Consumer Alert
Faking it — scammers’ tricks to steal your heart and money
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.
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In reply to I have a man who says he's a by Elle
What was his name? Can you send picture? I have a guy right now asking me to send money for a package
In reply to im in a mess. i cant belive by muffin123
In reply to im in a mess. i cant belive by muffin123
In reply to I had the same experience. I by Mariah
In reply to im in a mess. i cant belive by muffin123
In reply to Hi. My mother is going by Adaughter
In reply to Man, by the name of Hugh by almosttakentoc…
In reply to We must had the same guy. by Milly
In reply to We must had the same guy. by Milly
In reply to I am talking to the same guy by Milly
In reply to We must had the same guy. by Milly
In reply to I have been in same situation by donand2015
In reply to I have been in same situation by donand2015
I think I am dealing with the exact same person as you would you be willing to FaceTime or call me on the phone I was really wanting to get to the bottom of this ? If yes email me and I will send you my phone number Thank you Jeanna
In reply to I think I am dealing with the by jeannab
We don't publish personal information like phone numbers or email addresses on this blog.
In reply to We don't publish personal by FTC Staff
Pls help me if iam a victim of scammer? I met him in waplog site and continue our courting in fb then invite me to make an account in gmail, he told me he's a commanding general in us army and was assigned in Afghanistan, his wife died in a fatal accident and had a 14yrs old son studying in boarding school,to make the story short we became boyfriend and girlfriend promising me a bright future. After 3 weeks he's asking me for a financial help for his son's field trip for the reason he can't access to his account because they We're restricted to access in their account,that time I begin to doubt and think he's a scammer, his name was general Stewart Morgan 52 yrs old with a son Andre morgan Pls hep me how to know if he's realmor not
In reply to Pls help me if iam a victim by Victim
This could be a scam. These things warn you that someone could be a scammer:
If you send money, you probably will not get that money back. He might tell you more stories and ask for more money.
In reply to This could be a scam. These by FTC Staff
In reply to A army guy in Syria says he by Amy
This sounds like a scam. A real soldier in the U.S. Army who needs to send legitimate money would use a bank.
If you tell a scammer your bank account number, he can take your money. He might say he will put money in, but he can take money instead. If you accept stolen money into an account that has your name, you could put yourself and your money at risk.
In reply to Pls help me if iam a victim by Victim
In reply to This sounds like the guy that by Me too
Please report it at ftc.gov/complaint — click on Scams and Rip-Offs, then select Romance Scams.
In reply to This sounds like the guy that by Me too
In reply to Pls help me if iam a victim by Victim
In reply to Pls help me if iam a victim by Victim
In reply to We don't publish personal by FTC Staff
In reply to I have been in same situation by donand2015
In reply to Your story shows many signs by FTC Staff
In reply to What if they ask you to wire by Livvie78
If someone you don't know asks you to wire money, he might be trying to get your bank account number. Or, he might be trying to get you to help with a crime.
A scammer could transfer stolen money into an account, and then tell ask you to wire the money. If you don't really know the person, you can't know where the money comes from or where it is going.
In reply to If someone you don't know by FTC Staff
In reply to Bridget - I met someone on by franda
Unfortunately, when you communicate with someone online, you can't know who he (or she) really is. You might get texts or see pictures, but you can't know who is sending them.
You spotted one big red flag: your 'sweetheart' asked for money because of an emergency. If someone you don't know - and never met - asks for your money, it's probably a scam. If you send money, you're probably going to lose it.
In reply to Unfortunately, when you by FTC Staff
In reply to What name is he using and by Bobbit
In reply to Unfortunately, when you by FTC Staff
In reply to Was. His name Mark and by Mama63
In reply to Clara Viger is the name of by Kindasickofbei…
In reply to What kind of trouble could by legalquestion
Some criminals use people to help them send and receive stolen money. They might develop online relationships and ask their new sweetheart or friend to accept a deposit and transfer funds for them. Or, they might recruit victims with job ads that seem like they’re for legit jobs, but they’re not. Law enforcement calls the victims ’money mules.’ If you get involved with one of these schemes, you could lose money and personal information, and you could get into legal trouble. You might end up cooperating with a criminal or depositing stolen money in your bank account.
In reply to Was. His name Mark and by Mama63
In reply to Was. His name Mark and by Mama63
In reply to Bridget - I met someone on by franda
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In reply to Bridget - I met someone on by franda
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In reply to Bridget - I met someone on by franda