Not everyone using online dating sites is looking for love. Scammers create fake online profiles using photos of other people — even stolen pictures of real military personnel. They profess their love quickly. And they tug at your heartstrings with made-up stories about how they need money — for emergencies, hospital bills, or travel. Why all of the tricks? They’re looking to steal your money.
As if all that isn’t bad enough, romance scammers are now involving their victims in online bank fraud. Here’s how it works: The scammers set up dating profiles to meet potential victims. After they form a “relationship,” they come up with reasons to ask their love interest to set up a new bank account. The scammers transfer stolen money into the new account, and then tell their victims to wire the money out of the country. Victims think they’re just helping out their soulmate, never realizing they’re aiding and abetting a crime.
Here are some warning signs that an online love interest might be a fake. They ask you to:
- chat off of the dating site immediately, using personal email, text, or phone
- wire money using Western Union or Money Gram
- set up a new bank account
Did you know you can do an image search of your love interest’s photo in your favorite search engine? If you do an image search and the person’s photo appears under several different names, you’re probably dealing with a scammer. And if the person’s online profile disappears a few days after they meet you, that’s another tip-off.
Here’s the real deal: Don’t send money to someone you met online — for any reason. If your online sweetheart asks for money, you can expect it’s a scam.
Unfortunately, online dating scams are all too common. There may be tens of thousands of victims, and only a small fraction report it to the FTC. If this happens to you, please report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
In reply to Has anyone been caught up by Maddie85
In reply to Hi. I have been talking to by Lulu
In reply to Has anyone been caught up by Maddie85
In reply to I just had 1 scammer by Scammers Busted
In reply to Okay.. I started out as one by Vgb1965
In reply to Okay.. I started out as one by Vgb1965
This guy call himself Michael Pena says he is from UK and is a civil engineer with a 14year old son.He says he will send me phone, money, blabla asks me to send money for clearance I told him he is a scammer and he is being traced he switched off his phone and blocked me from facebook hehehe
ALL I GOT TO SAY IS! IF U HAVE DOUBT. GET OUT!
In reply to I also have been recently by Midnight
In reply to Also a guy goes by dr. Eric by Steph3132
In reply to Also a guy goes by dr. Eric by Steph3132
In reply to Talked to a guy all of by happenedtometoo
In reply to I was chatting to a man on by collilots
In reply to I was chatting to a man on by collilots
In reply to I’m also suspecting of my by wreid84
Some scammers use people to help them transfer stolen money. They meet people online, create a relationship, and ask their new sweetheart to use an existing bank account, or open a new account. Then the scammer asks the person to receive and transfer money.
If you do this for a scammer, your name is on the bank account and on the money transfer forms. If you get involved with one of these schemes, you could lose money and personal information, and you could get into legal trouble.
In reply to Been talking to him for about by DR. Michel Brown
In reply to Been talking to him for about by DR. Michel Brown
In reply to Been talking to him for about by DR. Michel Brown
Pagination