Seeking Solutions With Suzanne Online Dating Fraud

It sounds like a script for a Hollywood movie: A small-town grandmother gets arrested and jailed for allegedly trafficking drugs into another country. For Barrie resident Angela Thayer, unfortunately, there are no bright lights or famous movie stars in this script, simply the fear that she may never see her year-old mother, Suzana Thayer, again. The mother of three and grandmother of six is being detained in a Chinese prison after being arrested at Hong Kong International Airport, accused of smuggling drugs into the country. Her daughter says she fell victim to not one but two online romance scams. Angela Thayer described her mother as a high-spirited, loving, giving, and caring person who was always doing things to help the people she loved, but after the death of her husband in , whom she met when she was only a teenager, she found herself a little bit lost. After about five years mourning her husband's death, Suzana was able to find her way beyond the grief and opened herself up to the possibility of finding love again. Angela says she got a call from her brother, who told her that he was concerned for their mother. Angela says her brother attempted to confront their mother, but she refused to listen and took off to a hotel for a few nights. While she was away, the family took the opportunity to look through her apartment; they discovered several transactions and began to realize their mother was likely being scammed by the man who claimed to be Dr. Walter Williams. She 'married' him, but it was a fake marriage. She said she had a connection and thought he was real and that she was loved. The way he was talking to her made her feel alive and loved and wanted. That just made her believe what he was saying was real," says Angela. Looking back, Angela can now see things that, when put together, are indicative of what she says is someone attempting to brainwash another person.

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Scammers Find New Ways Online to Break Hearts and Steal Millions

In all, it really does sound harmless Angela says she was finally able to get through to her mother and convinced her to report the scam to the police in the summer of After sitting down with police, Angela felt her mother learned from the experience and was determined to be more cautious moving forward with making connections online. While writing her book, however, Angela says her mother began to talk to a second man, who called himself James Caywood and claimed to be a member of the United States military living in California. Angela says he offered to help her mother with her book, noting Suzana would send him sample chapters to review. Over time, Angela says Suzana and Caywood formed a romantic connection and he told her mother he would fly to Toronto to visit her in March and they would get married. Not long before this man was set to travel to Toronto, Suzana received an email claiming to be from the U. She then submitted a passport application in order to fly somewhere to meet him instead. There are no transactions," Angela says. There was no money coming in and no airline tickets being paid. Angela says she asked her mother to send her itinerary, which she did a few hours before she was set to leave and after Angela was already in bed. I saw the ticket and it said Addis Ababa. I started looking online and trying to find out … and it was Ethiopia. Angela started researching the country and sending her information about it, telling BarrieToday her biggest fear when her mother left had nothing to do with drugs. Then she came in and gave me a kiss goodbye and she left. Once she arrived in Ethiopia, Angela says her mother pretty much stayed in the hotel, awaiting the arrival of her 'prince charming' from the internet. But he never arrived, claiming he couldn't get anyone to relieve his post. Although obviously concerned, Suzana was in daily contact with her daughter and her best friend — she was happy, healthy and safe. With her mother so far away, and with concerns for her safety, Angela says she had her mother send her copies of her identification, as well as her e-visa, which she required to enter the country.It was after she received those that Angela noticed the e-visa was set to expire nearly one week before her mother was scheduled to return to Canada on Sept. She explained to her mother that she would need to go in person to extend the e-visa for one week, which Suzana promised she would do. Instead of flying back to Toronto, it had her travelling to Hong Kong, China. Angela says she believes the reason for the late change to Hong Kong was due to the fact she noticed the discrepancy between her e-visa expiring and her flight home. Angela says she did question her mother about the suitcase, but admitted she thought nothing of the clothing. The 'what she knows now' is that several buttons on the clothing her mother was given were allegedly filled with cocaine. Upon her arrest, Suzana was found to have one kilo — or 2. A photo of her mother the day she was flying to Hong Kong shows her wearing a jacket that Caywood had purchased for her, and which she was wearing at the time of her arrest. Angela says Caywood had requested a photo of her mother wearing the jacket, which she now believes was so that someone in Hong Kong would know what her mother looked like in order to recover the smuggled drugs. She seemed OK, but you could see she just wanted to hug me so badly," Angela says. The two were separated by glass. During her trip, Angela says she only got to see her mother once for 15 minutes. I had to pick up the phone to talk to her," Angela says. Angela had planned on returning the following day — Oct. Angela says she's not convinced that's the truth, but it was the last time she saw her mother in person.

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It could be months or it could be years," she says. I have submitted all of the evidence that I could," she says. Angela is also concerned that if her mother is unable to secure a lawyer, she will be unable to get a fair trial. She has created a GoFundMe page to help with her mother's legal fees. Any leftover funds will be used to assist in fraud prevention, in order to help protect others in the future, she says. You get caught up with how these people are treating you," she says. Barrie police were alerted last week by a concerned citizen living in southern Simcoe County who had watched the W5 episode and recognized the photo and description of an online profile as being one of a number of photos that were featured in the story. We see this time and time again, especially the romance scam, that seems to catch a lot of people," Leon says. Angela says she has been in contact with officials in Ottawa, who are helping the family navigate the legal system in China and sharing information. Home Local News Woman vows to prove mom's innocence in Hong Kong smuggling case Suzana Thayer is in a Chinese jail after allegedly smuggling cocaine into the country contained in buttons on clothing given to her by a man she met online. Nikki Cole Mar 13, PM. Share by Email. Thayer also wants to bring awareness to the prevalence of online scams in the hopes of saving someone else from a similar fate. Angela is convinced her mother in fact had no clue where she was flying to. Cocaine buttons The 'what she knows now' is that several buttons on the clothing her mother was given were allegedly filled with cocaine.I was numb and I was lost. More Local News. Automated speed camera issued 6, tickets in four months in Newmarket Nov 21, PM. One dead, two injured in Hwy. Reader Feedback. Featured Flyer. Romance fraud is described as when someone creates a fake identity to enter into a relationship with a victim with the intent to steal either funds or personal information. In , romance frauds were reported nationally, averaging 10 reports a day. Those who fall victim to these frauds are almost twice as likely to be women 63 per cent compared with 37 per cent of men and in their forties 22 per cent or fifties 25 per cent. Only 13 per cent of the reported frauds impacted those under However, evidence suggests these numbers do not accurately represent the true scale of the problem due to the embarrassment felt by some victims of fraud, which can discourage people from coming forward to report their experience. But reporting is crucial in stopping these fraudsters whose impact extends beyond just taking the money. A further 18 per cent had to receive medical treatment as a result of being a victim of a romance scam — or had been left at risk of bankruptcy.

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The report comes from a new DateSafe working group, tasked with raising awareness of the risks of romance fraud in the UK. However, as in any form of dating, there are some nasty characters out there who will try and take advantage of someone looking for love. Heartless fraudsters cruelly use dating websites, social media and direct emails to exploit those looking for love. Fraud can manifest itself in many different forms and is constantly evolving; it can have a major impact on victims, both financially and psychologically. In the case of dating fraud, the emotional damage is often far more difficult to come to terms with. Sharing this information will help us to track down and identify these cruel criminals who manipulate and take advantage of people who are searching for love. They prey on the kindness, good nature and emotions of their victims by offering a sob story to trick them into parting with their money. Please use our safe dating tips to avoid becoming a victim. However, it is important that users take steps to protect themselves from those that might wish them harm; in the same way you would do in any other social setting. Be careful, have fun and keep our safety tips in mind. People of this age may have lost a partner through death, divorce or separation, fuelling feelings of loneliness and increasing the attractions of online dating — unfortunately making them potentially vulnerable to scams. This kind of fraud is often orchestrated by networks who use sophisticated methods and invest time in developing fake relationships in order to manipulate their victims. It could happen to anyone and is much more common than you might think — 10 people report this kind of fraud every day, with many more cases going unreported because of the stigma of having been so cruelly duped. We offer confidential practical and emotional help, whether or not the incident has been reported to the police, to help people move beyond the crime and begin to rebuild their lives. Victim Support is an independent charity that provides emotional and practical support to victims of all crimes, including romance fraud, across England and Wales. The service, which is delivered by trained professionals, is free and confidential. Support is available whether or not the crime has been reported to the police.

For more information or to arrange a media briefing, please contact the Age UK press office via media ageuk. However, because the benefit can be backdated for 3 months they may still qualify if they make a successful backdated claim by10 th December For further information about the report from the City of London Police or for more information about the partnership please contact the Get Safe Online press office on: or email press getsafeonline. The City of London continues to be one of the safest urban areas in the country. A joint partnership between the Government, Law Enforcement and private sector sponsors from the worlds of technology, communications, retail and finance, the initiative continues to educate, inform and raise awareness of online security issues to encourage confident, safe use of the internet. For further information contact the Get Safe Online press office team on or press getsafeonline. About Online Dating Association The Online Dating Association ODA was set up in by industry members who wanted to take a shared responsibility for setting and maintaining standards. It sets out what is expected of members under a series of key headings. ODA member sites carry the ODA logo demonstrating their commitment to standards and safety of their users. ODA members have a responsibility to check profiles, to use specialised software and skilled staff to monitor activities and to give users advice, guidance and help. A list of ODA members can be found here. It also works internationally for people in later life as a member of the DEC and with its sister charity Help Age International. Age UK believes that everyone should have the opportunity to make the most of later life, whatever their circumstances. Its provides free information, advice and support to over six million people; commercial products and services to over one million customers; and research and campaign on the issues that matter to people in later life. Its work focuses on five key areas: money matters, health and wellbeing, home and care, work and training and leisure and lifestyle. Last year we offered support to just under one million victims of crime. The charity has around 1, staff and 1, volunteers. Website: www. Contact the Age UK Media team on during office hours Mon-Fri or for out-of-hours media support please email media ageuk.

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See media contacts. Back to top. Postcode Please enter a valid postcode Submit. Published on 13 February PM. Notes to editors: For more information or to arrange a media briefing, please contact the Age UK press office via media ageuk. For further information about the cost-of-living crisis, please click here. It can be claimed by phone and online. For more information Contact the Age UK Media team on during office hours Mon-Fri or for out-of-hours media support please email media ageuk. Become part of our story Facebook Twitter Youtube Instagram. Sign up today Email address. Errors Please enter a valid email address. These feelings are known as impostor syndrome , or what psychologists often call impostor phenomenon. Impostor syndrome affects all kinds of people from all parts of life: women, men, medical students, marketing managers, actors and executives. In their paper , they theorized that women were uniquely affected by impostor syndrome. Since then, research has shown that both men and women experience impostor feelings, and Clance published a later paper acknowledging that impostor syndrome is not limited to women. She also created an impostor syndrome test. Impostor syndrome expert Valerie Young, who is the author of a book on the subject, The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women , has also found patterns in people who experience impostor feelings:. Some experts believe it has to do with personality traits—like anxiety or neuroticism—while others focus on family or behavioral causes, Ervin explains.Sometimes childhood memories, such as feeling that your grades were never good enough for your parents or that your siblings outshone you in certain areas, can leave a lasting impact. Factors outside of a person, such as their environment or institutionalized discrimination, can also play a major role in spurring impostor feelings. And conversely, the fewer people who look or sound like you, it can and does for many people impact their confidence. One of the first steps to overcoming impostor feelings is to acknowledge the thoughts and put them in perspective. You can also reframe your thoughts. Young says she reminds people that the only difference between someone who experiences impostor syndrome and someone who does not is how they respond to challenges. If you want to delve more deeply into these feelings, Ervin recommends seeking out a professional psychologist. The important part is not to let that doubt control your actions, says Young. Write to Abigail Abrams at abigail. Presented By. Here's How to Deal With It.

Woman vows to prove mom's innocence in Hong Kong smuggling case

By Abigail Abrams. What is impostor syndrome? Get our Health Newsletter. Sign up to receive the latest health and science news, plus answers to wellness questions and expert tips. Please enter a valid email address. Please attempt to sign up again. Sign Up Now. An unexpected error has occurred with your sign up. Please try again later. Check here if you would like to receive subscription offers and other promotions via email from TIME group companies. You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Thank you! For your security, we've sent a confirmation email to the address you entered.Click the link to confirm your subscription and begin receiving our newsletters. If you don't get the confirmation within 10 minutes, please check your spam folder. Over several months, she asked for money to buy plane tickets, pay medical bills and cover other expenses, police said. The woman said she was expecting a large payment but needed money to secure it, and that once the funds arrived, she would move to Canada to live with the man. When he refused to share his banking information, the woman stopped all communication, police said. Many victims feel shame and embarrassment, which serves scammers, as victims might not report the situation to police, she said. Start your day with a roundup of B. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. To lay fraud charges, police need to establish the person had an intent to deceive a victim for their own personal financial gain, said Oak Bay Police Chief Mark Fisher. Fisher said the cases are particularly challenging because suspects often live outside the country, making it difficult to track them down or pursue any enforcement.