Victims of online dating scams

It had been over two years since the death of her husband of 20 years; four, since she had lost her mother.

She filled out a questionnaire and carefully crafted her profile.

And her pitch was straightforward: Looking for a life partner …

But much of the note consisted of flirty jokes ("If I could be bottled I would be called 'eau de enigma' ") and a detailed imaginary description of their first meeting: It's 11 am when we arrive at the restaurant for brunch.The restaurant is a white painted weatherboard, simple but well-kept, set on the edge of a lake, separated from it by an expansive deck, dotted (not packed) with tables and comfortable chairs….Amy was charmed — Duane was nothing like the local men she'd met so far.It would have been easy to burnish the truth, but she presented herself honestly, from her age (57) and hobbies ("dancing, rock collecting") to her financial status ("self sufficient").The picture — outdoor photo, big smile — was real, and recent.