A 32-year-old man named Sebastian Timmis from Marksbury, Somerset was sentenced to three years and two months in jail for fraud by false representation. Timmis stole over £30,000 from 12 women who he connected with on various dating apps and websites. His victims lived across England, including places such as Bath, Swindon, Nottingham, and Hampshire.
Timmis convinced his victims to transfer him money after winning their trust through online conversations. He would make up scenarios, such as his wallet being stolen or needing money urgently, to pressure his victims into sending him money. Even though he promised to pay them back, he never did. Instead, he used the money for gambling.
The fraudster’s sentence was made worse by the fact that he was already on licence for similar fraud offences when he committed these crimes. Judge Paul Cook also put a 10-year serious crime prevention order in place to stop Timmis from using dating platforms in the future.
Avon and Somerset Police’s PC Rory Everitt commented that Timmis used online dating to gain the trust of his victims before conning them out of their money. Judge Cook described Timmis as a “cynical and manipulative” individual who had “emotionally and seriously betrayed” his victims.
As for future prevention methods, the public is encouraged to report any suspicious activity online, especially concerning financial fraud. Do not give out personal information or transfer money to anyone you do not know
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