Woman used internet dating sites to scam men out of $250,000

Her deception left a man in his 70s who was living comfortably in retirement now $90,000 in debt.

She targeted her victims through web dating sites.

Cold hearted and callous was how a Toowoomba District Court judge described the actions of a 46-year-old woman who “catfished” five older men out of more than $250,000.

One of Dorothy Edna Weribone’s victims was in his mid-70s and had been ripped off for $243,000 of which not one cent had been repaid, the court heard.

Weribone was aged between 41 and 45 when between May 2015 and March last year she used online dating sites using false identities to scam five men out of money for various promised activities such as travel expenses to visit them or material items.

Crown prosecutor Mel Wilson said the most out-of-pocket victim, a man in his 70s, had been living a comfortable retirement but after having $243,000 scammed from him, he was now $90,000 in debt.

It was serious fraud against a “vulnerable old man”.

“It has had a devastating effect on him emotionally and financially,” she said.

The victim listened to the court proceedings via a telephone link.

Weribone had scammed the man by using such lies as her mother having died and needing money for a funeral, then needing a car and travel expenses to see him.

When eventually spoken to by police in September last year, Weribone confessed she had used the money to feed her alcohol, drug and gambling addictions, Ms Wilson said.

Weribone, a mother of nine from St George, pleaded guilty to dishonestly obtaining money from others to above $100,000 and to uttering forged documents arising from her forging tax invoices.

Ms Wilson said Weribone’s other victims included a 60-year-old man ripped off of $3085, a 70-year-old man who lost $2050 to her, a 60-year-old man who lost $220 and a 51-year-old who lost $500.

The offending came to light when one of the victims, from New South Wales, contacted police.

Ms Wilson said Weribone’s motivation for the offending had been “greed not need” and that her persistent and protracted scheme was “calculated and systematic”.

Weribone’s barrister David Jones said his client had made full admissions when spoken to by police and had offered her pleas of guilty in the magistrates court but, because of the amount, that court couldn’t deal with it.

She was medicated for depression and other medical issues and an elder from St George had been helping her address her drug and alcohol problems, he said.

The elder and one of Weribone’s daughters were in court supporting her.

Judge Katherine McGinness sentenced Weribone to four years in jail, the term to be suspended after 10 months with the balance to hang over her head for four years.

She also placed her on 30 months probation.