The Fake Romeo: How One Man Scammed 100+ Women Out of Love and Money
Patrick Giblin, often referred to as the "Fake Romeo" or "America's Tinder Swindler," led an elaborate romance scam targeting vulnerable women across the U.S. and Canada for over two decades. He lured his victims with sweet talk and promises of romance, only to rob them of their money and trust. His schemes finally ended when he was sentenced to 66 months in federal prison, marking the downfall of one of the most prolific romance scammers in recent history. Here's how Giblin charmed over 100 women and stole thousands of dollars.
Giblin's Manipulative Tactics
Patrick Giblin's scams were characterized by his uncanny ability to connect emotionally with his victims. Giblin's approach was more intimate than some high-profile scammers who used flashy lifestyles to attract attention. He portrayed himself as a man who valued inner beauty over outward appearance and sought genuine love. Giblin often shared stories of his respectable family, including a father who was supposedly a judge and boasted about owning beachfront property in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He used these fabrications to build trust with women who believed he was a kind-hearted man looking for something real.
Giblin claimed access to discount flights to further cement his facade, reassuring his victims that distance was not an issue. Many women believed that he was willing to move to their cities to start a new life together. This belief gave them hope that their budding relationship would soon become a reality, making them more susceptible to his schemes.
Targeting Vulnerable Women
Giblin was incredibly manipulative in the way he preyed on emotionally vulnerable women. Many of his victims were recently divorced, had lost a loved one, or were struggling with loneliness. Some were single mothers or widows, and others had physical disabilities. Giblin expertly exploited these vulnerabilities, identifying women desperate for companionship and promising them a future filled with love and happiness.
His scam followed a simple but effective formula: after connecting with a woman on a dating site such as Lavalife® or QuestChat®, he would spend hours on the phone with them, forming an emotional bond.
Once trust was established, he would claim to have encountered an emergency — such as a broken-down car or winnings locked up in a gambling tournament — that required him to ask for money. These requests were framed as short-term loans that he would repay once the couple started their life together.
The Scope of His Deception
Giblin's scams weren't limited to just a handful of women. Throughout his deceptive career, authorities estimated that he conned over 100 women, stealing more than $250,000 in total. His schemes date back to the early 2000s, well before the advent of modern dating apps like Tinder® and Bumble®. Even after being caught multiple times, Giblin persisted in his scams. He would simply change his approach, creating new online profiles and targeting a fresh batch of victims.
One particularly concerning aspect of his manipulation was how he helped his victims navigate money transfer services like MoneyGram® or Western Union®. Some women had never used these services before, but Giblin would walk them through the process step-by-step, ensuring they wired him the money. Despite his numerous arrests and convictions, Giblin showed no remorse, and even continued to scam women while he was in prison.
A Life of Crime and Escape
Giblin's criminal career came to public attention in 2005 when he was arrested and charged with extortion. At the time, he admitted to defrauding over 80 women in five years, leading to a 115-month prison sentence. However, his time behind bars didn't stop him from continuing his schemes. He escaped federal custody in 2012 while on a day pass from a reentry program in Philadelphia.
Giblin used his freedom to resume his scamming activities, gambling away the money he collected from unsuspecting victims while staying at hotels under fake names.
Even when federal agents caught him and sent him back to prison, Giblin found ways to keep his operations running. He used telephone dating services to communicate with women and orchestrate new scams behind bars. His ability to continue deceiving women from prison was both shocking and alarming.
A Final Reckoning
After years of evading justice, Patrick Giblin was again arrested in 2021. This time, the law finally caught up with him. In 2022, he was sentenced to 66 months in federal prison for wire fraud and escaping federal custody. Although his conviction brings closure to many of his victims, some, like Kathy Waters, an advocate for romance scam survivors, believe that the punishment doesn't reflect the full extent of the harm Giblin caused. Many of his victims have struggled for years to recover emotionally and financially from his manipulation.
Patrick Giblin's story is a sobering reminder of how easily those with ill intentions can exploit emotional vulnerabilities. For over two decades, he preyed on women who sought love and companionship, leaving behind broken hearts and empty bank accounts. While his conviction may bring some justice, the impact of his scams will likely haunt his victims for years to come. As online dating continues to grow, Giblin's case serves as a cautionary tale for anyone seeking love in the digital age.
References: A fake Romeo charmed more than 100 women with promises of romance, then scammed them. Now he's going to prison | Dating Scammer Who Swindled Women Sentenced to Five Years in Prison
