Online dating can feel exciting and safe—until it isn’t.
Two Scottish women, Abbie Draper and Samantha, discovered this the hard way after thinking they were communicating with a charming doctor online, only to find the truth was far more unsettling.
What started as innocent Facebook messages turned into a nightmare involving deception, stolen identities, and emotional betrayal.
How the Catfish Hooked His Victims
Abbie Draper, 35 and a former Miss Scotland finalist, first encountered “Dr David Graham” back in 2014 while living in the small town of Kilmarnock.
David claimed he was caring for her ailing grandfather, and Abbie, trusting and unsuspecting, accepted his friend request.
A year later, Samantha from Glasgow received a similar request from the same profile.
She was drawn in immediately by David’s compliments about her smile and engaged in flirty conversations that felt personal and genuine.
Over time, he built rapport with both women through messages and phone calls, even using a voice-changing app to sound like a man.
Samantha received gifts, flowers, and romantic gestures that deepened their trust.
Red Flags and Growing Suspicion
Things began to unravel when both women noticed David avoiding in-person meetings.
Abbie’s suspicions peaked when she was asked to perform at a charity ball for medics.
After sharing the event online, she received a mysterious warning from a stranger: don’t trust “Dr David.”
Determined to uncover the truth, Abbie contacted the venue but found no record of the event under David’s name.
This prompted her to form a secret Facebook group called 007 with other women who had interacted with the same catfish.
Together, they reverse-image searched his photos and discovered that all of them had been stolen from Instagram accounts, revealing a web of fake identities carefully constructed to trick them.
Unmasking the Catfish
Through relentless online sleuthing, Abbie identified the person behind the deception: Adele Rennie, a nurse who had been caring for her grandfather in the hospital.
“I was in such disbelief,” Abbie recalled, describing the sickening reality of someone she had trusted so deeply exploiting vulnerable people in a hospital ward.
Samantha uncovered Rennie’s deception by tracking down the hospital where “David” claimed to work using a photograph of a parking ticket.
When she and her family went to the hospital, they were stunned to see a woman step out of the car—the same woman who had delivered flowers claiming to be from David.
“It sent shivers through me,” Samantha admitted.
The Wider Web of Victims
Abbie and Samantha were not alone.
Other victims, including Lilly, Chloe, Kirsty, and “Charlotte,” shared their stories of falling for Rennie’s elaborate ruse.
Each recounted how convincingly she portrayed the handsome doctor, manipulating emotions and creating false romantic connections.
Legal Consequences and Ongoing Impact
Rennie was first jailed in December 2017 for cyberstalking and received subsequent prison sentences for similar offenses, most recently 28 months in 2024.
Cybersecurity expert Rory Innes highlighted the challenges victims face in cases like this, noting that catfishing often falls into a grey area legally, making it difficult for authorities to intervene until financial fraud is involved.
Understanding the Mind Behind the Scam
The documentary explored Rennie’s possible motives, including glimpses into her troubled childhood and family dynamics.
Her family described the confusion and disbelief they felt over the charges, emphasizing the emotional complexity surrounding her crimes.
Rennie has since issued an apology from prison, stating she is receiving help.
Watch the Full Story
The full ordeal of Abbie, Samantha, and other victims is detailed in the BBC documentary The Beauty Queen and the Catfish, available on BBC iPlayer.
It offers a chilling look at how easily trust can be manipulated online—and the resilience of those who seek the truth.
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