How a British Woman Lost £200,000 to a Nigerian Romance Scam Posing as a Texas-Based Oil Consultant

A British woman in her sixties has revealed how she was conned out of £200,000 in a sophisticated online romance scam by a fraudster based in Nigeria, who posed as a Texas-based oil consultant. Over a period of two and a half years, the scammer manipulated her emotions, drained her finances, and nearly destroyed her life.

Elizabeth, who lives in rural England and requested anonymity, first encountered the scammer in March 2022 through a Facebook group for dog enthusiasts. A seemingly innocent conversation quickly turned into daily contact on Skype, where the man claimed to be a divorced oil industry consultant with a young daughter and a boxer dog. In reality, he was using stolen photos and a fabricated identity to build a false sense of intimacy and trust.

“He appeared to be so kind and supportive – and the ‘empathy’ he showed was unbelievable,” Elizabeth recalled. The scammer sent her recipes, photos of meals, and affectionate messages every day. He gradually introduced personal tragedies—such as the death of a newborn and serious health issues—to deepen her emotional investment.

Despite some early red flags, including a suspicious Nigerian college listed on his Facebook profile and a noticeable accent during a Skype call, Elizabeth believed his story. “Because in my brain I had thought he was Texan and American, I just assumed that was what he sounded like – which is mad with hindsight,” she said.

The requests for money began subtly in late 2022, starting with £1,500 in iTunes gift cards, supposedly for his daughter. Soon after, larger amounts were solicited to support a fictitious oil rig project. When Elizabeth’s bank flagged and blocked a £10,000 transaction, the scammer convinced her to use PayPal instead. He eventually sent a fake cheque worth over \$1.8 million to further manipulate her confidence.

Her vulnerability worsened after a personal bereavement in early 2023. Emotionally isolated, Elizabeth took out loans, pawned her late mother’s jewellery, and even remortgaged her home to send more money. In October 2023, the fraudster provided a forged address, which her son discovered belonged to a funeral home covered in biblical quotes.

The truth began to unravel in August 2024, when one of her sons found hidden financial documents. A family intervention followed, finally breaking the illusion. Though initially defensive, Elizabeth soon contacted Action Fraud, the UK’s cybercrime reporting centre. With help from her sons, a caseworker, and the charity Victim Support, she managed to recover two-thirds of the lost funds through her bank. However, authorities informed her that the scammer could not be prosecuted due to being based overseas.

“I was in love with an image of someone who had been tailored to my specific needs. So I was totally brainwashed,” she said. “You reflect on it and you can’t believe it was all a lie. But if my story helps just one person, then it would have been worth it.”