Twice-divorced Sarah has said she is "95 per cent" certain she is not being scammed by the man she began emailing 18 months ago
A woman has told how she has sent almost £1million to a man she's never met after they fell in love online.
Twice-divorced Sarah met a man calling himself Chris Olsen 18 months ago via an online dating service and romance soon blossomed.
He told her he is originally from Milan, Italy, but moved to the United States 18 years ago.
The pair talk for hours on the phone every day and Sarah said she quickly realised she had fallen for Chris.
"An attractive person came on there and said 'you look like you wouldn't hurt a fly'," she told the Dr Phil Show.
"I thought 'wow, this guy is really handsome, I can't believe he's talking to me.'
"Chris has a way with words. He'll say 'how is my queen doing today'
"He's very poetic when he talks to me.
"He writes 'Mrs Olsen, I love you and I cant wait to be with you'."
The only problem is, the pair have never been able to meet in person.
Chris, who told Sarah he is a widower with two daughters, says he had been in South Africa for business purposes.
But he is now stuck in Benin, West Africa, after getting in "trouble" with the government, Sarah says.
Over the course of their relationship, Sarah has sent almost £1million dollars to Chris for problems including stolen cards, calling cards, hotel bills, lawyers, a nanny and when his visa expired.
On one occasion, Chris said he had been imprisoned on false charges of money laundering.
Sarah sold an apartment she owned and sent him more than half a million dollars to get him out of jail.
She says Chris has made "five or six" attempts to leave Africa for the US, but each time is thrown back in jail.
Sarah adds that Chris' accent appears to have changed in the time they have been talking.
"When I first started talking to him," she told Dr Phil.
"He sounded Italian, now his accent's kind of changed I don't know if he's adapted to where he's at... in Benin."
However, Sarah says she believes Chris' stories are legitimate.
"I have questioned several times whether or not this is a scam," says Sarah.
"But I'm 95 per cent certain that Chris is telling me the truth.
"I still believe in love."