Crime Watch: North Sydney Man taken to the cleaners by mystery woman named ‘Sherri’.

By ANNA USHER

A North Sydney man looking for love online has fallen victim to a textbook romance scam – and it’s a cautionary tale for anyone swiping right.

In March, the man struck up a conversation with a woman named “Sherri” on a well-known dating site. Things moved quickly – as they often do – and within days, Sherri suggested they ditch the app and continue chatting via email.

Police say the woman expressed strong feelings for the North Sydney man and told him that she lived in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs.

“After some weeks of conversing via email, Sherri told the North Sydney male that she had lost access to her bank accounts and asked the North Sydney man to transfer her a sum of money for an imminent work trip,” a spokesperson for North Shore Police Area Command told Mosman Collective.

The North Sydney man obliged.

On the 30th of April “Sherri” sent a screenshot of her bank details to the North Sydney man which showed that her account had been frozen for suspicious activities. “Sherri” then told the North Sydney man that the only way to fix the issue was to visit the bank’s headquarters in New Zealand.

“She then requested the North Sydney man send her a large sum of money to assist her with her flights, accommodation, and spending money whilst she stayed in New Zealand, which he did,” police said.

“The North Sydney man’s bank became aware of the situation and advised the man he had been scammed.”

Mosman Collective believes the North Sydney man is now “tens of thousands” of dollars out of pocket, although police would not confirm this.

Further information on Romance and Dating Scams can be found on the ScamWatch website.