Roscommon pensioner (69) loses €3,000 to sexbot scammers on dating sites

A hard-up pensioner has told how he’s been scammed out of €3,000 by sinister sexbots.

ieran Greene (69) is single and ready to mingle but the sexagenarian is warning of online dating scams after he was conned out of thousands of euro.

The unlucky-in-love lothario, who lives in Roscommon, claims he is the victim of sexbots – artificially-intelligent programmes posing as real people, intended to seduce lonely hearts into parting with their hard-earned cash.

The classic car enthusiast signed up to two well-known dating websites looking for sex and despite hundreds of online exchanges, he has yet to secure a single hook-up.

“I’ve received hundreds of explicit photos, thousands of texts inviting me to dinner, bed or for sex in a car park.

“It has never amounted to anything. Since 2019 I haven’t had one date, that really is against the law of averages.”

Splashing out an eye-watering €3,000 on online credits, which are used to send messages, Kieran was initially hopeful that he would find a lasting connection.

“It costs €70 to send fifty messages, I have had days-long exchanges and sent endless messages where they say they want sex now, sending me photos and asking me to f**k them and then I reply and give them a breakdown about me.”

But once Kieran tries to lock down a date, his love interest disappears.

“I tell them I am 6ft, a Gemini, that I have green eyes, dark hair, I like Indian and Chinese food, music, movie, theatre and reading.

“When I reply they only ask me more and more questions without giving anything away about themselves. It is all a lead on, it’s all a come-on, and then they give excuses as to why they can’t meet.”

Continuing to plough cash into the dating flop, Kieran was emboldened by the website’s promise of fun and fantasy.

Myflingnearby states that the online community is full of ‘open-minded people looking for their ideal match. So if you are looking for a flirt to live out your wildest fantasies, Myflingnearby is the perfect place to do it.’

Sensuallocals.com has a similar motto where ‘thousands of men and women are looking for exciting fun.’

Kieran first became concerned about his online interactions when he began receiving identical messages from duplicate accounts.

“I’ve received multiple texts from both websites with the same come-ons. Yet not one has twigged that it’s me, the same person on both sites. I think it’s either automatic replies or robots doing the texting.

“The fact that I am speaking to women with the same details and same identities says it all.”

Despite his suspicions the unlucky-in-love pensioner was encouraged to buy more message bundles, clocking up thousands of euro in credit.

“I have had loads of women say they want a 69-year-old man and how attractive I am.

“And then I don’t get a date off them, that’s not right.

“Several times I’ve had women say that they have never met anyone or that they had arranged to meet and they didn’t turn up and I don’t know if this is a double bluff.

“After 12 or 15 texts you realise you are being led down the garden path, once they start stalling and not meeting I just leave it.”

On closer inspection, the site details in fine print that it uses fictitious characters to ‘entertain’ users.

“The site contains fictive profiles and are marked with a heart icon and are for entertainment purposes only. Physical contact with these profiles is not possible.”

Kieran isn’t the only person to be duped as streams of anonymous reviews have also slammed the shady website.

One poster wrote: “Hundreds, and I mean in two days, 150 messages from varying women. Stunning. All wanting to meet up. Trust me I think mostly false profiles. Keep you paying for more credits but as soon as you ask to chat elsewhere none is interested.

“Funny also you may mention something about yourself or what you like and then messages start coming in leaning towards what you have said. Very suspicious. Stay away if you don’t want to spend a fortune as it is addictive.”

A true romantic, Kieran is still hopeful of finding the ‘one’.

“I still hold a hope that there is one person genuine out there that I can meet up with but I sincerely doubt it. I am not buying any more credits after this.

“I was looking for sex and a relationship and companionship and friendship, whatever comes up and so are these women allegedly.”

Speaking of his ideal partner, Kieran said: “I’d like someone with a good sense of humour, who is attractive, sexual, sexually experienced, adventurous, someone who likes music, theatre and reading, animals in general.”

Warning others to be vigilant, he said: “I think we are all owed a refund at this point, I just hope other people don’t fall for it.

“These sites are taking advantage and making millions, I am not the only one.”

FraudSMART has previously warned the public that catfishing and other romance scams are on the increase due to the pandemic.

Banking Federation of Ireland spokeswoman Niamh Davenport said: “The onset of Covid-19 has seen many elements of our lives, including socialising, move online.

“With an increase in online dating, fraudsters are not only taking advantage of the rising number of people online, but they are also preying on people’s loneliness, isolation and vulnerability as a result of the restrictions and lockdowns we are experiencing.”