Daughter describes £140,000 romance scam and warning signs

One payment involved £10,000 in cash hidden inside a book and posted to an address presented as a Shanghai hospital, where the man Helen’s mother believed she was speaking to was said to need an operation. Helen first became concerned when her mother accidentally sent her messages intended for the scammers. She later noticed that her mother had become more secretive and was taking frequent calls without saying who was on the other end. [1]

Helen also noticed that a caller’s image looked fuzzy and his voice did not match his movements. She suspected a deepfake, but her mother did not accept her warning. Helen used a lasting power of attorney to put safeguards on her mother’s accounts. By the time of the BBC’s report, her mother’s bank had returned £45,000. [1]

Shari Vahl, presenter of the BBC’s *Scam Secrets*, says other signs to watch for include unusual bank or post-office visits, gift-card purchases, new accounts and communications that seem out of character. Those changes can be reasons to ask questions, rather than proof of a scam. [1]