Latest news with #SweetBobby:MyCatfishNightmare
IOL News
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Whisked away by deception: Graham Hornigold's heartbreaking catfish tale featured in 'Con Mum'
Pastry chef Graham Hornigold unpacks how he was swindled by his 'Con Mum'. Image: Netflix If 'Con Mum' proves anything, it is that there are a lot of catfish out there and that they will continue to do what they do best. 'The Tinder Swindler', 'Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare', 'Inventing Anna' and 'Fanatical' are some of the streaming offerings that have exposed not just the deception and greed of con artists but also their lack of remorse. While this genre has proven to be a goldmine for networks, I've grown wary of watching the same gullible actions on repeat, albeit in different scenarios. With so many red flags, how are such responsible, learned people allowing themselves to be swindled? Sadly, their emotional baggage has made them susceptible to opportunistic individuals. Of late, there's been a lot of buzz around the Netflix documentary feature, which centres on Graham Hornigold, a talented and respected pastry chef who finds his life upended by a woman claiming to be his mother. Leading a fulfilled life, Graham and his pastry chef wife Heather Kaniuk were looking forward to becoming first-time parents. However, just before the arrival of their bundle of joy, correspondence from an 80-something Dionne Marie Hanna changed the course of their life. Having passed the test in terms of answering cursory questions, Graham and his wife agreed to meet his biological mother. Her nurturing demeanour saw them drop their guard, and he got to know his mother better. He wanted to make up for lost time, more so with his mother's ailing health. Her gregarious personality was underpinned by her lavish lifestyle. It was unsettling for the couple, who come from a middle-income background. Believing Dionne to be wealthy after her claims of belonging to the Brunei royal family, Graham and Heather found themselves being showered with expensive gifts like Range Rovers. Dionne then asks Graham to accompany her to Switzerland, where she needs to transfer all her assets into his name. However, the short trip gets extended and, while there, Dionne, unbeknownst to Graham, befriends and exploits a few other individuals. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Yahoo
Valentine's Day romance scams, how to protect yourself
LOUISIANA (KTAL/KMSS) — Valentine's Day, a time to celebrate love, is quickly approaching, and the U.S. Postal Service and Inspection Service are reminding customers to be cautious of potential 'romance scams' during this season of affection. The day of romance can be a reminder to shower friends and family with lovely gifts, kind words, and grand gestures. However, it can be a reminder for individuals of their single relationship status, and unfortunately, this creates an opening for scammers to take advantage of vulnerable individuals. 'People conducting online imposter scams frequently spin the same lines or tell the same backstory over and over,' says U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). USPS says these scams often start online but frequently escalate to requests for money or valuables sent through the mail, leading to devastating financial and emotional losses for victims. 'Protecting the sanctity and integrity of the mail is our top priority,' said USPIS Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale. 'This includes protecting customers from mail-related crimes, including fraudulent schemes like romance scams. Public awareness is critical in stopping these criminals before they cause harm.' Don't be scammed by romantic lies, federal investigators warn How romance scams work according to U.S. Postal Service: Scammers create fake identities, often using stolen photos and fictitious personal details, like the Netflix show, 'Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare.' They cultivate online relationships over weeks or months, building trust through social media, dating apps, or email, and pledge their love early on. Once trust is established, they fabricate urgent financial needs – such as medical emergencies, travel expenses, or business problems – to solicit money. Victims are pressured into sending cash, checks, wire transfers, or gift cards, making recovery difficult once the fraud is detected. How to protect yourself, tips by the USPIS: Be cautious of online relationships that escalate quickly, especially if the individual avoids in-person meetings or video calls. Look for inconsistencies in the person's profile and the information they share. Keep your personal information private. Never send money, checks, gift cards, or personal finance information to someone you haven't met. Be suspicious of requests for secrecy or urgent financial help. If you think it's a scam, cut off communication immediately and report it. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
