World · East Asia & Pacific · 2 hrs ago
Brisbane author lost $40,000 to online romance scam
Brisbane author Jane Musgrave gave $40,000 to a man she met online, believing they were in a relationship.
He said he loved her, then claimed his mother needed medicine and he had problems at work.
Musgrave used credit cards, cash advances and loans from loan sharks to send him money, despite friends warning her.
A chicken soup message exposed the scam when he said he would not call because she was sick, although she was not.
She realised the message was meant for another woman and said she was close to bankruptcy.
The scam left her financially devastated, but she said she stayed sober and rebuilt her life.
Romance scams remain a serious problem in Australia, with nearly $140 million reported lost to Scamwatch last year by 1,330 people.
Most reported losses began with online contact, and people over 65 accounted for more than a quarter of the total.
Brisbane author Jane Musgrave lost $40,000 to a man she met through online dating.
She said he asked for money after claiming his mother was sick and later that he had problems at work.
Musgrave said an email telling her to have chicken soup exposed the scam because she was not sick.
She had maxed out credit cards, taken cash advances and borrowed from loan sharks.
She said she stayed sober and rebuilt her life after the ordeal.
- Who
- Brisbane author Jane Musgrave and a man she met online.
- What
- Musgrave said she lost $40,000 in a romance scam.
- When
- Not stated.
- Where
- Brisbane, Australia; the man told her he had gone overseas for work.
- Why
- The man asked her for money, initially saying his mother needed medication and later citing problems at work.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Musgrave said she decided to start online dating.
The man told Musgrave he loved her and began asking her for money.
Musgrave received an email telling her to have chicken soup, which she said revealed it was meant for another woman.
Musgrave said she stayed sober and rebuilt her life.
- Reported loss
- $40,000
- Victim
- Jane Musgrave, Brisbane author
- Scam exposure
- An email about chicken soup that Musgrave said was sent to the wrong woman
- Debt
- Maxed-out credit cards, cash advances and loans from loan sharks
- Australia-wide reports
- Nearly $140 million lost to romance scams through Scamwatch last year
What people are saying
He'd sent the email to the wrong woman.
Deep down, I already knew it was a scam, but that was the proof I needed.
I didn't have a drink.