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When Jackie Crenshaw, 61, first met “Brandon” on a dating app in May 2023, she was hoping for a relationship. Instead, she became a victim of a crypto romance scam and ended up testifying at the State Capitol on the need for stronger fraud protections.
More than two years later, her home is in foreclosure, her nest egg is gone, and she faces hefty tax bills from withdrawing hundreds of thousands in retirement money to invest in what she thought was cryptocurrency.
The truth, she discovered, is that her money was siphoned away in a scam.
The East Haven resident is one of thousands in Connecticut who have fallen prey to romance scams. A new state law aims to protect future victims and to help in the recovery of assets.
The Federal Trade Commission, which tracks fraud data, estimated losses from romance scams of more than $1.2 billion in 2024. (Actual totals are likely higher because fraud is typically underreported.)
THE BEST BOYFRIEND
After connecting on the dating app, Brandon suggested they “get off the site” and communicate through phone calls and texts.
Crenshaw says that in hindsight, this was a red flag. She never met Brandon in person because he always had excuses why it didn’t happen — another red flag. Brandon told Crenshaw that he worked in construction, had two young sons and had lost his wife in a car accident. Crenshaw later found out that he had stolen someone’s social media profile.
During the first months, Crenshaw says Brandon was kind and adoring.
He sent her meals after her long shifts as a senior manager at Yale New Haven Hospital. He donated to her work fundraisers. They even prayed together on the phone.
“It was … this loving relationship,” says Crenshaw. “It was probably the best boyfriend you could ever have.”
A few months later, Brandon suggested Crenshaw invest in cryptocurrency. She started with a $40,000 “investment,” which she borrowed from her 401(k).
But the money wasn’t going to a legitimate cryptocurrency company, and the fake statements showing her money growing were all part of the scheme.
“He was really playing a part and making it believable,” Crenshaw says. “He was always one step ahead.”
VICTIM TURNED FRAUD FIGHTER
State Rep. Jaime Foster (D-Ellington) met Crenshaw when she testified on a bill Foster was pushing to give police more authority to recover stolen cryptocurrency, including being able to freeze assets taken by scammers.
“Jackie explained how she, like so many other people, can fall prey to a scam like this,” says Foster. “Her testimony was really captivating because it showed the sophistication of these criminals.”
The bipartisan bill, which passed the legislature last year and was signed by Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont in June 2025, will help law enforcement “keep up with the times” and level the playing field, says Nora Duncan, AARP Connecticut state director. It takes effect July 1.
“Law enforcement is now going to have more tools in their toolbox in Connecticut to get that money back to victims,” she says.
Foster says that one of the challenges of recognizing scams like the one Crenshaw experienced is the advanced technology being used to perpetuate them.
“I think sometimes people present it as you’ve got to outsmart a scammer, but you can’t when they’re so technologically [advanced],” she says. “They’re using AI to generate a person that you might be talking to, or actually the image of a very real person. And so they can make things really look very real in their engagement.”
Brandon’s scheme came to light when an anonymous tipster alerted East Haven police. Crenshaw says she is sharing her story to help others avoid what she is going through.
“Awareness is our best defense,” agrees East Haven Police Capt. Joseph M. Murgo.
The Connecticut State Police are investigating but have not arrested anyone or recovered any of the approximately $1 million Crenshaw lost.
Crenshaw’s dreams of retiring in her early 60s are gone: She’ll be paying $700 a month in taxes for six years on the withdrawn retirement account money that disappeared in a click.
If you’ve experienced a romance scam or other fraud, email ct@aarp.org to share your story or become a volunteer.
Michelle Cerulli McAdams, a Massachusetts writer, has written for the Bulletin since 2014, covering health, politics and policy
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