A convicted Edinburgh fraudster that trawled 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 both Tinder and Bumble looking for love, claiming to be a hot-shot businessman with multiple plush properties and sport cars.
Recently, the Daily Record revealed that Higgins was convicted of conning people into buying cheap electronic goods - then swiping the cash and failing to deliver the items.
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Police are now probing fresh claims that he is doing the same to men and women he meets on dating sites.
Now, the Record has revealed that at least ten golfers have claimed that he charged them at a West Lothian club £125 each for a golf outing to the old Course at St Andrews, then made up a barrel of excuses for not turning up.
Some of the men managed to get their money back, but it is understood others are still chasing the 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, it was revealed that one of Higgins' victims, Flear Brand, fell for his lies after seeing his profile on Bumble and handed over cash for electronic goods that never showed up.
Fleur, 32, met Higgins after coming across his Bumble profile on October 2020, believing that 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 company he had 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.
