…a man calling himself “David Williams” tricked her into sending intimate photos, then threatened to leak them unless she paid thousands.
A mother of two who bravely warned others about romance fraud has died at 46, years after being blackmailed by a Nigeria-based scammer.
Gail Astin, from Jedburgh, Scotland, shared in 2019 how a man calling himself “David Williams” tricked her into sending intimate photos, then threatened to leak them unless she paid thousands.
“He always told me to trust him, and I did. He pulled on my heartstrings,” Gail said.
When she refused further demands, the scammer sent chilling threats: “I wonder how your family will think of you when your nicked pictures get viral.”
Despite the trauma, Gail and husband Simon worked to save their marriage. But in 2020, Gail died just two months after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Paying tribute, Simon called her his “best friend and soulmate,” adding: “She never realised how well-liked she was.”