My mum has met a new boyfriend online — I'm scared she's being catfished

04/20/2021

DEAR DEIDRE: I KEEP looking for excuses not to meet my mum’s new online boyfriend.

I’m a 16-year-old girl and mum told me at Easter that she’d met someone new who lives in the US.

I didn’t know she was talking to anyone. Normally, we tell each other everything. Dad left when I was three.

This man is 40 and she’s 38. She said he’s planning to move to the UK.

I’m scared that she’ll get hurt. I read about people being catfished online and I don’t want it to happen to Mum.

She tries to introduce me when she’s on Facetime to him, but I say I’m doing my homework or going out.

I’ve got nobody to talk to as Mum asked me to keep him a secret for now.

My team and I are working safely from home but we are here to help you as always.

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DEIDRE SAYS: Change will be hard after years of just you two.

Remember though that soon enough, you may want to leave home or go to university. Wouldn’t you feel happier if your mum wasn’t alone?

Find a quiet moment to talk to her about your feelings and warn her of your fears about scams.

Suggest she looks at getsafeonline.org, which is a useful source of unbiased information on all aspects of online safety, including romance fraud.

She may reassure you. All being well, there’s no harm in you saying “hello” online. You might like him.