Lonely bachelor, 51, killed himself after lavishing thousands of pounds on cruel online 'girlfriend' he thought was coming to UK to start a family with him

A lonely bachelor killed himself after he was targeted by cruel internet fraudsters who posed as his 'girlfriends' to get thousands of pounds from him, an inquest heard.
Ian Doney, 51, died penniless after he sent money online and paid for flights for a person who he believed was his girlfriend to come to the UK.
The vulnerable shop worker, from Grimsby, Lincolnshire, even changed his Facebook status to 'in a relationship' after talking to the person online.
An inquest heard how Mr Doney, who had worked for high-street retailer Wilkinson's for 19 years, resorted to starving himself so he could afford to meet the incessant demands of his online 'partners.'
Recording the death as suicide, assistant coroner Jane Eatock warned of the dangers of being sucked into such scams and described the case as 'a really tragic story.'
She told his family: 'I know everyone feels difficult about things like this but actually you couldn't have done more to help him.
'In the end he's chosen a way which wasn't the right way and actually there's not much anyone could have done to stop that. It's a really, really tragic story.'
The inquest heard how Mr Doney had visited a website for single people looking to travel abroad when he began speaking to an individual online in the summer of 2015.
His sister, Gillian Doney, told the court how he was intending on meeting them during the trip but the rendezvous never materialised.



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4476358/Bachelor-51-killed-targeted-online.html

What a sad, sad story. Some of us have come across these horrible internet trolls on forums. One was a poster called Northern Star, who used to arrange to meet men off the forums. Her deception managed to break up one marriage and she kept some poor sucker waiting all weekend at a bus station for her. She finally got rumbled as posting fake photos and a totally fake persona. She even had a whole Facebook site that was entirely plausible.

People like this who target the vulnerable really are pieces of shit.

I remember her, she had many men fooled with her half Cherokee origin and her picture showed a Philipino girl one she snatched from someones facebook. Nothing like half Cherokee!

The Major was onto her  from the start and was banned from FH because of it and whatever anyone thinks of the Major he was no ones fool!   Micky thought she was real and listened to no one, even me as his mod, when I told him she's not real.

Horrible person she or he was, no ones knows who NS really was.

magica wrote:I remember her, she had many men fooled with her half Cherokee origin and her picture showed a Philipino girl one she snatched from someones facebook. Nothing like half Cherokee!

The Major was onto her  from the start and was banned from FH because of it and whatever anyone thinks of the Major he was no ones fool!   Micky thought she was real and listened to no one, even me as his mod, when I told him she's not real.

Horrible person she or he was, no ones knows who NS really was.

I quite liked her! She was always very pleasant to me.

Speaking of snatches... she once posted a photo of her squatting in the sun in her 'back garden' showing off her 'ahem' and you could tell from the shadows it had been photoshopped. Turned out she was filching some porn star's photos.

What a sorry tale. How can people take advantage of an obviously lonely, old man?

eddie wrote:What a sorry tale. How can people take advantage of an obviously lonely, old man?

Some bunch of geraniums in Nigeria

eddie wrote:What a sorry tale. How can people take advantage of an obviously lonely, old man?

I'm an old man, but I am not lonely, thank God, because I have a wonderful family living nearby and now, three years after the death of my wife of 51 years, the love and companionship of an old family friend who, like me, was left alone after a long marriage.

But many of my old friends are desperately lonely. In this very rural area there are no social clubs or groups, not even one of those old fashioned Darby and Joan clubs. Most of the village pubs where they once might have gone for a pint and a chat have been sold and converted to unbelievably expensive homes (45 minutes from London by train explains all!) and there is nothing - nothing - for them to do but to sit at home and wait for the end.

The thought that out there there are callous younger women eager to exploit them for what few pounds and possessions they may still have brings tears to my eyes. It really does.

There but for the grace of God.......

Well that really made me feel quite sad Fred.
So glad you have your lovely lady.

eddie wrote:Well that really made me feel quite sad Fred.
So glad you have your lovely lady.

Her late husband, an ex Special Branch copper, was my best mate for years. We share such happy memories of both our departed loved ones. We laugh together, we cry together...and we just know that both of them up there will be so happy that we are now looking after each other in our autumn years.

Mind you, the village gossips had a field day when the Lord of the Manor and the Lady President of the Women's Institute first went on a naughty holiday together...and were caught out by the Chief Gossip unloading suitcases outside her cottage on our return!

Fred Moletrousers wrote:

eddie wrote:Well that really made me feel quite sad Fred.
So glad you have your lovely lady.

Her late husband, an ex Special Branch copper, was my best mate for years. We share such happy memories of both our departed loved ones. We laugh together, we cry together...and we just know that both of them up there will be so happy that we are now looking after each other in our autumn years.

Mind you, the village gossips had a field day when the Lord of the Manor and the Lady President of the Women's Institute first went on a naughty holiday together...and were caught out by the Chief Gossip unloading suitcases outside her cottage on our return!  

Hahahahahaha I can imagine. And that's a lovely friendship you got right there with your lady.

eddie wrote:

Fred Moletrousers wrote:

Her late husband, an ex Special Branch copper, was my best mate for years. We share such happy memories of both our departed loved ones. We laugh together, we cry together...and we just know that both of them up there will be so happy that we are now looking after each other in our autumn years.

Mind you, the village gossips had a field day when the Lord of the Manor and the Lady President of the Women's Institute first went on a naughty holiday together...and were caught out by the Chief Gossip unloading suitcases outside her cottage on our return!  

Hahahahahaha I can imagine. And that's a lovely friendship you got right there with your lady.

The hard (sorry!) bit is, me being something of a male chauvinistic pig, having to admit to being as thick as two short planks compared to someone with a doctorate in geology and degrees in other stuff I'd never heard of.

Still, she has big tits and that's all that matters.......

You are very naughty Fred. I like it.

Fred Moletrousers wrote:

eddie wrote:Well that really made me feel quite sad Fred.
So glad you have your lovely lady.

Her late husband, an ex Special Branch copper, was my best mate for years. We share such happy memories of both our departed loved ones. We laugh together, we cry together...and we just know that both of them up there will be so happy that we are now looking after each other in our autumn years.

Mind you, the village gossips had a field day when the Lord of the Manor and the Lady President of the Women's Institute first went on a naughty holiday together...and were caught out by the Chief Gossip unloading suitcases outside her cottage on our return!  

Great description!  Every village has its gossips and usually there is one sad person who is the biggest gossip of all, stands head&shoulders above the rest.

Fred Moletrousers wrote:

eddie wrote:Well that really made me feel quite sad Fred.
So glad you have your lovely lady.

Her late husband, an ex Special Branch copper, was my best mate for years. We share such happy memories of both our departed loved ones. We laugh together, we cry together...and we just know that both of them up there will be so happy that we are now looking after each other in our autumn years.

Mind you, the village gossips had a field day when the Lord of the Manor and the Lady President of the Women's Institute first went on a naughty holiday together...and were caught out by the Chief Gossip unloading suitcases outside her cottage on our return!  

Its like as i said on the Maddie Thread. When a friend lost her baby, I asked her to speak to my sister in law. To help her get through the hard times ahead. Here is the same, two friends that have lost someone so dear to them, can find solace together. Where they have lost someone so special to them. That each can relieve those fond memories together. To me two people who share such a bond, can make those memories seem so real. That its as if they are still there with you. I have no comprehension to lose someone after so many decades as you have, but do understand to lose someone close. Death can never take away the fond memories we have of those we most love. That is why I never concentrate on the sadness of death itself, but how those people we loved, lived.

HoratioTarr wrote:What a sad, sad story.    Some of us have come across these horrible internet trolls on forums.   One was a poster called Northern Star, who used to arrange to meet men off the forums.   Her deception managed to break up one marriage and she kept some poor sucker waiting all weekend at a bus station for her.    She finally got rumbled as posting fake photos and a totally fake persona.   She even had a whole Facebook site that was entirely plausible.  

People like this who target the vulnerable really are pieces of shit.

I had epic fights with Northernstar.  Believe me, it wasn't easy fighting with her cos she was a mod in every forum and very quick to use her mod powers to get her own way whenever she lost arguments. I cannot even remember why we fought so much, but I know that it was NEVER me who initiated the fights. I leave people alone if they leave me alone.

Eventually she left me alone, when she finally realised that I wasn't "easy meat" for her to bully and  I forgave her. Yes I remember the catfishing scandal. Tbh I had NO sympathy for the priapic men whom she fooled so easily - she told them she was a sex goddess and they believed her!!  Right.....

HoratioTarr wrote:

magica wrote:I remember her, she had many men fooled with her half Cherokee origin and her picture showed a Philipino girl one she snatched from someones facebook. Nothing like half Cherokee!

The Major was onto her  from the start and was banned from FH because of it and whatever anyone thinks of the Major he was no ones fool!   Micky thought she was real and listened to no one, even me as his mod, when I told him she's not real.

Horrible person she or he was, no ones knows who NS really was.

I quite liked her!    She was always very pleasant to me.

Speaking of snatches... she once posted a photo of her squatting in the sun in her 'back garden' showing off her 'ahem' and you could tell from the shadows it had been photoshopped.   Turned out she was filching some porn star's photos.

The girl in that photo wasn't a porn star - she was the one whose photo NS mainly used. NS only used one of a porn star, and it wasn't that one.

eddie wrote:What a sorry tale. How can people take advantage of an obviously lonely, old man?

51 isn't old!

Raggamuffin wrote:

eddie wrote:What a sorry tale. How can people take advantage of an obviously lonely, old man?

51 isn't old!

Its certainly not young.

Thorin wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

51 isn't old!

Its certainly not young.

"Middle age" is 10 years older than whatever age you are now...

Calling people who are only in their 50s and 60s "old" or "elderly" is simply showing how young some writers actually are..

To a child, everybody seems "old".

WhoseYourWolfie wrote:

Thorin wrote:

Its certainly not young.

"Middle age" is 10 years older than whatever age you are now...

Calling people who are only in their 50s and 60s "old" or "elderly"  is simply showing how young some writers actually are..

To a child,  everybody seems "old".

I never said elderly, but over 50 is old.

To live 50 years is most definitely old.

Think of the terms here.

Eldery is someone who is very old.

This is about someone who is old

You wouldn't generally call someone of 51 an old man, unless you were under 20.

Raggamuffin wrote:You wouldn't generally call someone of 51 an old man, unless you were under 20.

Well Eddie is not under 20.

The inquest heard how Mr Doney had visited a website for single people looking to travel abroad when he began speaking to an individual online in the summer of 2015.

A website specifically for single people looking to travel abroad? That sounds dodgy to begin with.

Jules wrote:

Fred Moletrousers wrote:

Her late husband, an ex Special Branch copper, was my best mate for years. We share such happy memories of both our departed loved ones. We laugh together, we cry together...and we just know that both of them up there will be so happy that we are now looking after each other in our autumn years.

Mind you, the village gossips had a field day when the Lord of the Manor and the Lady President of the Women's Institute first went on a naughty holiday together...and were caught out by the Chief Gossip unloading suitcases outside her cottage on our return!  

Great description!  Every village has its gossips and usually there is one sad person who is the biggest gossip of all, stands head&shoulders above the rest.

We all know our chief gossip. She always leaves her broomstick parked outside her front door and her black cat craps in everyone's gardens.

The warty nose and pointy hat are a bit of a giveaway, too.....