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 @sweetnie just out of by cubsbballgirl
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for someone who hasnt met or known u for 2 years in real life avoid any excess sharing of money that you will regret later play but always try your best to be safe! ;)
In reply to John Williams? Engineer on by Nancy
Omg i really hope this is not true for my besties sake but she has been talking to a man on Hangout that sounds like the one you were scammed by I knew something was wrong from the beginning he has already asked for her bank account to send money and she sent him an Itune card he's done told her twice he would be coming home but again another lie this scammers name is Kelvin Teddy and he's on Hangout and he works in the OCS oil drilling if this man is as fake as I know he is how can I find out I have been looking everywhere online
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Pagination