A 76-year-old Riverside woman lost hundreds of thousands of dollars and her home after a romance scam built around a man who claimed to have $7 million. Her attorney called her a "perfect" victim — a description of how scammers use trust, isolation and hope to extract repeated payments. The case highlights common red flags and the FTC/FBI guidance: never send cash, gift cards, wires or cryptocurrency to an online love interest, and report fraud to IC3.gov or ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
“He Had $7 Million”: How a Romance Scam Cost a 76‑Year‑Old Her Savings — and Her Home
Image Credit: Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/Facebook.
A 76-year-old Riverside woman lost hundreds of thousands of dollars and ultimately her home after falling victim to a romance scam built around a man who claimed to possess millions of dollars.
What Happened
According to reporting by The Press-Enterprise, the scammer told the woman he had $7 million. As their online relationship developed, repeated requests for money followed. Over time those requests escalated and the reported losses reached into the hundreds of thousands and affected the property the woman relied on for financial security.
"The hook was in," the victim's attorney told The Press-Enterprise — a blunt way of describing how the fraudster established trust and dependency before asking for money.
How Romance Scams Work
The FBI defines romance scams as schemes in which criminals use fake online identities to gain affection and trust, then exploit that relationship to manipulate or steal from victims. These scams typically follow a pattern:
- Building intimacy and promising a future together;
- Claiming inaccessible wealth or a sudden emergency that blocks access to funds;
- Requesting repeated payments framed as temporary fixes or investments in the shared future.
Why Older Adults Are Especially Vulnerable
For older victims, a scam that reaches housing or life savings can erase decades of planning and security. Emotional attachment and the hope of eventual repayment often make it difficult to stop sending money, since stopping also means confronting the possibility that the relationship was a deception.
Warning Signs
Relatives and friends should look for patterns rather than single messages. Key red flags include:
- Someone you met online who refuses to meet in person or speak to family;
- Claims of large but inaccessible wealth (for example, "I have millions but can't access them");
- Repeated requests for wires, gift cards, cryptocurrency, loans, home-equity funds or secrecy;
- Stories of legal, medical or financial emergencies that require quick payments.
What To Do If Money Has Been Sent
If funds have already been transferred, act quickly. The Federal Trade Commission and consumer protection experts recommend:
- Contact your bank, payment app, wire company, crypto platform, lender or mortgage company immediately and ask whether any transaction can be stopped, reversed, frozen or flagged;
- Preserve all evidence: messages, profile photos, names, phone numbers, email addresses, payment records, bank statements, loan documents and wire receipts;
- Tell a trusted relative or friend and consider reporting the crime to local law enforcement promptly.
Where To Report
Romance scams can be reported to local law enforcement, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov, and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Bottom line: Romance scams are carefully engineered to exploit emotions and trust. Early intervention, preserving evidence, and contacting financial institutions and authorities immediately are critical steps to limit damage.
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