A British woman who lost an estimated £800,000 to £1 million in a series of online fraud schemes died in a road accident in Ghana after travelling there in an attempt to recover part of her money, an inquest in Exeter has heard.
Janet Fordham, 69, from Devon, was said to have been targeted over a five-year period by multiple fraudsters believed to be operating from several countries, including the UK, Germany, the United States and Ghana. The scams reportedly left her without her savings, home and land.
The inquest was told Fordham became involved in online dating in 2017, where she was contacted by individuals posing as romantic partners or professionals in need of assistance. According to family testimony, one man claimed to be a British Army sergeant major stationed in Syria who needed help transporting gold bars to the UK. Relatives said they warned her against sending money, but she is believed to have transferred around £150,000.
Later, she was allegedly deceived by another individual presenting himself as a diplomat. Family members said they believe she eventually understood she had been defrauded, though accepting the reality of the scams was difficult.
Evidence presented at the hearing indicated that money was sent through several channels, including bank transfers, postal wire services and other payment methods. Authorities estimate the total losses may have reached £1 million.
In 2022, Fordham was reportedly contacted by a man in Ghana known as Kofi, who claimed to be a doctor. He told her he had discovered she was being scammed and could help recover her missing funds. Believing he could assist, Fordham travelled to Accra in October that year.
Her daughter-in-law said the family sought medical and legal guidance in an effort to intervene. However, Fordham was considered legally capable of making her own decisions, meaning relatives had no authority to prevent her travel or financial actions.
The inquest heard that Fordham’s relationship with the man later became personal, and she agreed to marry him.
On 14 February 2023, while being driven to meet one of his relatives to discuss the marriage, the vehicle reportedly swerved and overturned. Fordham, who was not wearing a seatbelt, suffered fatal injuries.
Police in Devon and Cornwall said their investigation found no evidence of third-party involvement in the crash, though the driver admitted a motoring offence.
Detective Sergeant Ben Smith described Fordham as the victim of a prolonged and systematic fraud campaign between 2017 and 2022. He said officers had repeatedly tried to persuade her to cut contact with those involved and stop sending money.
Senior Coroner Philip Spinney said there were unanswered questions and gaps in the available evidence surrounding the collision, adding that the circumstances had not been thoroughly examined. He concluded that Fordham most likely died from a head injury sustained in the road traffic incident.
The case highlights the severe financial and emotional consequences of long-term fraud, particularly scams that exploit trust through fabricated relationships and false promises of recovery.
