A 77-year-old Bradenton widower was scammed out of more than $100,000 by a man posing as a woman named Julia on Facebook, according to police.

In what authorities are calling an “internet romance scam,” 26-year-old Benjamin Yakah allegedly created a fake profile as Julia and began communicating with the victim via Facebook Messenger late last year.

“He became convinced that ‘Julia’ lived in the United Kingdom and was moving to the United States to begin a relationship with him,” explained the Bradenton Police Department.

The scammer claimed to owe money to a man in Minnesota and promised to relocate to Florida once the debt was paid off. Consequently, the 77-year-old started sending cash, money orders, and cashier checks to an address and bank in Minneapolis to help Julia pay the debt and move.

This fraudulent “relationship” lasted for eight months. The victim’s children discovered the scam in June and reported it to the Bradenton Police Department’s Elder Fraud Unit. Through their investigation, detectives found that the photos used by Julia were actually of a woman from West Virginia and were being used without her knowledge.

Investigators traced the bank account receiving the victim’s money to Yakah. A Bradenton police detective traveled to Minnesota and, in collaboration with local authorities, arrested Yakah.

Further investigation revealed that Yakah had defrauded more victims in other states. He is currently awaiting extradition to Manatee County.

If you or someone you know may be involved in an online romance scam, you’re urged to contact the Bradenton Police Department’s Elder Fraud Unit here: https://www.bradentonpd.com/elder-fraud-unit.

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(Image credit: Fast Company)