A Kent vicar says he has been conned out of £12,000 by a man he met in a Christian chatroom who claimed to be a trainee pastor from Nigeria.
The Reverend Robert Nooney planned to set up a multi-faith church and soup kitchen in Thanet.
After discussing it in a chatroom, a man called David said he would fund the project from his £7.5m inheritance if Mr Nooney helped him with legal costs.
But after paying £12,000 he said the money he was promised never arrived.
Mr Nooney said he sent £1,200 from his savings, £1,800 he raised on credit cards and £9,000 he took out in bank loans.
The man called David asked for money for legal fees so he could free up cash from his inheritance and buy an airline ticket so he could visit the project in Kent.
He then asked for money for hospital bills after he said his taxi to the airport crashed.
Mr Nooney said: "It's made me question my faith big time. I feel like I've got a massive amount of shame on my shoulders because I shouldn't have fallen for something like this.
"It's left me feeling really dead inside. Emotions seem to have left me because for the last five days or so I've done nothing but cry and shout in anger at things."
The Reverend Robert Nooney planned to set up a multi-faith church and soup kitchen in Thanet.
After discussing it in a chatroom, a man called David said he would fund the project from his £7.5m inheritance if Mr Nooney helped him with legal costs.
But after paying £12,000 he said the money he was promised never arrived.
Mr Nooney said he sent £1,200 from his savings, £1,800 he raised on credit cards and £9,000 he took out in bank loans.
The man called David asked for money for legal fees so he could free up cash from his inheritance and buy an airline ticket so he could visit the project in Kent.
He then asked for money for hospital bills after he said his taxi to the airport crashed.
Mr Nooney said: "It's made me question my faith big time. I feel like I've got a massive amount of shame on my shoulders because I shouldn't have fallen for something like this.
"It's left me feeling really dead inside. Emotions seem to have left me because for the last five days or so I've done nothing but cry and shout in anger at things."
All that is necessary for evil members to succeed is that good members post nothing 
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