Multiple Faces Detected
May 30th, 2023
Online romance scams have become an increasingly common form of fraud, preying on the emotions and vulnerabilities of victims. France M., from Geraldton, Canada, is just one of many victims who have fallen for these types of scams. In her case, she lost between $100k-$175k USD to two scammers who posed as Johnny Depp and Bernard Henry, respectively. Despite her difficult history with romantic relationships, France fell for the scammers’ convincing lies and manipulations. Her story serves as a cautionary tale for anyone who may be vulnerable to similar scams. In this blog post, we will delve into France’s story, examine the tactics used by these scammers, and provide tips on how to avoid falling victim to romance scams.
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Transcription of France’s Story
What Happened?
France M. met Bernard on a Facebook Johnny Depp fan-page in February 2022. They started talking and quickly became best friends, bonding over their shared interest in Johnny Depp’s trial. Soon, their relationship turned romantic and Bernard proposed to France in May. They talked every day on WhatsApp, and France felt like she had finally found the love and connection she had been searching for.
However, things started to take a strange turn when Bernard asked for gift cards for his cellphone in May, claiming that he was in Ireland and couldn’t access his bank account. He gave France access to his bank account, and she made a few transactions before the bank blocked her. Bernard then claimed that he had invested the money into a Bitcoin account for France’s retirement and would teach her how to access it when they met in person.
In June, Bernard told France that he had to go to Tanzania for a business trip, and she started sending him money to help him with expenses. She continued to send money over the next few months, with the last transfer taking place on January 13, 2023. Bernard was supposed to meet France in person on the 14th, but he didn’t show up.
A week later, Bernard’s son Michael contacted France and told her that his father had been kidnapped by his driver, and the ransom was $30,000. Michael claimed that he had raised $22,000 but needed $8,000 more from France to secure his father’s release. When France told him that she didn’t have any more money to send, Michael blocked her.
Throughout this entire ordeal, France believed that she had also met the real Johnny Depp online, which made her feel even more invested in her relationship with Bernard. However, it was later revealed that the person she had been talking to was not actually Johnny Depp but another scammer who had been posing as him.
France’s story highlights how easy it is to fall for these types of scams, especially when scammers use emotional manipulation and create a sense of connection and trust with their victims. It also shows the devastating impact these scams can have on victims, both financially and emotionally.
