Port Richey, Florida. A 70-year-old man from Pasco County, David Cruz, reported losing $47,000 after falling victim to an online romance scam.
According to FOX 13 News, Cruz connected on Facebook with a woman named “Bonnie Fleck” who introduced herself as an interior designer from Indianapolis.
Their communication began on social media and later continued over the phone and through video calls. Investigators later confirmed that the video chats had been generated with artificial intelligence.
The woman claimed she was traveling to Australia for work and needed money to cover documentation expenses. Trusting her, Cruz began sending funds – starting with $5,000 and later larger amounts, including transfers made through cryptocurrency. In total, he lost about $47,000, some of which came from a home equity reserve.
When the financial requests became repetitive, Cruz contacted the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation revealed that the account was not connected to Indianapolis but instead traced back to Nigeria.
According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, romance scams are among the most widespread forms of online fraud. Victims rarely recover their money, particularly when payments are made using cryptocurrency.
Authorities advise several important precautions to protect yourself from romance scams:
- Be careful with online contacts: Many scammers use fake profiles and stolen photos to gain trust.
- Never send money to someone you haven’t met face-to-face, particularly through wire transfers or cryptocurrency.
- Check identities: A reverse image search can often uncover whether profile pictures were taken from somewhere else.
- Discuss with others: If something feels suspicious, talk it over with a trusted friend or family member.
- Report incidents: Victims are encouraged to file a report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
