'My fake Kenyan bride-to-be scammed me out of £85k'

Rodrick Lodge, a 69-year-old man from Leiston, Suffolk, has faced a devastating loss after being scammed out of £85,000. This unfortunate situation has left him homeless and in a state of despair. Rodrick, who is a widower, was feeling vulnerable after the death of his wife, Pauline, in 2019. He was introduced to a woman named Anita by a friend he met in Kenya three years ago. Through social media, Rodrick began to develop feelings for Anita, believing he had found love again. He even made plans to move to Nairobi to marry her. However, what Rodrick did not realize was that he was falling for an elaborate scam. The woman he thought he loved was a complete fabrication, and he was sending money to someone who did not exist. Rodrick was convinced that Anita had a four-bedroom house and that he needed to help her renovate it in order to get married. He started sending her money for various home improvements, and in return, he received pictures of the supposed renovations along with intimate photos. Rodrick believed that Anita was a successful businesswoman, claiming to be the managing director of a beauty products company with many employees. It was only when he arrived in Kenya, excited to finally meet his bride-to-be, that he realized he had been deceived. Anita was nowhere to be found, and all his attempts to contact her were met with excuses. After some investigation, Rodrick discovered that the woman pretending to be Anita was actually his friend who had introduced them. He felt humiliated and foolish for falling for such a cruel trick. After returning to the UK, Rodrick found himself sleeping rough at Heathrow Airport for three days. He is now living in a homeless shelter in Woking and feels hopeless about his future. Rodrick expressed his pain, saying, 'After losing my wife, I was so vulnerable and wanted a partner. Now, I have lost everything and have nothing to look forward to. ' Martin Richardson, a senior partner at a law firm that specializes in fraud recovery, commented on Rodrick's situation, stating, 'This is a heartbreaking story. Mr. Lodge was in a vulnerable position and was taken advantage of. Romance scams are particularly cruel because they not only cause financial loss but also emotional suffering. ' He believes that banks have a responsibility to protect their customers from fraud, especially those who are vulnerable. The UK's national reporting center for fraud and cybercrime, Action Fraud, has issued warnings about romance scams. They advise people to be cautious and not to send money to someone they have not met in person. They also warn against sharing personal information or allowing someone to use your bank account. If someone suspects they have been a victim of a romance scam, they should contact their bank and report it to Action Fraud.