The case illustrates how fraudsters posing as the real-life crown prince of Dubai ensnare victims by cultivating online relationships before swindling them out of money, with researchers tracing some of the scams to crime syndicates in Nigeria.
Maria met the scammer impersonating Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed, also known by his pen name Fazza, on a dating site before the conversation moved to a messaging app where he bombarded her with romantic messages.
Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed in a photo on the Government of Dubai Media Office's website.
"He kept on messaging me even when I was sleeping," the Filipino domestic worker told AFP, requesting that her real name and age be withheld.
"It felt like there was a love spell that connected our minds."
