Is sympathetic woman trying to scam me?

DEAR DEIDRE: A lady I know wants to move in and care for me but is she out to scam me?

I’m a man of 58. I live in a council flat and I don’t work. I have mobility issues because of having operations on my foot. The community nurse used to come out to dress my foot but now I have to take two buses to get to my doctor.

I use Facebook and a lady reached out to me and I remembered her name as I used to work on her dad’s farm as a teenager. She’s 57 and seemed really nice. She said she is a retired nurse.

We’ve been talking for months. She says she loves me and she wants to care for me but I know that she is short of money.

I’ve lent cash to two other friends who haven’t paid me back yet and I‘m worried this woman will take me for a fool too.

DEIDRE SAYS: There’s no rush for you to invite her to live with you. You must get to know her first and that involves face-to-face meetings.

Ask whether she’ll visit you. You’ll get a better idea of what she’s like when you see her for yourself, rather than online.

If you’re able to get a taxi to visit her at some later date that will help you too, but you must develop a genuine relationship before you decide to move in together.

If she starts asking for money, you’ll know she’s not the right person for you. 

Please take your time.