Fraudsters are using photos of a European defence minister to trick unsuspecting women out of tens of thousands of pounds on online dating apps.
The Latvian Defence Office has issued an alert after it uncovered more than 100 fake profiles, all posing as the country's defence minister and deputy Prime Minister Artis Pabriks online.
One scammer, posing as "Murphy Townsend" but using the Latvian minister's photo, tricked mum-of-two Sharon Bulmer out of £86,000.
The fraudster initially messaged Ms Bulmer from Manchester on Facebook in May 2020 saying he was "lonely".
He claimed he was a US soldier whose wife had passed away and over the course of two years asked for financial help to leave Syria and visit her.
Ms Bulmer eventually ended her relationship with her partner of 29 years in order to start a new life with Mr Townsend, and sent nearly £80,000 in gradual payments for "hospital bills" and "plane tickets".
Ms Bulmer, who is now £37,000 in debt, sent the money in Bitcoin.
She said: "He asked me to help me and I did, but it's got me into huge debt. I fell for this person and I just wanted to help him so much. I know I have been a fool but these are the things we do for love."
She added: "He said he was lonely, he's serving in Syria, his wife had passed away and he just wanted someone to speak to. He said he'd been watching me on Facebook - I don't know what that means."
After initially chatting on Facebook, they continued on Google Hangouts but never once video-called - as Mr Townsend said he was not allowed to at his base.
He told Ms Bulmer he was serving with the 37th infantry brigade combat team at base 29 in Raqqa.
She only discovered she had fallen victim to a dating scam after US authorities told her that "Murphy Townsend" had never existed on their records.
Ms Bulmer said she wanted to share her story to prevent others becoming victims of romance fraud, adding: "I want to help anyone out there to not be taken in by these idiots and just try and get on with my life."
The Latvian Defence Office said they had been dealing with the continued identity theft of Mr Pabriks "for a long time".
A spokesperson added: "We frequently receive screenshots from people who have been contacted by fraudsters and, recognising the official accounts of the defence minister, choose to report them.
"So far, we have collected and reported to Facebook more than 100 fake accounts, but the response has been negative. We feel that the security of everyday users both on Facebook and Instagram needs to be strengthened and supported in situations like these, and we encourage Facebook to pay more attention to these kinds of cases."
What to do if you’ve been targeted by a dating scammer
If a fraudster has stolen your money, report this to Action Fraud online, or by calling 0300 123 2040 Monday to Friday 8am - 8pm. You should also tell your bank.
Being a victim of fraud can take a huge toll on your mental health so make sure you talk to someone to get the support you need.
Charity Victim Support offers a free and confidential helpline available on 0808 16 89 111 (lines open 24/7). Mind also has a support line, Mind Infoline, available on 0300 123 3393 (lines open 9am - 6pm, Monday - Friday).
You should also report fraudsters to the platform they used to contact you. The fraudster will not know that the report came from you and this could stop them in their tracks.
