Love Bombed

Vicky Pattison wonders what it would take to stop Ray MacDonald offending, after his seven jail sentences imposed to-date, across two decades.Vicky looks at the court system and its limitations, laws surrounding dating apps and asks whether there’s anything that could prevent Ray from pursuing the women he targets. Love Bombed: WifeHunter presented by Vicky Pattison. Writer and Producer: Jane Downs and Barney Rowntree. Investigative reporter: Philippa Goymer. Story Consultant: Barney Rowntree. Sound designer: Kasel Kundola. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Producer: Dan Farthing (BBC Investigations NE & Cumbria). Commissioning Editor: Alistair Miskin. Lovebombed was made at BBC Radio Newcastle for BBC Sounds. Visit bbc.co.uk/actionline for help and support on issues raised in this series.

Ray McDonald agrees to an interview after being rumbled using dating apps under a false name.Meanwhile, Vicky catches up with some of the women whose lives have been turned upside down by Ray and discovers why it’s so hard for victims of romance fraud to rebuild their lives.Love Bombed: WifeHunter presented by Vicky Pattison. Writer and Producer: Jane Downs and Barney Rowntree. Investigative reporter: Philippa Goymer. Story Consultant: Barney Rowntree. Sound designer: Kasel Kundola. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Producer: Dan Farthing (BBC Investigations NE & Cumbria). Commissioning Editor: Alistair Miskin. Lovebombed was made at BBC Radio Newcastle for BBC Sounds. Visit bbc.co.uk/actionline for help and support on issues raised in this series.

Ray McDonald is out of prison. He’s already broken his restraining order banning him from dating apps and is on a website posing as “Rob from York”.Vicky’s production team arrange a date with his latest alter ego.They witness first-hand the tried and tested love bombing techniques that Ray has used for years before finally confronting him.Love Bombed: WifeHunter presented by Vicky Pattison. Writer and Producer: Jane Downs and Barney Rowntree. Investigative reporter: Philippa Goymer. Story Consultant: Barney Rowntree. Sound designer: Kasel Kundola. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Producer: Dan Farthing (BBC Investigations NE & Cumbria). Commissioning Editor: Alistair Miskin. Lovebombed was made at BBC Radio Newcastle for BBC Sounds. Visit bbc.co.uk/actionline for help and support on issues raised in this series.

Vicky Pattison explores Ray McDonald’s past, asking those who know him best why they think he has spent decades scamming people.Vicky asks whether time spent in the army may have given Ray the skills to be a better conman and hears how his refusal to deal with any fallout from his lies has affected his family life.Love Bombed: WifeHunter presented by Vicky Pattison. Writer and Producer: Jane Downs and Barney Rowntree. Investigative reporter: Philippa Goymer. Story Consultant: Barney Rowntree. Sound designer: Kasel Kundola. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Producer: Dan Farthing (BBC Investigations NE & Cumbria). Commissioning Editor: Alistair Miskin. Lovebombed was made at BBC Radio Newcastle for BBC Sounds. Visit bbc.co.uk/actionline for help and support on issues raised in this series.

As the extent of Ray McDonald’s repeat offending starts to become clear, Vicky discovers he has been released from his latest sentence.Vicky hears from Susan who went to school with Ray McDonald in County Durham. She grew up with him but that didn’t stop him from ruining her life.Love Bombed: WifeHunter presented by Vicky Pattison. Writer and Producer: Jane Downs and Barney Rowntree. Investigative reporter: Philippa Goymer. Story Consultant: Barney Rowntree. Sound designer: Kasel Kundola. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Producer: Dan Farthing (BBC Investigations NE & Cumbria). Commissioning Editor: Alistair Miskin. Lovebombed was made at BBC Radio Newcastle for BBC Sounds. Visit bbc.co.uk/actionline for help and support on issues raised in this series.

Vicky Pattison meets Caroline, who lost her home after matching with prolific romance fraudster Raymond McDonald on a dating site.McDonald was posing as Mark Swift, a stressed-out chef with a seriously ill daughter. Within six months he had proposed, emptied Caroline’s bank account and left her with suspected PTSD. Caroline was in court when McDonald was sent to prison for defrauding her and three other women.Left to rebuild her life, she assumed he’d learnt his lesson - she’s about to find out just how wrong she was.Love Bombed: WifeHunter presented by Vicky Pattison. Writer and Producer: Jane Downs and Barney Rowntree. Investigative reporter: Philippa Goymer. Story Consultant: Barney Rowntree. Sound designer: Kasel Kundola. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Producer: Dan Farthing (BBC Investigations NE & Cumbria). Commissioning Editor: Alistair Miskin.Lovebombed was made at BBC Radio Newcastle for BBC Sounds. Visit bbc.co.uk/actionline for help and support on issues raised in this series.

Vicky Pattison uncovers one the UK’s most disturbing and prolific Lovebombers, Raymond McDonald.Discover how one man has been able to repeatedly invent new personas online and use them to scam unsuspecting women for more than twenty years.Despite a court ban he is still on dating apps and talking to women. One of them is us.Have you been love bombed? Tell us your story at [email protected]. Credits: Love Bombed: WifeHunter presented by Vicky Pattison. Writer and Producer: Jane Downs and Barney Rowntree. Investigative reporter: Philippa Goymer. Story Consultant: Barney Rowntree. Sound designer: Kasel Kundola. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Producer: Dan Farthing (BBC Investigations NE & Cumbria). Commissioning Editor: Alistair Miskin.Lovebombed was made at BBC Radio Newcastle for BBC Sounds. Visit bbc.co.uk/actionline for help and support on issues raised in this series.

Vicky Pattison talks to author Becky Holmes who has turned the tables on scammers who pretend to be celebrities. They attempt to contact “Elon Musk” and recreate conversations with “Mick Jagger” and “Keanu Reeves” - all spelling and grammatic errors are the fraudsters own.If you have been affected by a scam or fraud, there's help available via bbc.co.uk/actionline on the 'Fraud & Scams" page.Statements from platforms featured:Instagram say that accounts that impersonate someone else are against their Community Guidelines and they remove them when brought to their attention. They say that they have added extra protections to the user’s genuine Facebook and Instagram accounts designed to tackle account impersonation. They say they don’t allow fraudulent activity and work closely with law enforcement to support investigations.X(formerly Twitter) say Impersonation is a violation of their rules. They say that you may not misappropriate the identity of individuals, groups, or organizations or use a fake identity to deceive others. They say when they receive an impersonation report, they will investigate the reported account to determine if it violates the X Rules. Accounts determined to be in violation of their Misleading and Deceptive identities policy will either be suspended or asked to update the account(s) so they no longer violate their policies.Presenter: Vicky Pattison. Producer: Emma Goswell. Sounds Producer: Paul Hilton. Online producer: Rachael Smith. Producer for You Tube: Paul Gay. Visualised Podcast Team: Amita Parekh, Ali Ali, Alicia Thursting, Andy Bosley, Chris House, David Kwan, Natasha Peach, Rafael Bujosa, Rob Grieve and The 44d team. Executive Producer: Kathryn Morrison.

A passionate love affair, a clash of cultures, was Michelle's relationship really a romance fraud?Have you been love-bombed? Tell us your story at [email protected] bbc.co.uk/actionline for help and support on issues raised in this series.

A lockdown friendship sent Suzanne and her business into a spin.

A betrayal by a friend dashes the retirement dream of former aid-worker Rod.

An online relationship with someone who seemed familiar threatened Fionna and her family.

Priya thought he was the love of her life, so why did he want her family heirlooms?

Vicky Pattison explores romance fraud, deception and mental manipulation with people who want to speak up to help expose this crime.Plus a bonus episode with author Becky Holmes who turns the tables on the scammers that lurk online pretending to be celebrities.

Sarah shares why she wanted to tell her story.

Exploring how technology can mask someone’s identity. Anna Rowe, LoveSaid website co-founder, shares how scammers are staying one step ahead.Featuring “This is not Morgan Freeman: A Deepfake Singularity”. Concept and deep fake by Bob de Jong. Freeman's voice is imitated by the Boet Schouwink.

A former scammer based in Nigeria shares his secrets about the world of West African romance fraud.

Follow DI Duncan Wynn from Thames Valley Police and his “high harm unit” as they investigate and support victims.

Sarah suspects something isn't quite right when she asks Alex for proof of his identity and he sends a passport in a different name.Contains themes of mental distress and suicide. Visit bbc.co.uk/actionline for sources of help and support.

Sarah is going to the airport to meet Alex for the very first time. He has sent her the details of his Lagos flight from Nigeria and Sarah is waiting in Arrivals full of anticipation and excitement.

Alex and Sarah get more intimate sharing sexy images, they also make birthday plans for Alex's 12-year-old daughter, Cassie.With insights from forensic linguist and criminologist Dr Elisabeth Carter of Kingston University.

Sarah is looking for a loving relationship outside family responsibilities, Alex and her share lots in common, with promises made to build a life together.Could this be love?

Sarah meets “Alex” online after a friend persuades her to sign up to dating website.

Vicky Pattison explores the story of a woman who was the target of an online fraudster.

Businesses from across Tyneside line up with Coleen and Karen to help bring Greg Wilson to justice.Vicky asks "what was in it for him?" and explores how the deception continues to affect those who were caught up in it the most.Have you been love bombed? Tell us your story at [email protected]/Producer: Jon Douglas. Technical producer: Ollie Peart. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Producer: Kathryn Morrison.

Vicky listens to the police tapes as Greg faces some tough questions. Police are amazed to discover Wilson had been up to his old tricks while he was on the run and it turns out there may have been real people playing the parts of fictitious characters.Have you been love bombed? Tell us your story at [email protected]/Producer: Jon Douglas. Technical producer: Ollie Peart. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Producer: Kathryn Morrison.

Vicky looks at the police files containing surprising documents which Greg Wilson used to back up his stories to make them so believable.Meanwhile, Detective Constable Chris Bentham from Durham Police reveals where Greg Wilson had gone and how they found him.Have you been love bombed? Tell us your story at [email protected]/Producer: Jon Douglas. Technical producer: Ollie Peart. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Producer: Kathryn Morrison.

Rachel explains how she and Greg Wilson first met, how he ‘love bombed’ her and how a happy marriage began to turn sour. She also shares how he managed to lead a double life with Coleen and talks about the impact it has had on her and their three sons.Have you been love bombed? Tell us your story at [email protected]/Producer: Jon Douglas. Technical producer: Ollie Peart. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Producer: Kathryn Morrison.

The truth finally catches up with James Scott after postponed marriages and two years of deceit. Those who loved him realise they didn't know him, or his name. He is actually called Greg Wilson and he has been leading a double life.Have you been love bombed? Tell us your story at [email protected]/Producer: Jon Douglas. Technical producer: Ollie Peart. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Producer: Kathryn Morrison.

James earns his brother-in-law-to-be's loyalty and turns his attention to "helping" the family of a disabled child. On radio adverts promoting his newest business venture, James promises a cash donation to a kids charity. He also approaches the mother of a disabled child offering a fundraising drive to help improve her life.Have you been love bombed? Tell us your story at [email protected]/Producer: Jon Douglas. Technical producer: Ollie Peart. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Producer: Kathryn Morrison.

James involves Coleen and her sister Karen in his exciting new plans for a restaurant and wine bar in Newcastle upon Tyne. He soon has businesspeople from across Tyneside also working on the ambitious project, but all is not what it seems. On top of that, he has to find a plausible way out of his proposed wedding.Have you been love bombed? Tell us your story at [email protected]/Producer: Jon Douglas. Technical producer: Ollie Peart. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Producer: Kathryn Morrison.

Coleen does not want any more children so James tells her that he is having a vasectomy. After the procedure, he appears bandaged and in discomfort. When Coleen finds out she's pregnant by James, he calls it a miracle.Have you been love bombed? Tell us your story at [email protected]/Producer: Jon Douglas. Technical producer: Ollie Peart. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Producer: Kathryn Morrison.

Coleen meets James Scott online and is ‘love bombed’ into a relationship. His fake firefighter job provides the perfect cover for what he's really up to at night.Have you been love bombed? Tell us your story at [email protected]/Producer: Jon Douglas. Technical producer: Ollie Peart. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Producer: Kathryn Morrison.

The incredible double life of a serial cheater and how his true identity was finally revealed.Have you been love bombed? Tell us your story at [email protected]/Producer: Jon Douglas. Technical producer: Ollie Peart. Online Producer: Rachael Smith. Executive Producer: Kathryn Morrison.