A Belgian man’s romantic quest took a heartbreaking turn when he traveled 760km (472 miles) to meet a French beauty queen, only to discover he was the victim of an elaborate online romance fraud.
Michel, 76, arrived at the residence of Sophie Vouzelaud in France, anticipating a future together, but was instead greeted by the model’s husband.
He confessed to Ms. Vouzelaud’s husband, Fabien, that he had been swindled out of €30,000 ($35,000) by scammers, believing he had been cultivating a genuine romantic connection for several weeks.
“I am an imbecile,” the distraught man reportedly told the couple, as he faced the prospect of a long and disappointing journey home.
The unfortunate incident came to light after Fabien shared a video of the encounter online, highlighting the perils of online romance scams.
For weeks, the Belgian widower had been communicating via WhatsApp with individuals he believed to be Ms. Vouzelaud, a former Miss Limousin and first runner-up in the 2007 Miss France competition.
Upon arriving at the couple’s home in Saint-Julien, approximately 420km (270 miles) south of Paris, on July 9th, he declared himself “the future husband of Sophie Vouzelaud,” according to Fabien, who responded, “Well, I’m the current one.”
Ms. Vouzelaud, 38, then attempted to explain the deception to the man, and the couple urged him to file a police report. It remains unclear whether he has taken this step.
Romance fraud involves deceiving individuals into sending money to criminals who feign genuine romantic interest.
According to Action Fraud, warning signs of romance fraud include secrecy surrounding the relationship, hostility when questioned about the online partner, and plans to send money to someone they have never met in person.
Advice for protecting yourself against scams includes:
Advice for supporting a victim of a scam includes:
Source: Action Fraud / Victim Support
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