No need to apologise, and don't beat yourself up about it. Many of us have been a victim, or near victim of these criminals, it's not your fault. If it helps you somewhat, she (assuming it is a she) looks like an experienced scammer. By getting you as far as her outside flat door, she's effectively got you to psychologically commit to the "meeting", as she knows that most people would not want to waste time and money travelling then turn down the deposit request with just one step to go.
She's also got you as far as she can take you without either proving she's not real, or encountering confrontation by getting you to her actual front door. "She" could have easily been conducting this scam sat in a flat in Bucharest with a pre-paid UK SIM to fool you and a UK flat address chosen from Google maps street view.
Taking you this far in the transaction shows a maturity of scamming, that she has an understanding of her target that the "online only" crews lack, picking the optimal point at which to get your arm behind your back. Scammers
love commitment. They know their target is thinking, "Well, I've paid out this much, I may as well go the whole way and pay
just a little bit more to get my prize/goodies" con trick. You see it all the time in confidence tricks around the world. Easier to be successful too when they know their target isn't thinking with their brain. Worth memorising this technique to spot in other scams.
Hope you managed to resist, but either way you've done the right thing and will get support here for reporting her.
If you have any more details about the scam that might be useful to others, that'd be great, but appreciate they like to keep a low profile.
Cheers for reporting it buddy, appreciate it and given you a "Like".
Topic: Brianna Vip - Bristol & Southampton - Payment in advance scam (Read 1153 times)