A LOVESTRUCK man travelled nearly 500 miles to meet a beauty queen he had been talking to online – only to be greeted by her husband.
Unlucky Belgian man Michel had turned up at Sophie Vouzeland’s home in Saint-Julien, France, and announced he was her “future husband”.
But Sophie’s actual husband Fabien emerged from the home and quipped: “Well, I’m the current one.”
Stunning Sophie is a former Miss Limousin and 2007 Miss France runner-up.
She boasts nearly 300,000 followers on Instagram alone and often posts her life on social media.
Michel, aged 76, believed he had been chatting with the beauty queen on WhatsApp for several weeks. He had even sent a staggering £25,000, under the impression it was merely a loan.
Michel is heard saying: “I think she played a dirty trick on me.”
The shocked man then shows Sophie’s husband the many messages he and, who he thought was the French model, had exchanged.
Fabien responded: “My wife, no, it’s the fake accounts.
“You have to be very careful.”
It didn’t take long before Michel realised he had sadly been scammed, telling the couple: “I am an imbecile.”
Husband Fabien videoed some of the exchange and posted it to social media where it has garnered thousands of views.
He also wrote a warning on the post about the dangers of romance scams.
This is where someone is deceived into sending cash to a criminal who convinces them they’re in an actual relationship.
Fabien said in the post: “I feel so sorry for this man.
“Watch out for fake accounts, I’m sharing this video to show you it’s real and to be vigilant! Take care of yourself.”
Belgian man Michel is thought to be a widower of four years and was looking for love – but was heinously scammed.
Sophie urged the deceived man to go to the cops to lodge a complaint.
It remains unclear whether he has or not.
The beauty queen expressed her sympathy for Michel and said the incident “hurts my heart”.
