Pensioner faces homelessness after being scammed out of $40,000 for two years

In the digital age, the quest for companionship has transcended the traditional boundaries of geography and culture, with social media platforms becoming the new frontier for romance. However, this modern love story doesn't always have a fairy-tale ending.

For Tracey Skeates, a 63-year-old disability pensioner from Caboolture, Queensland, what began as a hopeful connection on social media turned into a heart-wrenching tale of deception and financial ruin.



Tracey's journey into the world of online romance began in October 2023 when he met 'Charlotte’, a woman who claimed to be from the United States.

He recalled that when 'Charlotte' first reached out and asked if he lived alone.

'She had recently broken up with her boyfriend, she was looking for someone to talk to,' Skeates said.


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Tracey Skeates thought he found love, but he was actually scammed out of $40,000. Credit: prostooleh / Freepik


Their relationship blossomed quickly, with Tracey, driven by a desire for companionship, sending $500 within a week to help Charlotte fix her phone.

As their virtual connection deepened, Charlotte expressed her wish to move to Brisbane, marry Tracey, and celebrate Christmas together in Australia.

Moved by her words, Tracey began sending larger sums of $3,000 and $4,000, totalling $40,000 from his inheritance, in the hope of making this dream a reality.

But as the story unfolded, the red flags began to multiply.

Charlotte's attempts to fly to Australia were thwarted by a series of dramatic events, from being assaulted and left in a coma to having heroin planted in her luggage.

'The first time she tried to fly over, she said she got assaulted on the way to the airport and was in a coma,' he said.

Charlotte also told Skeates that her phone camera was broken, keeping all their communication limited to Instagram and WhatsApp calls throughout their relationship.

Despite these setbacks, Tracey's love and trust persisted.



'I was sending her 80 per cent of my disability pension every two weeks. I was hardly eating, all in the name of love,' he said.

The awful truth emerged when Tracey, plagued by doubts, conducted a reverse image search on Charlotte's profile photo.

The search revealed that the images belonged to Yisela Avendano, a Colombian bikini model with no connection to the scam.

Skeates said his 'stupidity' had turned his life from 'having a dream' and enjoying his final years to 'having no f*****g hope.'

But despite this discovery, Tracey continued to send money.

'I don’t know why. They get so in your head that you’re at boiling point all the time, and you lose the ability to think straight,' he said.



The consequences of this scam were devastating. Tracey's financial stability was shattered, his relationship with his daughter Tamika strained, and his dreams of travelling around Australia dashed.

Now Tracey ‘a few weeks away’ from living in a tent and having to give up his beloved pet parrot.

Romance scams are a growing concern in Australia, with ScamWatch reporting over 27,000 victims and close to $20 million lost in 2024.

In Queensland alone, 656 people have fallen prey to these scams, losing a total of $3 million. Scammers often exploit the festive season, preying on the vulnerable and lonely with promises of love and companionship.
Key Takeaways

  • Tracey Skeates, a disability pensioner from Queensland, was scammed out of $40,000 by someone pretending to be an American woman named 'Charlotte'.
  • Mr Skeates sent large sums of money to 'Charlotte', who used stolen photos of a Colombian bikini model and made several false claims to elicit funds.
  • The pensioner realised he was being scammed after performing a reverse image search and is now facing the prospect of homelessness.
  • ScamWatch reported that a significant number of people have been victims of romance scams in Australia, losing substantial amounts of money.
Have you or someone you know encountered similar scams? How do you protect your online privacy? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below.
 

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I get that the chance of romance might be a pretty big pull to some people, especially the elderly and lonely.
But come on, he did a reverse image search and found the real person BUT still kept on sending her money.
Nothing surprises me anymore after seeing all the different scams people have fallen for in this forum, I just end up shaking my head :rolleyes:
 
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How that be called a "Scam" when he made a conscious decision to send money despite warning flags and even after finding out the photo was a fake. Sorry but a very foolish man with only himself to blame.
I think he found the photo when he became suspicious then stopped sending money when he found this. But still a very silly man
 
Regardless how lonely one is, who would send money to someone you don't know or have never seen.
It also sounds like he has never spoken to her that all their calls were through what's app .

Sorry I can't understand why or how he sent so much money. Maybe once but to continue that's plain dumb
My Memphis friend sent me $2000 U.S. when I was in dire need, we'd never met, only online and had spoken a few times on the phone through Whatsapp.
The difference is I am paying him back fortnightly and he's fine with that.
 
Seems there is more than one born everyday, or people are getting stupider
My Memphis friend sent me $2000 U.S. when I was in dire need, we'd never met, only online and had spoken a few times on the phone through Whatsapp.
The difference is I am paying him back fortnightly and he's fine with that.
U r friend has more money than sense imo.
 
Once again!
A fool and his money are easily parted!
No sympathy whatsoever!
We are all susceptible to getting scammed in some way.
Like me for example, someone used my card to buy products online years ago, I had no idea how he got the numbers of my card.
It could have been because I used an ATM or paid for my goods with a card instore, i'll never know.
Don't tell me that you don't use ATM's or instore shopping with your card!
 
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My Memphis friend sent me $2000 U.S. when I was in dire need, we'd never met, only online and had spoken a few times on the phone through Whatsapp.
The difference is I am paying him back fortnightly and he's fine with that.
And you were probably talking for awhile before he sent the money.
This guy pretty much sent $500 straight away
 
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We'd been personal friends for over 9 years speaking daily to both myself and my partner, and it was the one and only time he ever lent me money, I would have done the same for him if I could.
In fact my small win on lotto of $666 a month or so ago was used to help pay him back, I gave him $400 and kept the other $266 for house moving as at that time we had to pack up everything and move.
 
There's a simple rule to follow with 'personal' virtual contacts online. No money unless you've met in person.
I have seen so many cases of romance fraud cases on TV,I find it incredible that people miss those warnings and still fall for such scams.
 

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