuinely there doing charitable work, which in a way made him even more vulnerable because he wasn't on guard for this type of scam.
[00:03:50] Speaker A: So tell me about this friend that Julia introduced him to.
[00:03:53] Speaker B: Her name was Irina, and she was about 32 at the time. So about 20 years younger than James. She was originally from Donetsk, one of the cities in Eastern Ukraine that was occupied by Russian backed fighters.
[00:04:07] Speaker A: Oh, wow. So she was essentially a refugee from the conflict zone.
[00:04:11] Speaker B: Exactly. And she actually opened up to James right away about having two failed marriages with Ukrainian men. She was pretty upfront about not wanting to marry another Ukrainian.
[00:04:22] Speaker A: And how did they communicate? I'm assuming there was a bit of a language barrier.
[00:04:26] Speaker B: That's where things get interesting. Irina spoke very little English and James didn't know any Russian or Ukrainian. So guess who was always there with them?
[00:04:35] Speaker A: Let me guess. Julia the translator.
[00:04:37] Speaker B: Bingo. And she wasn't doing it for free either. She was charging up to $150 a day to translate their dates.
[00:04:44] Speaker A: Wait, what? A hundred and fifty dollars per day just to translate their conversations?
[00:04:49] Speaker B: Yes. And here's the thing. They were never alone. Every single date, every dinner, every. Every outing, Julia was there as their third wheel.
[00:04:59] Speaker A: That must have been awkward.
[00:05:01] Speaker B: James said it felt weird having someone repeat everything being said, but he claimed there was still chemistry between them. Interestingly, their communication was actually better when they were apart.
[00:05:15] Speaker A: How so?
[00:05:16] Speaker B: They used a messaging app called Viber that has a translation function. Irina would send these really romantic messages, like, you gave me a real fairy tale and I believe in you. Just you can give me this happiness. I love you.
[00:05:30] Speaker A: And were there any intimate moments between them?
[00:05:34] Speaker B: Actually, that's another red flag. We can see in hindsight, Irina was completely opposed to any physical intimacy before marriage. Not even kissing was allowed.
[00:05:43] Speaker A: And James didn't find that suspicious.
[00:05:46] Speaker B: He said he thought it showed high moral standards and that she must have been brought up very well. But of course, now we know it was just another way to keep him at arm's length while still stringing him along.
[00:06:01] Speaker A: It's amazing how these seemingly innocent things, the translator, the no intimacy rule, were actually all part of the scam, isn't it?
[00:06:10] Speaker B: Exactly. Everything was carefully orchestrated to keep James invested emotionally while preventing any real closeness that might have exposed the truth. So after about eight months of dating, they held their engagement party at this place called Villa Otrada, which, by the way, would later become important in this story.
[00:06:30] Speaker A: Did James propose or was there some pushing from Irina's side?
[00:06:34] Speaker B: Well, there was actually quite a bit of prodding from both Irina and Julia. James admitted later that he'd fallen in love. But he wasn't naive about Irina's feelings.
[00:06:45] Speaker A: What do you mean by that?
[00:06:46] Speaker B: He knew she was mainly looking for a way out of Ukraine. He actually said she felt so trapped in her country. The connection was a sort of shared interest.
[00:06:56] Speaker A: Oh, wow. So he was aware it wasn't exactly a fairy tale romance.
[00:07:01] Speaker B: Right. But he still wanted to help her build a better life. He even started paying for her English lessons, hoping it would help her eventually move to the UK with him.
[00:07:10] Speaker A: And how did that plan work out?
[00:07:12] Speaker B: Not well at all. After talking with embassy officials, they realized it would take several years to get through all the bureaucratic hurdles.
[00:07:21] Speaker A: Several years? That must have thrown a wrench in their plans.
[00:07:25] Speaker B: It did. And this is where James made what he later called his biggest mistake. Instead of waiting, he decided to completely uproot his life in the UK and move to Ukraine.
[00:07:35] Speaker A: No way. He just packed up everything?
[00:07:38] Speaker B: Everything. He quit his job, sold his house. And here's where it gets really interesting. Irina started pushing him to buy property in Odessa.
[00:07:47] Speaker A: Red flag alert.
[00:07:49] Speaker B: Absolutely. Irina insisted that buying property would show permanence in their relationship. James's friends back in the UK were concerned about how fast things were moving, but.
[00:08:01] Speaker A: But he was in love.
[00:08:02] Speaker B: Exactly. He really thought he was building a new life for them both. You know what's ironic? He told his friends, who were worried that he was building a future, when.
[00:08:12] Speaker A: Really he was walking right into an elaborate trap.
[00:08:15] Speaker B: And that trap was about to snap shut in a way he never could have imagined. The property purchase would turn out to be the first step in a scheme that would cost him most of his life savings.
[00:08:26] Speaker A: This is honestly making my stomach turn. How much are we talking about here?
[00:08:30] Speaker B: Lets just say the amount would soon reach a quarter of a Million dollars. Now, this is where things get really twisted. James had $200,000 from selling his house in the UK that he wanted to use to buy their apartment in Odessa.
[00:08:44] Speaker A: That's a significant amount of money. I'm guessing transferring that much to Ukraine wasn't straightforward.
[00:08:49] Speaker B: Exactly. Ukraine has pretty strict banking regulations due to corruption concerns, and there are limits on large transfers. This is where Irina came up with what she called a solution.
[00:09:01] Speaker A: Oh, no. I can feel where this is going.
[00:09:04] Speaker B: Instead of putting the money in Irina's account, she suggested James transfer it to her friend Christina's company account. Christina was, get this. Their wedding planner.
[00:09:14] Speaker A: Wait, what? The wedding planner? That seems incredibly suspicious.
[00:09:18] Speaker B: It absolutely was. But here's where it gets even more bizarre. After James transferred the money, Irina dropped a bombshell. She told him the bank would only release the money if he was legally married to Cristina.
[00:09:32] Speaker A: Hold on. Are you saying she wanted him to marry the wedding planner? That's insane.
[00:09:38] Speaker B: Irina insisted it would just be a quick formality. Ten minutes at the registry office, then they'd undo it later. But here's the real manipulation. Irina threatened to cancel their wedding if they didn't get the money and secure an apartment.
[00:09:53] Speaker A: She used the pressure of the wedding guests as leverage.
[00:09:56] Speaker B: Exactly. She sent him messages saying things like, I'm in complete disarray and you want me to look like a prostitute in the eyes of my relatives.
[00:10:05] Speaker A: Emotional manipulation at its finest. Did James actually go through with it?
[00:10:11] Speaker B: He did. On July 10, 2017, James legally married Christina, the wedding planner. And guess what happened that very afternoon?
[00:10:20] Speaker A: Something tells me it wasn't good.
[00:10:22] Speaker B: Christina and Irina announced they'd already spent all $200,000 on an apartment. But here's the kicker. The apartment actually only cost $60,000, and it was jointly owned by James and his new legal wife, Christina.
[00:10:38] Speaker A: Oh, my God. So they essentially stole $140,000 right there?
[00:10:42] Speaker B: Yes. And James had no idea at this point, he was still planning to go ahead with his wedding reception to Irina the very next day, thinking he'd just get a quick divorce from Cristina afterward.
[00:10:55] Speaker A: This is absolutely heartbreaking. How could they be so calculated?
[00:10:58] Speaker B: It was all meticulously planned. And remember, this was just the beginning of their scheme. The next day at the wedding reception would bring even more shocking developments. The wedding reception itself was another carefully orchestrated part of their scam. They held it at Vila Otrada, this beautiful venue overlooking the Black Sea.
[00:11:20] Speaker A: But I'm guessing nothing about it was genuine.
[00:11:22] Speaker B: Not a single thing. The wedding planner, Christina, who, remember, was now legally James's wife charged him $20,000 for the reception.
[00:11:32] Speaker A: $20,000 in Ukraine? That seems really steep.
[00:11:36] Speaker B: Exactly. When you consider that the average monthly wage in Ukraine is around $350. This was absolutely outrageous. Everything was inflated. The catering, the decorations, everything.
[00:11:51] Speaker A: Were any of the guests even real?
[00:11:53] Speaker B: That's the thing. Investigators later concluded that Most of the 60 guests were likely paid to be there. Even the woman James thought was Irina's mother turned out to be the translator, Julia's mom.
[00:12:06] Speaker A: Oh, my God. That's just cruel. How did they manage to keep up this charade during the whole reception?
[00:12:12] Speaker B: Well, here's where it gets even darker. They knew they had a problem. James would be expecting his wedding night with Irina.
[00:12:19] Speaker A: Right. Since she'd been putting off any intimacy.
[00:12:23] Speaker B: Until after marriage, the person posing as Irina's mother apparently took care of that problem.
James believes she was the one who spiked his drink.
[00:12:31] Speaker A: They drugged him. That's criminal.
[00:12:33] Speaker B: He started violently shaking and had to be taken to the hospital. And guess what? Irina refused to go with him.
[00:12:40] Speaker A: Let me guess. She turned it around on him somehow.
[00:12:43] Speaker B: Exactly. The next day, she accused him of getting drunk and humiliating her in front of her family. Then she kept her distance, claiming she had her own medical problems.
[00:12:53] Speaker A: And let me guess. She wouldn't let him visit her in the hospital.
[00:12:57] Speaker B: Right again. She actually sent him messages saying he couldn't visit because he wasn't her legal husband. Cristina was his wife on paper. But here's the kicker. She still managed to get him to transfer another $12,000 for her supposed medical costs.
[00:13:13] Speaker A: This level of manipulation is just staggering. They thought of everything they did and.
[00:13:19] Speaker B: Remember all of this was happening while Irina was actually legally married to someone else. A man named Andrey Saikoff. James had no idea. The whole thing finally started unraveling when a local Ukrainian who'd heard about what was happening took pity on James and decided to tell him the truth about the apartment.
[00:13:39] Speaker A: Oh, thank goodness. Someone finally stepped in. What did they tell him?
[00:13:43] Speaker B: They revealed that the apartment he'd paid $200,000 for was actually only worth $63,000.
[00:13:51] Speaker A: Wait, what?
[00:13:51] Speaker B: That means they pocketed $140,000. Just gone. And that was the moment James realized he'd lost about a quarter of a million dollars in total. Basically two thirds of his life savings.
[00:14:04] Speaker A: I can't even imagine how devastating that must have been. How did he react?
[00:14:09] Speaker B: You know what's remarkable? Instead of falling into depression, he channeled all his energy into trying to get his money back and expose what had happened.
[00:14:18] Speaker A: Did he find out more about who These women really were.
[00:14:21] Speaker B: He did. And it's mindboggling. Remember Irina, his supposed fiance? Well, official records showed she'd been married to a man named Andrey S since August 2015. Three months before she even met James.
[00:14:39] Speaker A: No way. And what about Christina, the wedding planner he was technically married to?
[00:14:44] Speaker B: Oh, that's another fascinating piece of the puzzle. She had a husband named Dennis who was apparently in on the whole thing. She divorced him just three weeks before marrying James, and then, get this. She married him again after the scam was over.
[00:15:02] Speaker A: It's like something out of a movie. How did they manage to coordinate all of this?
[00:15:06] Speaker B: That's what makes these scams so dangerous. They're incredibly well orchestrated. Everyone played their part perfectly. Irina, Cristina, the translator, Julia. Even Julia's mother posing as Irina's mom.
[00:15:22] Speaker A: And I'm guessing they'd probably done this before.
[00:15:24] Speaker B: While we don't have concrete evidence of other victims, the level of sophistication in this scam suggests they were well practiced. They knew exactly how to manipulate both James's emotions and the legal system to their advantage.
[00:15:39] Speaker A: It's terrifying how calculated it all was. They really left nothing to chance, did they?
[00:15:44] Speaker B: Not a thing. Every step was carefully planned, from the initial chance meeting through Julia, to the engagement, to the elaborate wedding reception scheme. They even had contingency plans, like drugging James when they needed to avoid intimacy. So after discovering the full scope of the scam, James did what most people would do. He went straight to the Odessa police.
[00:16:10] Speaker A: Well, that's good. With all that evidence, they must have taken immediate action, right?
[00:16:15] Speaker B: Actually, sue, you'd be shocked. James went to the police not once, not twice, but four separate times.
[00:16:21] Speaker A: Four times? What happened?
[00:16:22] Speaker B: The police basically laughed in his face. According to James, they didn't take it seriously at all. Even with bank documents and all those Viber messages as evidence.
[00:16:33] Speaker A: That's absolutely outrageous. How could they just dismiss something like this?
[00:16:37] Speaker B: Well, unfortunately, in Odessa, marriage scams are pretty low on their priority list. And there's a darker side to it. Apparently, getting the police to act often involves bribing them.
[00:16:50] Speaker A: Oh, no. Please tell me James didn't have to resort to that.
[00:16:54] Speaker B: No, he actually refused to pay any bribes. But his lawyer, Anna Kozerga, mentioned that this is sadly common practice. They did manage to get Irina and Christina brought in for questioning, but.
[00:17:06] Speaker A: But what?
[00:17:07] Speaker B: Despite all the evidence and his lawyers pushing, no charges were ever brought against them.
[00:17:12] Speaker A: So what did James do next? He couldn't just give up, right?
[00:17:15] Speaker B: That's when he turned to someone quite interesting. A Private investigator named Robert Papinian. Picture this. An office with Sherlock Holmes memorabilia everywhere. And a guy who literally uses the Sherlock Holmes theme as his ringtone.
[00:17:32] Speaker A: You're kidding. Sounds like quite a character.
[00:17:34] Speaker B: Oh, he is. And his methods are, let's say, unconventional. James had to pay him $3,000 upfront, plus 30% of any money recovered.
[00:17:43] Speaker A: That's steep, but I guess when the official channels fail you.
[00:17:46] Speaker B: Exactly. And Papignon is pretty open about his methods. He straight up admits to using intimidation tactics.
[00:17:53] Speaker A: Wait, so this is still ongoing?
[00:17:55] Speaker B: Yes. James actually still gets updates via Viber from Papinian. The latest was that his team had tracked down Irina and given her a deadline to repay the money.
[00:18:06] Speaker A: Do you think James will ever see any of that money again?
[00:18:09] Speaker B: Honestly, the chances are pretty slim. The only small victory he's had is that the marriage to Cristina was ruled bogus, and he's now the sole owner of that $63,000 apartment. Looking at James's story, there were so many red flags that are typical of these romance scams in Ukraine. One of the biggest was how they were never allowed to be alone together.
[00:18:32] Speaker A: Really? Even after dating for months?
[00:18:34] Speaker B: Exactly. The translator was always there, allegedly because of the language barrier. But it's actually a common tactic these scammers use to control the situation and prevent any real intimacy from developing.
[00:18:47] Speaker A: Oh, wow. And wasn't there also that thing about no physical contact before marriage?
[00:18:52] Speaker B: Yes, that's another classic warning sign. They used traditional values as an excuse to avoid intimacy while still extracting money and gifts from their victims.
[00:19:02] Speaker A: I noticed James was always the one paying for everything, too. The apartment, the wedding, even Irina's supposed medical bills.
[00:19:10] Speaker B: That's right. The scammers typically create constant financial emergencies or opportunities that require immediate action. In James's case, it was the pressure to buy an apartment quickly. And that bizarre arrangement with the wedding planner.
[00:19:26] Speaker A: The whole marriage to Christina thing. That just seems so outlandish. How could anyone fall for that?
[00:19:33] Speaker B: Well, they're really good at creating pressure situations. Think about it. James had 60 supposed wedding guests coming. He'd already invested so much emotionally and financially. When you're in that deep, it's hard to step back and see things clearly.
[00:19:51] Speaker A: What are some other warning signs people should watch out for?
[00:19:54] Speaker B: Some big ones are requests to wire money through unusual channels, constant excuses about why they can't meet your family or friends, and elaborate stories about why they need money urgently.
[00:20:05] Speaker A: And I guess if someone's pushing for major financial commitments really early in the relationship, that's a huge red flag, too Absolutely.
[00:20:14] Speaker B: Also be very wary if someone's rushing you into marriage while putting up barriers to normal relationship development.
These scammers are experts at making their victims feel both special and pressured at the same time.
[00:20:29] Speaker A: It's just so heartbreaking that people can be this cruel. I mean, James lost his life savings.
[00:20:34] Speaker B: You know what's really telling?
James still hasn't told his family about what happened. That's how much shame these scams can create. And the scammers know that they count on their victims staying quiet. You know, sue, what really strikes me about James's story is how it shows that anyone can become a victim of these scams. Here was an educated, experienced charity worker who still got caught up in this elaborate scheme.
[00:21:01] Speaker A: And he lost what, about a quarter of a million dollars in total?
[00:21:04] Speaker B: That's right, $250,000. Two thirds of his life savings. And the really tragic part is that the authorities in Ukraine weren't interested in helping him get justice.
[00:21:16] Speaker A: It's just terrible that these scammers are still out there, probably targeting other victims right now.
[00:21:22] Speaker B: Unfortunately, they are. And Irina's dating profile is still active online, just like James discovered. Still claiming to be a divorced babysitter looking for true love.
[00:21:33] Speaker A: That's just chilling. I hope sharing James's story helps prevent others from falling into similar traps.
[00:21:39] Speaker B: That's really why he came forward to warn others. And it's actually led to changes in the UK Foreign Office's travel advice for Ukraine, specifically mentioning marriage fraud risks. Hopefully this change leads others in the UK to think twice about seeking love in Ukraine.
[00:22:00] Speaker A: Well, that's something positive at least. Though it came at such a high personal cost for James, I am certain this is not something James envisioned when he started his adventure.
[00:22:11] Speaker B: No, I don't think so. But kudos to James for being brave and coming out and telling his story to the BBC. It takes a lot of courage for romance scam victims like James to come out and tell their story.
[00:22:24] Speaker A: It sure does, Nick. It is very difficult because romance scam victims often suffer from deep emotional devastation. Feeling betrayed, heartbroken and ashamed after realizing they were deceived by someone they trusted. Many also face severe financial losses, sometimes draining their life savings or taking on debt, leading to long term financial hardship. The psychological impact can be profound with victims experiencing depression, anxiety and and a loss of self confidence, making it difficult to trust others again.
[00:23:02] Speaker B: Yes, it does, Sue. Here at Stamp Out Scams. I hear from scam victims all the time. I try to encourage them to come out and tell their story. I think it is important for them to talk about their experience, because it not only helps others, but it helps raise awareness to their own personal victimization.
This may in turn help direct people to any fundraising causes, such as GoFundMe campaigns that could help get them back on their feet. But of course, this is a personal decision, so I don't try to make them do something they don't want to do.
[00:23:38] Speaker A: Good point, Nick. But you're right. We do hear from a lot of victims. It is amazing the amount of scams and frauds going on out there. One thing I wanted to ask you. In your dealings with romance scam victims, do you recognize any common psychological patterns among victims? You know, things like psychological stages they might experience?
[00:24:00] Speaker B: You know, sue, there certainly is a strong psychological impact on romance scam victims. It's not just about losing money. It's an emotional rollercoaster. It starts with pure excitement and hope. They really believe they've found love. Someone who truly gets them. That emotional investment runs deep. And that's exactly what scammers exploit. Then little things start to feel off. Maybe a story doesn't quite add up, or there's yet another excuse for why they can't meet in person. But here's the thing. At this stage, the victim doesn't want to believe it's a scam. They rationalize it, thinking, oh, they must be going through a hard time. Or maybe I'm just overthinking. The heart wants to believe even when the head is starting to question. And then comes the moment of realization. Maybe it's a family member stepping in, or they stumble across proof that shatters the illusion. That's when the real pain sets in. Shock, betrayal, humiliation. They feel like their whole world just crumbled. Some even deny it at first, refusing to accept they've been scammed. It's devastating. Anger kicks in next. Some directed at the scammer, others at themselves.
How could I be so stupid? Why didn't I see the signs that self blame is brutal? But it's so common. And then, unfortunately, a lot of victims fall into depression. The trust is gone, the confidence is shattered. And in some cases, they've lost their entire life savings. It's a dark place to be. But here's the important part. There is a way forward. Recovery isn't instant. But with the right support, victims can heal. They start recognizing they were manipulated, not stupid. They learn to trust again, rebuild their lives. And most importantly, they become more aware. And that's why we talk about this. Because no one should have to go through it alone.
[00:26:12] Speaker A: That's right, scam victims do not need to go through it alone. There are lots of resources online for scam victims. Many government and private nonprofit organizations offer resources for victims of every type of fraud or scam.
So Nick, can you identify for our listeners the types of resources available to them? For example, if someone was living in the United States or the uk, what type of resources are available to them?
[00:26:44] Speaker B: Fantastic question, Sue. Thanks for asking. If you've been scammed or know someone who has, getting support is crucial. The emotional and financial impact of a romance scam can be devastating. But there are resources out there that can help. In the United States, one of the best places to start is the FTC or the Federal Trade Commission. You can report the scam through their website. And while they don't get your money back directly, reporting helps law enforcement track down scammers. Another great resource is AARP's Fraud Watch Network.
They have a free helpline and even trained volunteers who can talk victims through what to do next. And if the financial loss is significant, victims should reach out to ic3.gov that's the FBI's Internet crime complaint center which handles online fraud cases for those in the United Kingdom. Like our victim in this story, James, a key resource is Action Fraud, which is their National Fraud and Cybercrime Reporting Center. Victims can report scams through www.actionfraud.police.uk or call their hotline. Another excellent support network is Victim Support uk, which offers emotional help and guidance on recovering after a scam. And let's not forget Get Safe Online which is a government backed site that educates people on avoiding scams before they happen. The bottom line, no one has to go through this alone. Whether it's emotional support, legal steps, or just knowing what to do next, reaching out to the right resources can make all the difference no matter what area of the world you are in. Just do a Google search for scam victim resources and there are most likely organization and government resources available in your location.
[00:28:46] Speaker A: Excellent options Nick, but the message for any scam victim is don't need to go through it alone. In fact, the Beatles sang it very succinctly many years ago in their song named With a Little Help from My Friends to me. I think this is a great message for any scam victim.
[00:29:06] Speaker B: Well sue, that's a fantastic note to close out this podcast on. We hope our listeners learned something from today's true romance scam story. One final point I want to make before we say goodbye is to please visit our
[email protected] Our website is a fantastic resource for scam prevention news, information and stories. Also, as a reminder, we are a non profit organization dedicated to scam prevention. Oh and while you are there, if you don't mind going to our donation page and donating to our cause, we would greatly appreciate it. Thanks for listening.
[00:29:47] Speaker A: We certainly do appreciate any donation you can make. It really helps support our scam prevention mission. And remember, stay safe, stay informed, stay alert and we'll catch you next time. Bye for now.
