A mother of two revealed that she became financially devastated after falling victim to a fraudulent investment scheme orchestrated by Tinder con artist Christopher Harkins.

The two matched on the dating platform while in London in 2020. Caitlyn, a pseudonym for her real name, recounted how Harkins, now 38, initially attempted to persuade her to join him on a vacation—a frequent tactic of his.

When she expressed her inability to afford a trip, he proposed to “assist” her by promising to double her savings through his foreign currency exchange enterprise.

Caitlyn is among four women known to the BBC who fell prey to Harkins in the city, where he relocated after his misdemeanors were revealed in Scotland.

She, along with several others, recounted their distressing and often strange interactions with one of Scotland’s most notorious romance scammers in the new BBC Disclosure podcast titled Matched with a Predator.

Caitlyn shared, “At first, I found him quite charming. He was flaunting his wealth and telling me how successful his business was—claiming he could help me grow my funds.”

While conversing with Caitlyn, who had just gone through a breakup with the father of her two young children, Harkins used the alias Christopher Telfer.

Over time, she transferred a total of £3,132 to him. “That money meant a great deal to me,” she recounted.

“Given my vulnerable state, he persistently assured me he could invest my funds and generate returns. I was gullible. He insisted that whatever amount I had, I could send to him, promising to help me.”

When Caitlyn started requesting the return of her money, Harkins claimed his bank account had been frozen, insisting that she must send him more money to access her initial investment.

“I was increasingly anxious,” Caitlyn explained. “I had given him everything I owned. The stress was overwhelming. He kept asking for additional funds, even suggesting I take out bank loans.”

In a text exchange, Caitlyn urged Harkins to verify that the investment was legitimate, a suggestion that seemed to provoke him.

“He became extremely angry, warning me, ‘Don’t talk to me like that; you’ll regret it.’ At that moment, I was genuinely frightened. After I refused to send any more funds, his demeanor turned very aggressive.”

Caitlyn faced dire circumstances at home. “I was desperate,” she admitted. “I pleaded with him, telling him that I had two kids and was unemployed. I kept asking for just a little money, maybe £200 or £300, but he ignored my pleas.”

Ultimately, Harkins blocked her number, leaving Caitlyn too intimidated to contact the authorities. She never recovered any of her lost money.

“In the aftermath, I felt utterly foolish,” she said. “It took me a while to even share my experience with anyone. I was filled with shame. It was a nightmare—only one friend was aware of my situation. It was a truly awful period in my life.”

This type of manipulation was characteristic of Harkins, who, according to the BBC, has targeted at least 30 women in various offenses over nearly a decade, using dating apps like Tinder to find new victims.

Harkins is currently serving a 12-year sentence for crimes against ten women in Scotland, which include rape, assaults, the unauthorized recording of intimate videos, and defrauding over £214,000 from women he encountered online.

On his dating profile, he portrayed himself as a high-flying businessman and gym enthusiast; however, in reality, he was a skilled and predatory scam artist.

His schemes involved pretending to arrange romantic getaways and soliciting money for his supposed business, claiming that his bank account was frozen. He also pressured women into taking out loans as high as £12,000 for him, and even exploited their identities to acquire loans. Some women faced bankruptcy, while others endured years of debt and mental health struggles.

Many victims felt too embarrassed to discuss their experiences with family and friends.

After being exposed by a newspaper and arrested in Scotland in early 2020, Harkins fled to London and assumed a different identity.

Records show that Harkins spent part of his life in London since his father resided there.

Despite the legal troubles facing him, he continued his deceptive activities in England.

In January 2023, he was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court for a separate fraud after defrauding another woman of £16,700.

The BBC’s investigation revealed additional alleged frauds by Harkins totaling nearly £70,000. The BBC reached out to him in prison regarding these claims, but he did not respond.

Caitlyn discovered more about Harkins’ other offenses after reading a BBC article in January, leading to an emotional realization that he had also victimized other women.

“I shared this with my friends and finally confided in them about what happened,” she said. “I have now decided to report him to the police.”

If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this article, you can find support information on the BBC Action Line.