A 74-year-old widow has lost half her life savings after falling victim to a romance scam involving a fraudster impersonating Sir David Attenborough. Diane, whose name has been changed for anonymity, sent CA$22,000 (£12,000) to the cyber criminal after receiving a friend request on Facebook in October 2024. The scammer quickly moved their conversations to the Telegram messaging app and professed love within weeks.
Diane, who lives in Canada, believed she was in a relationship with the 99-year-old broadcaster. The fraudster claimed his ex-wife had stolen hundreds of thousands of pounds from him and requested money for legal fees and life-saving kidney treatment. She initially deposited CA$4,000 (£2,200) into a cryptocurrency account, followed by further payments ranging from a few hundred to several thousand dollars.
By March 2025, Diane had transferred almost half her life savings, leaving only CA$6,000 (£3,300) in an accessible account. The scammer promised marriage if she sold her flat and moved to London, prompting her to buy a passport. Despite doubts, she continued the relationship. When she asked for proof of identity, she received an AI-generated video featuring the natural historian's voice and image.
Diane's son, Jim, eventually confronted her and convinced her to stop contact. However, six weeks later, she was lured back and sent the remainder of her savings. She has since sought medical help and opened a joint bank account with her son to monitor transactions. Romance fraud is rising, with £20.5 million lost in the first half of 2025, according to UK Finance.
