British Man Loses Ksh14.5 Million in Fake Kenyan Bride Scam
A 69-year-old British man has come forward to share the painful story of how he lost his life savings—Ksh14.5 million (around £85,000)—after falling for an online romance scam involving a woman he believed to be his future Kenyan bride.
Speaking to the BBC, the man, who previously worked with the United Nations, explained how he was lured into a fake relationship with someone named ‘Anita’.
He said that after losing his wife Pauline in 2019, he had been lonely and vulnerable, and meeting ‘Anita’ online gave him hope and love for the first time in years.
The two began chatting online after a mutual friend, whom he had met in Kenya a few years earlier, introduced them.
Their relationship quickly turned romantic, and they eventually made plans to get married. ‘Anita’ convinced him to send money to help prepare their supposed future home in Nairobi, where he planned to relocate and start a new life with her.
However, when the man flew to Nairobi full of hope and love, he was shocked to discover that ‘Anita’ never showed up.
She completely disappeared, and there was no wedding, no home—just heartbreak and betrayal. Devastated and broke, he returned to England, only to find himself homeless and without support.
For six weeks, he lived on the streets and in shelters in Guildford and Woking, struggling to survive after losing everything.
He is now staying in a shared flat with communal facilities in Staines-upon-Thames. His only source of income is his monthly pension, most of which goes to rent.
He revealed that he often ends the month with just £20 (around Ksh3,429) to his name.
“I have nothing left. No one to turn to. My life is empty, and the future looks really bleak,” he said emotionally.
“I try not to think about it because it just makes me too upset. But if I can’t find a way to turn things around, I don’t see the point anymore.”
While he blames himself for ignoring the signs, the man also criticized the two banks involved in the transfers.
He believes they should have done more to protect him from fraud and prevent such large sums from being sent without proper checks.
“They told me it was all my fault. Yes, I made a bad decision, but I was scammed, and I feel they failed me. I don’t think the banks are doing enough to protect people from falling into these kinds of traps,” he stated.
This heartbreaking incident comes at a time when romance scams are becoming increasingly common.
Statistics from 2024 reveal that romance fraud cases have surged by more than 60% in the last four years. In 2023 alone, England and Wales recorded 7,660 self-reported cases of romance scams, compared to 4,842 in 2019.
Experts warn that as online dating continues to grow, so do the risks of falling victim to scammers who exploit emotions and trust for financial gain.
They advise people to be cautious, verify identities, and never send money to someone they haven’t met in person.
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