'Gentle' dad took his own life after falling victim to romance scammers online - The Mirror

Chris Leeds had been talking to a supposed woman from Africa who said she wanted a relationship but then started asking for money from him.

An inquest at Caernarfon heard he had been in online contact supposedly with a woman from Africa who seemed to want a relationship then started asking for money, North Wales Live reports.

Friend Gareth Evans said Mr Leeds realised he had been scammed but told him about another woman “in Nigeria” called “Paramount.”.

Mr Evans said he knew Mr Leeds since he was a child.

Earlier this year Action Fraud, the national fraud reporting centre, warned of a 20 per cent increase in bank transfer romance fraud between January and November 2020 compared to the previous year, with the total value of the scams rising by 12 per cent to £18.5 million.

But criminals tricked victims into sending them money in many ways, not just via a bank transfer.

An online obituary said: ”Christopher Leeds (Chris) left this world on Saturday 5th of December