BE ALERT: New Jersey Senior Scammed Out of $50,000 In ‘Sick’ Romance Scam
According to Newsweek, A New Jersey woman lost her entire life savings after falling victim to a “sick” romance scam, her son revealed in a GoFundMe campaign. Gloria Mooney, 73, is described as a kind and compassionate person by her son, Ben DeSilva, qualities that unfortunately made her vulnerable to online fraud.
Mooney, a widow since 2010, has faced several hardships in recent years, including serious car accidents in 2021 and 2023 that left her with emotional and physical injuries. In the aftermath, DeSilva noticed a change in his mother’s behavior, which eventually led to a shocking discovery.
In June of 2023, Mooney told DeSilva she had made a new friend on Facebook named Henry, who claimed to work on an oil rig. Despite her son’s suspicions, Mooney continued communicating with “Henry,” who DeSilva quickly realized was not a real person.
DeSilva and his brother tried multiple times to convince Mooney that Henry was a scammer, but the situation persisted. In October, DeSilva accidentally opened a letter from his mother’s bank, which revealed that she had missed a payment—an unusual occurrence for the typically financially responsible Mooney. After reviewing her accounts, DeSilva discovered that his mother had sent more than $50,000 to the scammer.
The scammer, posing as Henry, had manipulated Mooney by exploiting her kindness and loneliness. Over several months, she sent gift card codes, Bitcoin, wire transfers, and even withdrew her 401k and personal savings. Despite efforts to recover the money, including contacting banks, police, and the FBI, nothing could be done.
Local detectives traced the scam to Nigeria, a known hotspot for such fraud. It was also revealed that “Henry” had stolen the identity of a real person, a tactic commonly used by scammers to gain victims’ trust.
Although Mooney is now receiving medical care and therapy, and DeSilva has taken over managing her finances, the family has been unable to recover the stolen funds. DeSilva warns others to stay vigilant and urges people to check in with elderly relatives, as these scams often target emotionally vulnerable individuals, particularly seniors.
Romance scams, where fraudsters create fake online personas to manipulate victims into sending money, are becoming increasingly common. According to cybersecurity experts, scammers build trust and emotional connections with their victims, exploiting loneliness and isolation to convince them to provide financial assistance.
Austin Berglas, the Global Head of Professional Services at BlueVoyant and a former FBI Cyber Division Special Agent, explained that romance scams often start similarly to phishing scams. Once a victim responds, the scammer invests significant time into building a relationship, making it harder for the victim to recognize red flags.
Keith Jarvis, a senior security researcher at Secureworks, emphasized that emotionally vulnerable populations, particularly seniors like Mooney, are prime targets for romance scams. These frauds can cause long-lasting emotional and financial distress, leaving victims devastated.
Experts say it’s crucial to approach online relationships with caution, especially if they progress rapidly or if the other person avoids video chats or in-person meetings. Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor at the University of Tennessee, urged both government agencies and social media platforms to do more to combat these scams, which continue to harm vulnerable individuals.
Ultimately, DeSilva’s message is clear: stay vigilant, and don’t hesitate to question anything that seems unusual. Doing so could protect your loved ones from falling victim to these devastating scams.
