A PRIMARY schoolteacher’s dream of finding love through the internet cost her almost £11,000.

Yesterday single mum Debbie Staveley, 42, who said she felt “stupid and sick” to have fallen victim to an online conman, bravely spoke out in an attempt to warn other “vulnerable” women.

Just over a week ago Ms Staveley, from Sherburn Village, County Durham, was looking forward to meeting for the first time the man she knew as John Thomas, an architect with whom she was considering spending the rest of her life.

Her dream turned into a nightmare when he claimed to have had his car hijacked and his daughter kidnapped on the day she expected him to fly to England. By that time she had already paid £10,600 to her online “boyfriend”.

Ms Staveley, who is divorced with a 13-year-old daughter, thought she was being romanced by a man from Manchester. It turns out he was actually more likely to be a gangster based in Lagos, the capital of Nigeria.

The Durham woman met the conman through an online dating agency around five weeks ago.

Speaking in faltering tones yesterday, she said: “He told me he was an architect, half-British and half-Greek, and that he had a contract to work in Benin.

“He told me he was a widower with one daughter. We began communicating by online messages and our relationship gradually grew. We both had daughters so we talked about them.

“Then he told me his daughter had contracted malaria and he needed money to pay for hospital treatment. He said the hospital wouldn’t accept his cheques or credit cards.

“I paid a small amount at first, then gradually larger sums through Western Union via the Post Office. He asked for my bank account details and my address and postcode. When £5,000 appeared in my account I felt reassured, especially as at that time I had not paid out that much.

“He then told me he was ill himself and desperately needed money. I began getting cash advances on my credit cards, anything to raise some money.”

Ms Staveley said: “I admit to being naive, but the story of his daughter tugged at my heart strings.

“I had no reason to believe that the money he sent me was fraudulent, but now my bank has frozen my account. I can’t pay my bills or mortgage. Before I knew where I was I was sucked in.

“But I am not going to let some guy sitting in an internet cafe in Nigeria ruin my life. I feel sick and stupid, but I will recover.”

Ms Staveley said she approached a friend of hers, a serving police officer, after the man claimed his daughter had been kidnapped and he needed a further £4,000. Her friend told Det Insp Geoff Smith, head of Durham’s Economic Crime Unit, who said her horror story was a stark reminder that no one was safe from fraudsters.

DI Smith said: “Deborah has lost a lot of money, but learned a valuable lesson. A lot of things on the internet are not what they appear to be and people should think very carefully about revealing their personal details to strangers.

“The case is being investigated and we are liaising with all the relevant banks, but sadly the reality is that if the trails lead back to Lagos it can make the investigation difficult to complete.

“What we can do is to use this sad case as a grim warning to others to take special care and exercise extreme vigilance when you are dealing with people on internet dating and chat sites.”

Ms Staveley revealed: “I have since found out this man has tricked another woman in Brighton, but there will be lots of others.

“That doesn’t make me feel any better, it only makes me feel worse to know other women are going through the same pain as me.”

http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/nufc-latest-news/2008/09/02/online-love-lost-to-11-000-fraudster-61634-21651798/

I don't feel bad for the woman.

WOW!!!!!

That is truly sad. I tell ya it takes fire and brimstone for me to part with my hard earned cash.

the guy said his name was John Thomas and that didnt ring any warning bells?

Really, Sisterwoman,
It takes fire and brimestone to for you to part with your money.
U don't nija guys, they are more than fire and brimestone.
They can even tell you what will make you part with it in just 10seconds

Anyway, my gratitude and regards to the woman, busybody20

tpia,
Is John Thomas not a name.
Na wa o

lamo the woman is the defination of stupid.

Ben20001:

Really, Sisterwoman,
It takes fire and brimestone to for you to part with your money.
You don't nija guys, they are more than fire and brimestone.
They can even tell you what will make you part with it in just 10seconds

Anyway, my gratitude and regards to the woman, busybody20

Yes a few have tried. One even tried to get me to buy him a cell phone and ship it to him so we could talk. Pllllllllllllllllllllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssssssssssssseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

Not sistawoman!!!! I work too hard for my money to give it to some guy i met on the internet. Why cant I get these women to send me money? I have three children to provide for. The money will go to a good cause.

Chaii, wish i was d John Thomas, I 4 invite lagos come groove with me,

Dis shit right here is interesting! and on the other hand sad!

You will find this dude John Thomas aka Yemi in club poppin moet!

Singing!

Magaa don pay shout halleluya, kelly hansome!

£11.000 mama charlie




“The case is being investigated and we are liaising with all the relevant banks, but sadly the reality is that if the trails lead back to Lagos it can make the investigation difficult to complete.

So, now make dem dey do yahooze dey go since they can't arrest dis people or trace anything , Dumb ass! He sound like maga self

why on dis earth will you pay money online to somebody u have not seen b4. Anyway, its a bitter xperience but she will learn her lesson

John Thomas ke?
ROFL
next man go be D'ick Harry

lexicon:

why on this earth will you pay money online to somebody u have not seen before. Anyway, its a bitter xperience but she will learn her lesson

Well i wonder o!If you look very well,that woman too is a thief!she admitted to pay more money because the man deposited 5000 pounds in her bank account.may be she wanted to hit the man too,may be the man promised her about 30,000 pounds.she wanted to fraud the guy but alas! He was faster as he is yahoozee.Dont trust those whiteys o!

Hmm and the saga continues, she is a dumb ass, John Thomas, that should have raised red flags, I mean come on now. And why give money to someone on the internet, thats dumb.

Posted by: lexicon
Insert Quote
why on this earth will you pay money online to somebody u have not seen before. Anyway, its a bitter xperience but she will learn her lesson

Posted by: Akinagirl
Insert Quote
Hmm and the saga continues, she is a dumb ass, John Thomas, that should have raised red flags, I mean come on now. And why give money to someone on the internet, thats dumb


Nigerians please stop asking why give your money to someone you met online!

I think dis has to do wit there IQ and ours! [b]Why [/b]do you think they call em Maga? I think we're the best in both worlds!!!!!

Proudly Nigerian

evry body knows 2 b careful whn talkyn 2 some1 online.
especially with money

Ben20001:

tpia,
Is John Thomas not a name.
Na wa o

if you meet a Naija guy online who tells you his name is John Thomas, if you like give him your bank account number.

omashe oo

this oyibo them sef!
john thomas is not a person, it is an acronym for pennis

lool

dgratrock:

this oyibo them sef!
john thomas is not a person, it is an acronym for pennis

L O L   _{really ?}

and exactly what she was looking for.

Na today 11,000 pounds is nothing 50,000 USD within 3 months beat that

This is d real maga
this is d price for being too desperate

Lol, yeah she was real desperate.

Why did she think the fraudster is a Nigerian. Any internet fraud always lead to Nigerians. Other Africans do this fraud as well.

Asians do it the most.

@poster

I paid a small amount at first, then gradually larger sums through Western Union via the Post Office. He asked for my bank account details and my address and postcode. When £5,000 appeared in my account I felt reassured, especially as at that time I had not paid out that much.

I wonder which post office do western union in UK. Not that am in doubt of her story but the highlighted seems to fall ma hand.

Her losssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i trust our yahoo yahoo bois,no opportunity passes them by

oh my gosh! She fell for John Thomas! Dang, that John Thomas must have worked wonders and must have been pretty big!

MAGA don pay, _shout HALLELUYAH

I don't feel bad for her at all. She should have known better than to send money to someone who she's never met physically. It's the Internet people! You can't rule out the fact that people live double lives. Look at Nairaland for example.

StephenP:

I don't feel bad for her at all. She should have known better than to send money to someone who she's never met physically. It's the Internet people! You can't rule out the fact that people live double lives. Look at Nairaland for example.

She should be arrested!!!
This woman is as guilty as Hitler.
Her story is dodgy cos i doubt u can send WU via any post office in the UK.
There's also a cap to the amount one can send via WU.