Scammers will contact you on dating apps and request money, sometimes in the form of cryptocurrency or gift cards. — Pixabay
Jackie Crenshaw of East Haven, a professional health care worker described by Connecticut Attorney General William Tong as "a beloved rock of her large extended family," is holding herself up as an example of how not to find true love.
Crenshaw, 61, estimated she lost about US$1mil (RM4mil) in a romance scam, Tong said in a news release announcing a public service announcement backed by his office and Connecticut AARP.
The breast imaging manager at Yale New Haven Hospital met "Brandon" on an online dating site in 2023. After months of phone calls and texting, gifts and even food deliveries to Crenshaw's home, he persuaded her to invest in a crypto opportunity and then regularly sent what appeared to be receipts showing a ballooning investment, the release said.
Crenshaw borrowed from her retirement account and took a loan against her home to invest more. As proof she was on the right track, Brandon sent her a check for US$100,000 (RM406,400). Crenshaw consulted her bank and local police and found the check was drawn on a legitimate account, but was actually a lure to coax more investment, Tong said.
"It wasn't until a year later when an anonymous man called the police to warn that Crenshaw was being defrauded that she and local police realised she had been the victim of a sophisticated international scam, losing nearly US$1mil, the release said.
In an interview Thursday, Crenshaw said she sickens at the thought of how completely she fell for "Brandon," even praying with him. But he always had an excuse about why they could not meet in person, Crenshaw said. She said she drained her life savings and is now deep in debt and will lose her house. She had planned to retire within the next two years, but those plans are off now, Crenshaw said.
Americans lodged 859,532 complaints about Internet crimes in 2024, from phishing and credit card fraud to identity theft and romance scams, resulting in US$16.6bil (RM67.5bil) in losses, according to the FBI. People over age 60 accounted for 147,127 of those complaints, resulting in US$4.86bil (RM19.75bil) in losses. Of those complaints, 7,626 involved romance scams, resulting in US$389mil (RM1.6bil) in losses, according to national crime statistics.
"Jackie Crenshaw did everything right," Tong said. "She was a leader in a profession that was saving lives. She owned her own home. She was a beloved rock of her large extended family. She wanted someone to share in her success, and she thought she had found that love.
"It was a scam, and now she is bravely sharing her story to prevent others from being harmed," Tong said. "Jackie is just one of thousands of older adults who each year lose their life savings to online romance scams. Together with AARP, we are sharing this important information across the airwaves to help stop these scams before they start."
The public service announcement was produced in partnership with the Connecticut Broadcasters Association and will air on television and radio over the next 16 weeks, the release said.
Tong and Connecticut AARP shared tips to avoid romance scams:
– Never send money or gifts to a love interest you haven't met in person. Scammers will contact you on dating apps and request money, sometimes in the form of cryptocurrency or gift cards.
– Stay on the dating platform. Soon after they met, Brandon wanted to move communications with Crenshaw off the dating site and asked for her email address and phone number. This is a common tactic: Scammers want to escape the platform so their actions won't be detected. Also, once a scammer has your name, phone number and email address, they can find your family members, your wages, and the property you own. Take time to verify the person's identity before sharing your information.
– Insist on meeting in person. It's a huge red flag when someone repeatedly offers excuses for not being able to meet.
– Brandon showered Crenshaw with gifts – an example of "love bombing," over-the-top, insincere displays of affection – to manipulate her and gain her trust.
– Talk to a financial advisor. Don't rely on your own research or the advice of a crypto-pushing paramour. If your new love interest objects to you seeking outside expertise, consider that a warning sign.
– Do a reverse image search. Crenshaw and a friend conducted a reverse image search to see where Brandon's photos had appeared online. In her case, it wasn't helpful – the searches focused on a basketball player named Brandon Miller – but it's still useful for detecting an image's source (Brandon's photos ultimately were traced to someone else's social media account).
Crenshaw has spoken about her experience in gatherings hosted by AARP. She says she refuses to shrink into the shadows as an embarrassed victim and wants to help other people avoid the pain and losses she suffered.
"I'm going from victim to survivor," she said. "I come to work with my head up."
Asked if she has given up on finding true love, Crenshaw said, "I haven't because I have so much love to give." – New Haven Register, Conn./Tribune News Service
