THIS is the moment a conman is confronted after returning to a dating app just days after being slapped with a seventh jail term for romance fraud.
For two decades, career catfish Raymond McDonald has sleuthed dating apps in search of women to extort after love bombing them online.
He’s racked up a whopping 58 convictions after taking thousands from women and is thought to be one of the biggest romance fraudsters in the UK.
After his most recent jail stint, he was back on the apps within days – but he turned up to a date unaware it was a trap to expose his con.
It is understood that disgraced McDonald, 51, was discharged from the army in 2000 after using a female soldier’s credit card without permission.
Ever since, he’s trawled the apps and spewed lies to women online, using different names each time – often posing as a serving army officer.
In November last year, he was released from prison on licence and at the beginning of December he was spotted on a dating app.
He struck up a conversation with mum-of-two Kaye, in her 50s, who posed with her cat and a glass of wine and told him this was her first time online dating.
McDonald offered to help her daughter move house, said they could stay with him and floated the idea of a Vegas wedding.
The conman even offered to help buy her daughter a present and said he had a mate who could get things on the cheap.
He offered all this before even meeting Kaye.
But when he turned up for their first date, he was confronted by a BBC reporter who had used a wig and alias to ensnare the fraudster.
Video of the confrontation shows the reporter approaching him and asking: “It’s Rob, isn’t it?”
When he said yes, she continued: “It’s not Rob though, is it? It’s Ray, or are you Mark today?”
As she grilled the serial catfish, he insisted he used the apps because he wants to meet someone nice” and he was “just looking for friendship”.
When she pointed out that his victims have lost thousands and even lost their homes because of his fraud, he replied: “I’ve apologised.”
Five days later he was arrested and thrown back in prison for breaking his licence conditions.
McDonald has posed as a paramedic, a police officer, property developer, and an army officer as part of his fraud plots.
In 2014, he told one woman his daughter was in a coma – after taking thousands for a wedding in Cyprus.
He was even sentenced under a fake name in 2019.
McDonald is known to have used Tinder, Hinge, Plenty of Fish, and Badoo.
Victims of his cruel con bravely decided to speak out, describing to the BBC the level of trauma they suffered as a result of his “charming” ways.
One said he told her that he was working over the festive period in a secretive military role, but wanted to stay in touch with her during Christmas.
The woman, named Paula, recounted: ”(He) just made you feel, I don’t know, wanted. Special. I hadn’t been in a relationship for such a long time. I suppose in hindsight, it was what I wanted to hear.”
However, it turned out that McDonald wasn’t just talking to Paula – he formed relationships with numerous women, arranging to meet and telling them he had just divorced and was starting a new job.
McDonald’s crime spree
2000
Discharged from army after using a female soldier’s credit card without permission
2003
Poses as a cop and is sentenced to three years in jail
2009
Poses as paramedic and steals £3,000 in romance fraud
Locked up for three years
2011
Pretends to be a property developer
Given four years in jail after taking more than £4,000 from a woman
2014
Fakes daughter’s coma after taking thousands for a wedding in Cyprus
2016
Sold wedding dress belonging to a victim’s daughter and kept the money
Sentenced to seven years for fraud
2019
Given five years in jail under a fake name after absconding from prison
2024
Posed as an army officer
Admits to several romance scams
Sentenced to four and a half years in jail
One claimed the 51-year-old had told her he needed to be on shift at the probation service in the evenings – when in reality he was reporting himself to probation.
All the women who came forward to share their story described McDonald as warm, genuine – and even vulnerable at first.
However, whilst seeing the women, he would taking money from them to pay for things that would never materialise – such as luxury items or house deposits – while his victims were portrayed the false image he had property abroad as well as posh cars.
Another victim who had fallen for McDonald’s charming character began to question his motives after he pressured her to pay him more money to purchase luxury goods that never appeared.
She decided to post about him in a Facebook group called Are We Dating The Same Guy?
With her new hubby sitting in another room, the woman went over the comments and said: ”My world just fell.”
Shortly after, she made an excuse to leave and instantly contacted the police, and the fraudster was arrested just hours later.
McDonald’s own mother describes him as a ”b***** big liar” and a ”full sham” revealing that he told women he duped that she had passed away and even pretended to go to her funeral on Valentine’s Day.
A spokesperson for Match Group, which owns Tinder, Hinge and PoF, said: “We invest heavily in proactive tools, advanced detection systems and user education.
“We also work closely with law enforcement through the industry’s first global law enforcement portal, enabling authorities to share information and request data to support their investigations.”
A Badoo spokesperson added: “We work closely with law enforcement and maintain dedicated channels for them to share information about individuals who are banned from using dating apps due to court orders or parole restrictions.
“Anyone found to be attempting to defraud or manipulate members will be restricted or banned from the app.”
Police issue warning against Valentine’s Scams – from ‘fake tradies’ to dream ‘celebs’ targeting people looking for love
POLICE have revealed the ‘romance scam’ red flags for single people to look out for this Valentine’s Day.
In 2025, these evil schemes surged by 20 percent, with con artists stealing more than £100 million every year from vulnerable people simply looking for love.
Staffordshire Police warned that the fraudsters use advanced techniques and will go to any length to trick their victims into giving them cash – often dressed up as a loan or favour.
And it’s not just financial requests to look out for.
Con artists could also ask for copies of official documents, like you passport, or ask you to send or receive packages that contain expensive items on their behalf.
Fraud protect and prepare coordinator, Simon Street, said: “Scammers use advanced techniques to lure victims into their web of deceit, taking their time to build up trust and the impression that they genuinely care for them.
“The ruse enables them to convince victims to send increasing amounts of cash, with more elaborate excuses each time, as to why they never turn up.
Romance scammers often target vulnerable individuals, or people who are fresh from a breakup – but that’s not always the case.
Simon stressed that no matter how long you have been talking to someone online, and no matter how much you trust them, you must never send money.
