We all want to make our loved ones happy. But what happens when your online lover’s financial woes never cease? How far would you go to fork over more cash? This woman went as far as financial fraud, and then went even further.
Dating scams can impact more people than just the victim. Notice the warning signs before it’s too late!
Last month, 65-year-old Roxanne Reed was arrested in North Carolina for plotting to murder her 88-year-old mother who she lives with her.
Murdering her mother was just the first step to acquiring the inheritance left for her in her mother’s will. Texts between Roxanne and her co-conspirator plotting the murder were discovered by police, as well as evidence that she also carried out several instances of financial fraud. Clearly Roxanne was in need of money for something, and lots of it, but what?
What Roxanne didn’t know is she was being catfished by an online lover posing as Corpus Christi physical therapy center-owner Scott Humpal. Scott is a real man who really does reside in Corpus Christi, Texas and own several centers around town. The photo even checks out. His identity was stolen by the con artist who was in the process of draining Roxanne’s finances in the name of love.
Financial frauds and the murder plot were all ways to get money to send to her needy online lover. Not only was Roxanne successfully catfished, but was driven to crime and almost murder in the process.
While Roxanne faces financial fraud and conspiracy to commit murder charges, her mother is still alive and the man posing as Scott Humpal is still out on the internet looking for love.
While Roxanne’s means of feeding the fisherman is extreme to say the least and far from common, there are still some lessons we can take away from this. If you are concerned about an online relationship – either your own or someone in your life’s – search for their identity on Dating Scams 101or Watch for Scams. If their identity has been tagged as stolen and involved in another scam, you will find out.
Not all stolen identities used for catfishing have been flagged and logged, and not all catfishers use stolen identities to lure in victims. If you suspect an online lover isn’t who they say they are, I can help you dig deeper and find out for sure. Contact me at Mignolet@Bellsouth.net for a consultation.