‘He was very good-looking’: 74yo North Carolina woman spends nearly $35,000 on dating site man who disappeared as blame shifts to the platform

The devastating financial and emotional toll of online romance scams has been laid bare by a 74-year-old North Carolina woman who lost nearly $35,000 after looking for companionship on a dating platform designed for older adults.

According to People, Karen Hasick is nearly $35,000 out of pocket and trapped in thousands of dollars of credit card debt after falling victim to a suspected “romance baiting” scheme on the dating website DateMyAge.

Hasick joined DateMyAge after growing tired of having no one with whom she could share conversations or go out. The platform, which caters specifically to older adults, offered a free one-month trial period. During that time, she was inundated with attention, receiving up to 100 “hits” a day.

Her daughter believes it was an AI bot all along

But one profile in particular caught her eye: a 43-year-old man named “Noah.” According to People, she explained why she was attracted to him, saying, “He was very good-looking, very, you know, muscular, built, and a nice-looking guy.” She added that despite their 31-year age gap, Noah assured her that “age is not a factor.”

The financial trap snapped shut once the free trial expired. To keep direct messaging and video chatting with Noah, Hasick had to buy expensive credit packages. She paid $100 for 160 credits and $400 for 1,000 credits. Because Noah was classified as a “free user,” he did not have to pay anything to respond, leaving Hasick to carry the entire financial burden.

The platform’s structure also made it easy for the spending to pile up. In a single week, Hasick was spending between $2,000 and $3,000 just to keep the conversation going.

Even after she gave Noah her direct phone number and personal email address, he insisted on staying on the app. Desperate to maintain the connection, Hasick maxed out her credit cards and drained her cash reserves.

The final turning point came after an attempt to meet in person fell apart. Hasick purchased a plane ticket to Brazil to see him, but Noah told her not to come, citing safety reasons. Frustrated by the mounting costs, she gave him an ultimatum: meet in person or end the relationship. Within days of sending that message, Noah’s profile disappeared from the platform.

Left with nothing, Hasick and her daughter, Cori Waldschmidt, suspect Noah was never a real person, but rather an AI bot designed to keep users paying. DateMyAge strongly denied the claims of using bots, stating that each account is moderated and verified. The company’s statement read:

“We remain committed to providing a safe, respectful and reliable service for our customers and to addressing legitimate concerns through our established customer support and complaints processes.”

The money was for her children’s inherintance

The company offered a partial refund of roughly $2,861, which the family declined. Instead, they chose to share their story publicly and raise awareness about the manipulative architecture of pay-to-chat dating platforms.

Distraught, Hasick confessed that the money she lost was supposed to be her children’s inheritance. Experts warn that this type of “catfishing” and credit-draining financial elder abuse is rising rapidly, fueled by lonely seniors looking for meaningful interaction online.