'I Fell in Love Online with the Perfect Man. Now I Realize He Played Me for a Fool'

#stories from our subscribers

Dear Amomama,

I fell in love via the Internet with a perfect man, but after his last message, I think he has been playing me for a fool for these last 3 months.

I suppose I was the perfect patsy, 50, divorced and lonely. I received a friend request on Facebook from a French man, who is a little older than me, and very attractive.

He told me he was a widower and that he felt that life had become senseless since his wife's death from cancer three years before.

We had so much in common, and soon I was talking to him every day, sometimes two or three times via messenger, though he always refused videocalls claiming he was shy.

He did send me photos of himself, his home, and his children, and would sometimes phone me. He had the loveliest voice and this French accent that I found very sexy.

Things got more intimate, and he told me that he was in love with me, and asked me if I would come over on my summer vacation, so we could get to know each other better. He hinted that he wanted us to make a serious commitment, he wanted me to marry him.

Three weeks after he asked me to come to France, he suddenly went dead quiet. I heard nothing from him for three days, and he wouldn't take my calls.

Then I received this phone call from a man who identified himself as his son.telling me my friend had been in a serious car accident. He suffered severe spinal cord injuries, and the family was struggling to get the funds together for surgery.

The man then asked me for my help. Could I send him $10,000? That was all they still needed to pay for the surgery that would enable my friend to walk again.

I was so shocked. Immediately I realized it was a scam. France has a health care system that provides all citizens with medical care free of charge. He didn't need money for surgery. I had been set up by a conman.

I couldn't stop crying. I felt so stupid, so violated. I deleted all his messages and blocked him on social media.

Three days ago, he called me on the phone. I didn't answer, but he left a voice message telling me he is out of the hospital and recovering, telling me he misses me. I don't answer the phone or respond, but he keeps calling.

Did I read the whole situation wrong? Why would he call after I refused to send money if he wasn't sincere? I don't know what to do.

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