holiday romance scam...

[GoNz0]

Basically my Father in law who lost his wife about 18 months ago has just returned from Egypt with the news he has met someone, trouble is him being in his late 60's and she being the same age as my wife, early 30's..

to add to this she is Lithuanian and as far as we are concerned she is a scammer after his money as he has a habit of telling everyone what he has.

We would not worry if he had left it at a holiday fling but the daft lads still in contact and on about flying over to see her..

what we really need are some links to sites warning of scams like this as he will not listen to his kids and will end up either, dead, held hostage until he hands over every penny he has, along with having his house turned over while he is over there or told she is pregnant and extorted.

[Lucio]

First off, it's not a holiday scam, it's a romance scam, if you put the right term into Google, you'd get better results

For example, http://www.romancescam.com/forum/portal.php, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romance_scam and so on.

[GoNz0]

yeh we did try romance scam but they all seem to be internet based.

[santa claus]

She's after your inheritance mate. Don't hang about - have a man to man with him and, if you have to, do anything you can to scupper his flight plans. You may need to do things behind his back but there you go.

[Lucio]

yeh we did try romance scam but they all seem to be internet based.

*nods* but it's the same thing, and quite frankly meeting them face to face is hardly any security...

If you're that worried though, go with him!

[r_j_k_p]

hide his passport

[Behemoth]

Certainly has all the hallmarks of a scam, we get calls about this sort thing where I work every week. I just hope for your Dad's sake he doesn't send her any money.

Usually they start asking for small amounts which they ask to be paid by Western Union. Once they get the small amounts of money then they start asking for more. It's not unusual for them to start asking of £1000 or more.

Perhaps give the police a call on the non emergency help line ? Although I suspect there's very little they can do at the present.

[GoNz0]

1st thing i said when the brother in law said he has been asked to book a flight for him to go see her was to steal his passport. personally i would hope the wife can talk him into doing nothing for a few weeks to think it over and realise what a div he is being, trouser brain is thinking for him.

not my inheritance anyway, bro in laws, wifes and our kids so its not that, just dont want to see him dead or being taken for everything.

trouble with the guy is the fact he does what he wants and will listen to no one

took a lot to stop him going to tunisia until we pointed out the home office want you to register with them so they can get you out if war broke out!

wish we had let him go now!

[Behemoth]

The only other option would be to let him learn the hard way, but I suspect even then it's going to be too late.

Ideally we need someone like Martin Lewis to do a feature on this sort of thing on TV, while I generally find him quite annoying he does make some very valid points.

[MadduckUK]

Ideally we need someone like Martin Lewis to do a feature on this sort of thing on TV, while I generally find him quite annoying he does make some very valid points.

I agree, could save your father in law a small fortune on the plane tickets and accommodation

[Behemoth]

I wasn't trying to be funny.

[SHare]

Surely there must be somewhere that you can contact and see if they can put him in touch with a previous victim of something similar? I know the police are often uninterested but it's maybe worth enquiring with the local citizens advice or even trading standards to see if they have contact numbers for helplines for scam victims.

[Ferral]

This will be a scam not just for money but also to get British nationality.

Why not get in touch with the home office and see if they can do a background check on this person, see if your dad can get her passport number to pass onto them

[GoNz0]

not my dad so staying out of it as the father in law is stubborn enough as it is, bro in law is getting a tip off from my wife tomorrow as she takes him shopping every week, she is letting bro in law know when they are heading back to his so they can both be there to try and talk sence into him, fingers crossed his son and daughter can make him see it for what it is.

he must be really really stupid to think someone half his age can speak good engrish and want to sleep with him...

bro in law will be telling him if he insists on going over there to let her down that he will go with him as he does not think it will be safe to go alone for obvious reasons... ever seen hostel!

[GoNz0]

This will be a scam not just for money but also to get British nationality.

Why not get in touch with the home office and see if they can do a background check on this person, see if your dad can get her passport number to pass onto them

should we find out she is coming immigration will be tipped off as to her reasons for the visit, fingers crossed they will refuse the visa application.

[chadders]

All you (they) can do is be very matter of fact, and upfront. Tell him he'd do the same for us if we were making a mistake and they'd appreciate him being upfront.

Unfortunately, a bit of totty half your age does tend to move the decision making in a male southwards.