Kiwis are losing millions to love, family and overseas investment scams. “The scammers know that there’s more money in this than robbing a bank”, an expert says. Video / NZ Herald
Two siblings have spoken about the heartache of watching an elderly loved one stubbornly pour up to $100,000 into a Nigeria-based romance scam despite their protests.
The pair did not wish to be named, believing the toll the story would take on relationships within the family would be too great,but told the Herald about how their father, who is in his 80s, faithfully sends large sums of money to a woman in Nigeria every month.
And there was nothing they could do to stop it.
The octogenarian had been making transactions for more than two years.
The siblings told the Herald they felt utterly powerless to intervene.
"It's incredibly frustrating - we have sort of lost a father and a grandfather.
"We've sat down with him, we have talked to him, we have showed how a lot of what she says on her Facebook page is not true - where she went to school and things, the university is non-existent."
But he still believed the relationship was legitimate, he said.
"He will say things like 'she can tell how I am feeling just by the sound of my voice'.
"Of course she can - that's her job."
Emotionally he had been wrapped around her little finger, he said.
"She's just bleeding him dry.
"My father send her gifts all the time to her address in Nigeria."
One of the rooms in his house was locked to conceal the presents he planned to send her.
"It's things like a lot of jewellery - because we can see by his bank records that he has been going to Michael Hill."
