Joseph Gibson claimed he had cancer, said he had been blown up by a bomb and even claimed to be worth more than £440m – but his devious pack of lies were all part of a trap to swindle his victims out of almost £80,000 and uphold the illusion of a luxurious lifestyle.

Two of his victims, who he met on Tinder, were taken in by his ploy, handing over money they believed would fund private cancer treatment and clothes. One woman, who believed she was in a relationship with him, took out personal loans and built up credit card debts as she lost more than £21,000.

So sophisticated and drawn-out was the 35-year-old silver-tongued lothario’s fraudulent scheme, that he sent photographs of himself in a hospital bed and begged for money.

Meanwhile, he told another victim he was a multi-millionaire and encouraged them to hand over cash they thought they were investing in his business.

Gibson, of Penbryn Nant, Ruthin Wells, was sentenced to three years and two months in prison at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday after earlier pleaded guilty to four charges of fraud by false representation.

He has promised to repay his victims with around £40,000 in savings.

Pictures and text messages sent by the fraudster to his victims, released by Avon and Somerset Police, illustrate the extent of his cruel offending.

Two images showed Gibson in a hospital bed with a face mask, another showed a blood catheter in his wrist, which also bore a hospital band.

In a text message to one of his victims, he wrote: “I think the cancer is back x”. Later, he continued: “See the DR, it’s cancer and he wants to start radio Tuesday. Do not tell anyone please x. Yeah, it is deffo cancer.”

On another occassion, while claiming to be in hospital, he texted a victim “very embarrassed”, asking them to buy him clothing. “Nothing design haha and have to delivered to the hospital and I’ll pay you when out if can’t I understand but can’t ask anyone else,” wrote.

After she asked for his spending limit, he replied that he was valued at £440m.

Gibson had repeatedly told his victims he had cancer, Ellen Macanaw, prosecuting, told an earlier hearing. His first victim, a Devon-based businesswoman he met on Tinder, sent him £100 after he told her he had the disease, and that “he had people on his back again for money”, the court heard.

The victim then received the pictures of him purporting to be in hospital as he asked for more money, leaving the woman, who lost more than £5,200 over a four-month period, with just 93p in her bank account. Ms MacAnaw said he had plied her with lies, claiming to be worth more than £400m, in charge of many businesses and owning yachts.

She handed him most of her cash, believing he was using it to purchase stock for her retail business.

“It really upsets me when I hear about people having cancer because I question whether they are telling me the truth,” she said in her victim impact statement after he was caught.

Gibson told his second victim, who he also matched with on Tinder, that he was at University College London Hospital receiving treatment for radiation damage suffered while in the Royal Navy, while also claiming to have been “blown up by an IED,” Ms MacAnaw said.

Telling her he could invest her money while making her believe they were in a relationship, he told her his cancer had returned and he needed money urgently for private treatment. The victim took out a £4,000 loan to help him pay for it.

Like with his first victim, he made up stories of his wealth, telling her he was thinking of buying a yacht in Corfu for around £6m.

The woman took out personal loans and built up credit card debt as a result of the con, losing more than £21,000. “He has broken me as a person and turned my whole world upside down”, she said in her victim impact statement.

Two other victims were targeted by Gibson’s fabricated lies.

A third, who was a relative of the second victim, took out loans to invest in bogus investment deals pushed by Gibson. In total she lost over £18,000.

The fourth was a former captain of a super yacht who had been taken in by the fraudster’s lies about his interest in sailing and boats. He gave Gibson more than £25,000 to invest in his business.

The man said in his victim impact statement: “Joe is a psychopathic con artist who would not stop taking money from people. He is a danger to society.”

In the released text messages on Thursday, Gibson told one victim he had climbed Everest. He told one he had a boat “to do Europe for long weekends” and a flat in Dubai, as he asked for £20 to buy deodorant and shampoo during a flight.

In another message he told a victim “Sandbanks is my retreat to get away from hustle and bustle”, adding he had a house and 21 rented properties along the affluent neighbourhood in Poole, Dorset.

He also told a victim he had a “beautiful place in Mayfair”. He also bragged that he could fly a helicopter and that he had a new yacht in Monaco.