My recently widowed father (72) is planning a trip across the country to meet a woman who he claims called him by accident and with whom he has since built a romantic (remote) relationship. Here's what he's shared with me:
- He received a "wrong number" call from a woman that led to a number of other conversations online and on the phone that started to take on a romantic tone.
- He believes she is real because he has checked her out online, including validating that she is indeed the CEO of her company, is 40 years old, and is originally from Taiwan. Haven't seen this myself.
- She says she runs this company with her brother in Canada and her father back in Taiwan. The details of the company were not clear to me.
- They have exchanged photos but not video because her webcam is not working.
- He is planning a trip to Los Angeles (from the East Coast of US) in a few months to meet her in person. She said her driver will pick him up at the airport.
- No money has been asked for or sent, according to him.
This is obviously a scam, right? But, without there being an ask for money I can't figure out the angle and haven't been able to convince him to disengage.
It is either going to be an ask for money to help her overseas family or a "can't lose" investment in her company. I'm guessing she'll back out of the travel plans last minute so they never meet OR he's going go there and have his organs harvested.
Does anyone recognize this scam? What should we expect next? Has anyone else successfully talked their elderly loved ones out of one of these?
Among your other points, a wealthy 40 year old CEO looking for romance is going to pick a guy below her age, not one who's 72.
Pretty sure the only organ they'll harvest is his wallet but they can cut pretty deep financially, and break his heart.
Know any real women who might make a better match for him?
oh dude i have a surprise for you
people don't just want to fuck folk younger than them
Okay I'll include her own age and maaaaybe up to 10 years older. But anyone aiming 30+ years older than themselves probably has a financial motive.
I think this is part of the problem. He doesn't have a strong social circle and most of what it had been had been her friends, now mostly lost. He's still pretty healthy but has other life situations keeping him trapped in place. Figuring out how to get him out of the house might be a good next step, once we can break him of this.
I recommend to work on this certain problem.
Day trip, vacation, whatever.... But he really needs it, as this story has clearly shown.