NEELAM Desai has well-rehearsed methods of gaining the trust of her victims' before conning them out of large sums of money.
Each of the four men – all British Asians – we have the Advertiser has spoken to so far were contacted by Desai, who gave false names and other people's photographs, on popular Asian marriage site Shaadi.com. Even her opening gambit – "I just wanted to break the ice" – is the same.
Within minutes Desai says, unprompted, that her father has died, before describing herself as a pharmacist who works in a hospital.
Each of the men were then sent an almost identical list of items, from iPhones to Currys vouchers, the woman claimed was being auctioned for a children's charity, in most cases named as The Children's Society, which has this week contacted the police.
They were asked to transfer money into a Co-op bank account in , set up at the Co-operative bank, under the name Desouza, who she claimed was their internet love interest says is a colleague at the hospital.
Each of the victims has spoken of being subjected to sustained emotional manipulation, and describe Desai as seemingly "genuine", "caring" and "understanding".
One victim, a 30-year-old from Harrow, north London, told the woman he knew as Rima Vaghela that his mother was terminally ill with cancer and that he needed to spend most of his time looking after her.
"[Rima] said it was absolutely fine and that's what made me like her even more because she was so understanding," he said.
Another victim was simply smitten with the beautiful woman - who said she was due to inherit millions of pounds - that he was sent pictures of.
"I never thought a guy like me would have a chance with someone like that," said the 35-year-old from Leicester.
However, when it came to receiving the items they paid for, meeting in person, or going on the holidays she promised, the men received excuse after excuse. In some cases the web girlfriend claimed to be ill – even sending one a picture of a hospital drip in her arm – and in others that her aunt or uncle had died.
Soon, the pleasant conversation she made to begin with is replaced with requests for money, often with very little explanation. The two men who gave away £17,000 and £35,500 say they did so because they feared she would renege on her promise to pay them back.
Juggling multiple cons, however, lead to mistakes, including accidentally sending the men e-mails from a 'Neelam Desai' account.
In all the cases, Desai's understanding and charitable veneer disintegrateds when her schemes are finally rumbled.
Then, after realising they have spoken to the Advertiser, she ceases contact with them.
