A convicted fraudster trawling online dating sites for victims also conned a group of golfing pals out of cash for a non-existent round at St Andrews’ Old Course, it has been claimed.
Tinder swindler Michael Higgins uses Tinder and Bumble looking for love, claiming to be a high-rolling businessman with multiple high-end properties and luxury cars.
But we revealed he was convicted for conning people into buying cheap electronic goods – then swiping the cash and failing to deliver the items.
Police are now probing fresh claims he is doing the same to women he meets on dating sites.
We can reveal that it is claimed he charged at least 10 golfers at a West Lothian club £125 each for a golf outing to the Old Course at St Andrews, then made excuses for cancelling the day out after they had paid the cash.
The Record understands some of the men managed to get their money back but it’s understood others are still chasing 39-year-old Higgins to return it.
One man said: “He messaged out of the blue last summer offering a session on the course in Fife and said it was £125 including breakfast and lunch.
“Then it was Covid that was the reason it was cancelled, then he said he was in hospital and sent pics of himself in a hospital bed hooked up to a drip.
“He said he was getting something cut out of his throat and was vomiting blood and also mentioned cancer.
“He’s not been seen back at the golf club for a while but you can be assured people want their money back.”
The man, who didn’t want to be named, added: “He comes across as a nice guy, very believable and no sense that he was conning people out of their hard-earned cash. He’s needing stopped.
“How he’s got away with it for so long is beyond me.”
Yesterday, we told how unsuspecting Fleur Brand fell for Higgins after seeing his profile on Bumble.
But she was left fuming after handing over cash for electronic goods that never showed up – and had to demand her
money back.
Fleur, 32, met Higgins after seeing his Bumble profile in October 2020, believing she had met a “lovely guy”.
Weeks into their relationship, Higgins convinced Fleur, from Edinburgh, to send him hundreds of pounds for an iPad from the electronics company he claimed to work for.
Fleur never received the tech and spent almost a year fighting to get her money back.
The Record has spoken to a victim of the scam Higgins was previously convicted of, who warned people to steer clear of him on dating sites.
Higgins is believed to be working as a takeaway driver in West Lothian.
He would not respond to calls from the Daily Record.
Police said they have received a complaint and are investigating.
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