The World Is Hardest on the Lonely People

A West Allis man lost thousands of dollars before WISN 12 News was able to uncover the truth behind a dating trap that originated halfway around the world. . . .

'I heard a lot about Web sites and stuff, and I just wanted to try one once, so I figured why not?' online dating victim Dale Bell said.

It was Bell's first venture into the world of online dating. One site found him who he thought was the girl of his dreams. . . .

"When I found her, she was actually the one that I never thought in my life would ever e-mail me back, and she was the first," Bell said.

Her name is Oladele, a former New Yorker who lived in Nigeria. She sent these pictures to Bell along with several months' worth of romantic e-mails. . . .

That was when Bell started sending something to her. . . .

"At first, she said she only needed $700, I figured OK I'll send you the plane ticket," Bell said. "And then, she e-mailed me back, and the airport told her that she needed the basic traveling allowance, the BTA, which was $450."

She kept asking for cash, and he kept sending it, on the promise that Oladele was coming to Milwaukee to be with him. She would even call him and leave phone messages.

Soon, Bell had sent more than $3,000 to the woman he never met, and there was still no sign of her.

"She was supposed to be here now, four days ago now, and still has never shown up. So she got away with getting about $3,000 from me," Bell said. . . .

For Bell, the hurt runs deep. He's out thousands of dollars, and his dream of a picture-perfect romance is shattered.

"They say a picture says 1,000 words. Well, it says a couple thousand dollars," Bell said.

I was feeling sorry for that poor lonely bastard right up till he said that. Now, not so much.