A New Jersey woman lost her entire life savings to a con man she met on the dating site Match.com.
I’m using the term “met” loosely here because the 59-year-old victim who (asked that her name not be revealed) didn’t actually meet the man she wound up giving $86,000 to—at least not in person. Via CBS:
During a six-month online relationship in 2012, the two-time cancer survivor said a man who called himself Maxwell Yas conned her out of $86,000. “I cashed money out of an IRA; out of, you know, retirement money,” the woman said.
Using a fake picture and dating profile, Yas claimed he was 60 years old, from New York, and working as a civil engineer in Malaysia. Against her better judgment, the woman moved forward.
She said he made up elaborate stories about being in financial trouble and she believed him, even though she had her doubts.
“I’ve always been a very rational person,” she said. “You want to believe, because you think you’re developing a relationship.”
The only upside to this case is the FBI is launching an investigation, but it’s probably very unlikely she will ever see her money again.
Match.com has information on their website for how to protect yourself and your finances online. As for the victim, she has some advice for all of us.
“No matter what they say; no matter what kind of tale they tell you, you really have to be brave and say no,” she said.
Image via Shutterstock.
