A Spider’s Web

Diary of a Senior Online Love Scam

Based On A True Story

Bessie Larson, in her mid-seventies, enjoys a happy single life post-divorce. She regularly meets people online but does not dabble in online dating. She has a full and busy life as a freelance writer. In the back of her mind, however, is a desire for a lasting love. Maybe it isn’t too late.

Bessie is part of a growing number of older women – and men – who unwittingly become involved in online romance scams that start by becoming trapped in a virtual embrace of loving words. Soon, however, the scammer’s lust for money sets in, and the prey succumbs to financial loss, to the tune of many millions of dollars each year.

The diary format of A Spider’s Web offers an accounting of eighteen months of love skillfully won, and both love and money painfully lost. The author includes tips and recommendations, along with the latest FBI warnings for senior women – and men – caught in online romance scams.

This is Bessie Larson’s first book.

Reviews

A Spider’s Web. Sounds like a murder mystery, but it’s not. Or maybe it is. When a predator, human in this case, reaches deep into its victim’s mind, heart, and soul, gains that victim’s trust – even love – until the deception is revealed, a kind of death does occur – death of the human spirit. Bessie Larson’s “Spider” wove a web so tangled that you’d think she’d never escape. But she did. This is an easy read, and her book includes hints and red flags to look for, what to do, and who to seek help from if her story is yours or someone’s you know. – Mary Lou, USA

Five Stars – Excellent Expose

I enjoyed Bessie Larson’s story because it addressed a serious problem with elderly men and women who become unwitting victims in their search for love. Her diary format was easy to read and follow the relationship as it unfolded. She included a surprise twist and an unpredictable conclusion. I appreciated that she included tips from her own research and the FBI on how to avoid the trap she found herself in for many months. – Verified Kobo Reader

Five Stars – Trendy Trap

I thought Bessie Larson’s diary about being a victim of an online romance scam was interesting and alarming at the same time. I didn’t know how scammers worked, but she clearly presented the build-up and ongoing relationship, which included a shocking turn of events. I appreciated that she included tips from her own research and from the FBI to help others avoid this trap that is trending today. – Verified Kobo Reader

Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers’ Favorite

A Spider’s Web: Diary of a Senior Online Love Scam by Bessie Larson is a painful, yet engaging tale based on a true story, a tale that brilliantly documents the author’s experience of a love scam. She set out to find love, investing time, emotions, and money online only to be left devastated with the startling and painful realization it was all a scam. While documenting her online romance with Swan, the author reveals salient tips and behaviors that readers should watch for to detect signs of a scam.

This book is written by someone whose friend once remarked that she is a good reader of people; however, she couldn’t immediately recognize the signs of a romance scam when she started dating online, a mistake that would eventually cost her heartbreak and financial losses. The story is filled with drama and explores the psychology of online romance scammers. Written in the form of a journal, it captures chats and dialogues between the author and her online love interest, Swan, and each chapter ends with a warning, a tip, or an insight into the common practices and behaviors to watch out for. The author highlights some of the common characteristics of scammers like wanting to get off social media platforms quickly and using email or texting to communicate. Most scammers present themselves as offshore workers or in jobs like engineering, oil rigging, and military service. Most of them claim to be widowers or widows and take superficial interest in the work of those they scam.

A Spider’s Web: Diary of a Senior Online Love Scam is an engaging book written in crisp and excellent prose, a must-read for anyone interested in online dating. It is resonant and beautifully articulates themes of love, scamming, and online dating. Bessie Larson’s book is both a strong warning for readers — especially women in their mid-seventies — to be wary of online dating. It is engaging and entertaining and the author’s honesty rubs off strongly on readers. It is, indeed, a compelling eye-opener that creates awareness of the pitfalls of online dating.