SCAMMER ALERT!

In today's digital era, scamming is on the rise and dating sites are often breeding grounds for deception. A private investigator, a psychiatrist and two women who fell victim to million rand scams tell their story.

- KHADEEJA ALLIE

In our increasingly connected world, scammers have become a sophisticated threat.

On dating sites, apps and even the most widely used social networks, scammers build up a relationship with their victim and lure them into a false sense of 'trust' before asking for money.

Perhaps most chillingly though sadly, unsurprisinglyonline scammers often target vulnerable women, particularly those seeking love and companionship.

John Alexander, a private investigator at Royal Investigations, describes the initial stages of a romance scam as a 'lengthy grooming process' during which scammers carefully align themselves with their victim's interests. Once the scammer has established a secure connection with their victim, they begin to solicit money.

Edith (a pseudonym) fell victim not once, but twice to a romance scam.

Two months after the passing of her husband of almost 20 years, she received a message on Facebook from a Portuguese man claiming to want to be her friend. Edith was in a particularly dark place: Following the death of her husband, she found out that he had been having an affair, leaving Edith with feelings of not only grief, but also betrayal and loneliness.