Overview
Defendants usually target isolated, lonely seniors or recently widowed - often getting detailed information from reading the obituary page. They lie about significant details (such as their real name and the fact that they are already married with children) while rapidly escalating a dating or close relationship with the victim.
The defendant will turn the elder against friends and family, convincing the victim that the defendant is the only one who truly cares. The defendant will then begin to ask for money or loans - all based on lies. The money may be for food, rent, life-saving surgeries, business investments, etc. The defendant may try to convince the victim to cash out stocks and investment accounts, max out credit cards or take credit card advances, take out additional mortgages.
When the victim's money runs out, so does the defendant and the victim is left with nothing.