Online dating and romance scams are becoming increasingly common thanks to the popularity of dating sites and social media. Victims of these scams are often left emotionally and financially devastated, with family members sometimes begging their GPs to step in.

We spoke with Dr Ian Taylor, chairman of the Midwest GP Network in Geraldton, WA, which has decided to offer local doctors support and education on how they can help.  

What prompted you to get involved in this issue?

Dr Ian Taylor: An elderly woman in Geraldton was left mentally broken and scarred after she was conned out of about $200,000. It devastated her family, who realised the widow was a victim of a romance scam, but the poor woman would not believe it. She was in denial about it all.