Beware online love scams, women told
Former victims to front awareness drive, courtesy of Western Union
Published on May 21, 2013
Western Union staff members (from left) Zahan Ara, 30, Rhona Abano, 29, and Tan Ying Ying, 29. The firm trains its staff to spot customers who could be potential victims of commercial fraud. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM
By Amelia Tan
Women cheated in Internet love scams will front a new campaign to educate others about the dangers of online dating.
Money transfer company Western Union is coming up with the drive as it regularly receives requests from female customers to transfer money overseas to foreign men they met online.
Many of the women realise later that their boyfriends - who have not met them in person - are actually swindlers, and end up losing thousands of dollars.
The company believes it can convince women to be careful about finding love online after listening to painful real-life experiences of other women who were cheated by Internet conmen. It plans to join hands with female advocacy groups to organise events where victims will share their stories either in person or through video recordings.
BACKGROUND STORY
'When he asks for money, he's trying to cheat you'
JANE (not her real name) thought she had found the love of her life last year but her suitor turned out to be a conman.
The businesswoman, 47, met "Andrew Terry" on a China matchmaking website called Jiayuan.com. He claimed to be a 45-year-old British businessman dealing with oil rigs, based in the Middle East.
They talked on the phone every day. He would also send her photographs of himself and pen e-mail messages addressing her as his "wife". They even had plans to get married by the end of last year.
Jane, a divorcee with a 13-year-old son, said she was drawn to the prospect of starting her life afresh abroad if she married him.
After talking for about five months, Andrew asked her for money. He said his business was facing problems and he needed money to buy equipment and chemicals in order to complete a $7 million contract. She sent him $10,000 the first time but he asked for more over the next month. She used her savings and borrowed from credit companies to raise a total of $120,000. Eventually, she had to sell off her two restaurants to pay off her debts.
Luckily, in July last year, an alert Western Union customer service supervisor, Ms Tan Ying Ying, stopped her from sending more money to Andrew.
Ms Tan, who become suspicious when she saw Jane making large transactions in a short time, told her it was likely that she had been cheated. Jane, who was angry at first, scolded her. It took a 30-minute phone call with Western Union's vice-president of operations Patricia Chua to make her realise she had been conned.
"She (Ms Chua) told me she had nothing to gain from stopping me. In fact, she can't earn commission. I realised then that I had been cheated," she said.
"I hope that other women will not repeat my mistake. Once any man you meet online asks for money, you should realise he is trying to cheat you," she added.
AMELIA TAN
