A resident of Bauska contacted the Bez Tabu program, fearing that his wife had become a victim of romantic scammers. According to him, the woman believed she was communicating with Hollywood actor Kevin Costner and may have transferred a large sum of money to the fraudsters.
A resident of Bauska, Didzis, claimed that his wife may have fallen victim to a romantic scam, resulting in significant financial losses. The story was featured on the show Bez Tabu (TV3).
According to the man, the woman allegedly believed she was having personal communication with Hollywood actor Kevin Costner. Didzis asserts that as a result of this communication, scammers were able to obtain up to 20,000 euros from her.
The man also mentioned that, in his opinion, the situation has led to serious financial consequences, stating that an apartment is under arrest. No confirmations of these circumstances were provided in the report.
The woman herself, whom journalists contacted, refused to publicly discuss the details of her personal life. However, she stated that her husband's accusations are unfounded and are an attempt to harm her.
Experts note that romantic fraud remains one of the most common schemes of internet deception. Scammers create convincing stories, use photos of attractive people or celebrities, and gradually gain the trust of their victims.
Programmer and fraud scheme researcher Elvis Strazdiņš explained that such crimes are particularly dangerous due to the strong emotional involvement of the victims. According to him, the perpetrators know how to build trusting relationships and then use them to obtain money.
Typically, the scheme develops according to a similar scenario. After prolonged communication, the interlocutor reports sudden problems—illness, bank account blockage, difficulties with travel, or other circumstances—and requests financial assistance.
Psychologist Dace Rolava emphasizes that relatives in such situations should avoid pressure and accusations. According to her, excessive criticism can only increase a person's dependence on scammers and hinder their realization of what has happened.
Romantic scams remain one of the fastest-growing categories of internet fraud. Their victims come from various age groups, but perpetrators most often target those who experience a lack of communication and emotional support.
The story from Bauska shows that even those who sincerely believe they are communicating with a celebrity can fall victim to romantic scammers.
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