Faking it — scammers’ tricks to steal your heart and money

I got a DM request on Instagram from a man called David Chandler. He told me that his wife died in a car accident and that his son was in a boarding school in Nigeria while he works in Iraq as a UN military doctor. He was very convincing. He started to speak with me in Afrikaans (my native language) and told me he was from Canada. His Afrikaans was more fluent than mine! He told me that he'd help my parents pay for my school fees when he's done in Iraq. I'm 18 and a guy. He told me to give him my Whatsapp number, because he isn't always on Instagram. I did as he told. Immediately he said to give him my mothers contact information so they could talk. I told him it was inappropriate and it would intrude on her privacy. He agreed. So he wanted her Facebook information. I gave him the link, because there my mom has the upper hand in either accepting or declining his friend request. After finding her on Facebook he told me that he likes her. This all happened within one two days! I got red flags when I asked for a picture of the military unit he works in and he promptly answered that it was against UN laws. Then I came here. Does anyone else recognise his name: David Chandler ,in UN military as doctor in Iraq and has a 14 year old son. I don't want to seem rude, so I'll slowly limit contact with him, till I completely block the guy.

February 2020. Met a man on Mingle2. He was supposedly living in Wilson ,N Y. Originally from Norway. He had many pictures in his profile. I learned later that he purchased them on line. He came on strong as most scammers do and was very charming and loving. Part of me knew he was fake but he finally convinced me he was ok when he shorted me his bank account full of money . What I did not know is that it was fake even though it seemed to be real because I needed his user name and password to get into it., it was with royal bank of Scotland and if you go to their web site it is exactly what I saw. Very clever. Anyway I started to actually believe him. Long story short he scammed me out of a sizable amount of money. Broken hearted and confused he sent me an apology email. Telling me he loved me and did not want to loose me. He told me how the scam worked and that he would give me my money back but only half because the rest went to his partners in crime. He was going to use the money to go straight and this was the only time he had done anything like this and he was ashamed and sorry for hurting me. All lies of course. He told me he was in Sweden and was originally from Nigeria. What a surprise. No he has not sent any money back. All I can say is if you are on a dating site for more than five minutes you have been in contact with a scammer. They do not care what age you are or wether you have money. They will say whatever they need to to make you believe they are real and they know how to push whatever buttons to get you to do what they want. Best advice never never never send any for of money, gifts personal info. Learn to use the block button on the web site. And if they have any kind of accent run away as fast as you can.

Watch out for a Keith Simpson. Recently, I started playing Words with friends2. I met a guy who looked nice and average and professed "love at first sight." He will match all your answers with similar lifestyle situations. Divorced, lonesome for long time, no sex for years. His name was nice and normal too. Keith Simpson, 44 years old, claims to have a son(partner) named Brandon. Cute pic of him also. Brandon is in a London boarding school. Keith just flew to Turkey to work on a rig for a 15.6mil contract and his cut is 30%. Oh he wasn't able to take any cash because of the corona virus restrictions. He will offer to pay off credit cards, while you buy store gift cards for Google play, Steam, VanillaOne MC, Sephora and others. He is very demanding in a loving way and you find yourself wanting to keep doing as he asks even though you protest, he will make you feel like you are paranoid and crazy for not wanting his help in getting you out of debt. **Be careful with this one.** I feel bad for the real guy whose picture is being used because he has a warm inviting look about him. I have reported him to FTC. But he's still out there.

I have been contacted by a so called Military man from Afghanistan, talking for about three weeks now. He's claimed he wants to Merry me, says he has a Child nine years old,that needs a Mom because her own Mom passed away from breast cancer. He stated he has no family and is in Afghanistan and needs money to go on Leave. so he can escape a dangerous mission. He has been sending me pictures and a couple videos. I told him I didn't have any money, He refused on many occasions regarding sending his picture I.D. and kept texting me after I told him to leave me alone. He goes by the name Frank Erickson , says he is 42 years old and from California. I have refused to send him money from the beginning and he kept creating scenarios and different reasons he couldn't come up with the money himself. Now he is trying to Blackmail me and is threatening to post someone's nude pictures on the internet and claim they are me. I have never ever sent him pictures of myself at all and he says he will do this if I don't send him money and pay up. He just started threatening me because I have not sent him any money.

Hey Has anyone run into an Andrew Alejandro... supposedly a Civil Engineer ...says from Mexico and New York but now living in Brampton Ontario Canada

There's a scammer named Mary and this person is pretending that her "boyfriend" cheated on her with her "best friend", So if you ever see someone named Mary don't answer her emails, She will just keep bugging you until she gets money from you.

The man I'm talking to is Billy Moore. He said he was ex Navy Seal and he's in Afghanistan doing his duty as a Lt. Col. in the Army and he's in commanding and training a team, he's always calling them his team. He says he's half German and his son, Kelvin, was in school over in Germany. One minute my red flags pop up but then he'll say something that sounds legit. I don't know what to believe.

Hi...I have been texting via wa and videocall via Skype to a man who called him self Anthony been, 47 year old, he is a pilot from Ryanair and stationed in Dubai. He didn't ask money yet, he start saying that he will visit me but he said he need my email address, phone number, my address because he need to send his luggage first so he can take more luggage with him when he flight? I known him from OKC Does this story similar to anyone of you

I talk to a guy since February 2020, his name is Tom Magnus, he is from Norway and living in Florida and now working in Turkey as a road construction engineer for the Turkey government. He ask me to help him to transfer money during the signal very bad in Turkey, and i saw got alot money there, first time was successful to transfer money but the second time due to security issue and unknown IP and his bank account is blocked. So since then he ask me to help to send money over for his material, renting a machine for the lawyer etc etc and he can't leaving Turkey until his contract finished on May. So he can't fly back to UK for his bank account. He alwasy call me my queen, honey, baby, etc is a very sweet person and the photo is looks good, i did send money to help him becasue he send me his passport copy and the drive licence from US, and he promise when he come to see and and he will pay back to me. And now he said the lawyer will process his paper works for the government and now he ask for AUD80,000.00 for the tax, if he can't pay that first and the workers won'r get pay and he will have dangerous becasue he can't finished his own prodject there. i hope this is real but i do know i have to wake now, if keep going to send him money and myslef will have a big trouble too. So anyone know him at all?

Hi I was never asked for anything by my scammer, he only made me fall in love and wait for him, he did to several other girls also, he called himself Andrea Panunzi, on Facebook his name is Andrea Von. Others that have been tricked by his charm and words?

Wilson Heinrich, captain, US army in Yemen, 6 months to go to retire and go back to California. No family, mum and dad dead, wife died cancer, son Adam 13, at boarding school. Messaged me through a photography site then asked me to do hangouts. Words of absolute romantic volumes, wisdom, planning... I got bored very quickly. He wasnt impressed with my telling him to do one, and his words of love became angry and vitriolic... oh well, another day at the office

I just received an Instagram email from a male stranger, addressing me as “dear friend”. Then he asked me to download the app “Hangout”. So I immediately blocked and reported him after I showed him a photo of this site. He was stunned!

Anyone know Allen Marcus or Marcus Allen civil engineer divorced with daughter 11 from Brazil

I've had about 7 or 8 guys trying to scam me but most of them so stupid that I play their game and after awhile they get so crazy they block me. Lol

Hello, I have been reading your messages and I think the man that I'm having contact with is a scammer. We met on Tinder and quickly moved to email and then skype. The first email he sent came with some great pictures of a very well build and nice man, I was so impressed he looked so good, I asked how did he had so many good pictures, they looked like pictures done by a photographer, never got an answer on that. He says he is 49 years old and comes from Germany, the only kid, his father died when he was 2 and he grow up with his lonely mother in Berlin and Munich, he goes by the name Louis-Andre Deschamps> he said he is separate and has a son in Madrid. I tried to have a video call but he did not answer and said the connection was poor, but when we spoke on the phone I was disappointed with his voice, it did not match with the picture. But then again I thought he is German and speaks a very broken English... One week after we stablished contact he left to Trinidad and Tobago to work on a oil rig, he says he works for he own company and they contract him to be a project manager of a big project on exchanging the pipes and cables from the rig. Anyway, he's been there now for 10 days and now he sends me a message saying that he needs 10000$ to be able to get paid for part of his contract, because the government is not going to deposit into his account the 30% payment of his contract that is 450.000,00$!! First he said his friend would help him and now he is saying that the friend can only help him with 5000$ and he needs me to help him with the other 5000$ and will pay me back very quickly! As soon as he get the 150k into his account. He says also that he can't get the money from the bank cause he had already taken personal loan to start this project. It all sounded so strange! I live in Sweden and I told him that I can't lent him the money, I said I don't have that money on me. He hasn't contacted me yet. What should I do? Wait for him to contact me again or just clear the skype conversation and block him?

Hi, I am wondering if anyone has a similar story. Someone I know met a guy online nearly 7 years ago. Says his name is Jefferson Alan, has 2 kids and wife died of cancer. He is from Detroit, but has a house in Santa Barbara. Jeff says he is a deaf pilot and can only use email. Claims to be in love with this person I know. Currently he is stuck in prison in Nigeria and constantly needs money for food. This person I know has sent this guy tons of money over the years and now uses bitcoin. I’ve seen pictures of him and the kids on Facebook, but the profiles are old and haven’t been used in years. Does anyone have a similar story?

I met anthony (lorenzo?) Smith on OT, he seemed nice at first..... said he was a marine medic in iran, then it was changed to be on base in iraq and invading iran. All he wants to do is text, no pics, no calls, no face time, no email. He says he's from FL but his burner phone comes from Ohio. After being in iran for about a week, he was in love with me. Then he said they rescued some diplomat's son and was paid in jewels (I know, right?), hecwanted my address so some guy from canada could bring them to me. Seriously?? He then left me a garbled voice mail and you could tell it was an indian or African accent. Beware ladies, he can text a good game. This is my 4th scammer, are there any good guys at all???

Allen Marcus engineer divorced has daughter does anyone know him

I was a victim of a romance scam, filed a police report , money was sent to a mule, she got her cut, a ck , probably sent the balance to the scammer who I believe is in a certain state because of the time difference by his texting , and I found out through Pimeyes that he stole another man's profile , why aren't the Sr people arrested ? I have filled out several 1c3 forms giving the address of the woman . He may be operating a very well planned ooeration. Thank you

Hi. I just wanted to tell you about this man I've been talking to. I downloaded the Wheel of fortune app. and had been playing for a couple of weeks when he joined the league that I was in. At first, I didnt want to talk to him but eventually did say Hi. He would text me sweet things every morning thru the wheel of fortune app. Once I started saying hi back, things escalated very quickly. He started telling me all about himself...he said he's an oil engineer and at first he was in Kentucky but then he went to Turkey to work on an oil rig after we actually started talking more. He even sent me pictures of him in uniform on the oil rig and one of him sitting in front of a computer with a weight room behind him from the oil rig. Plus pictures of himself at home with his kids. He kept bugging me to download the WhatsApp but I can't and even though I explained at least a dozen times why , he couldn't understand it. Made me wonder if I was even talking to the same person each time. Then finally we moved to texting with my phone number. He didnt like chatting on the game. Well, we talked for probably 3 weeks and then yesterday he asked if I have a credit card. I said no. Then he talked about his 10 year old son being sick. I often asked him questions about his son and daughter but rarely got answers, he would come on later and say sorry, they were having wifi problems. Anyway, Today he asked for money. $1,500.00 to give to Mrs. Melody for the care and upkeep of his sick son. I would never send anyone money though. My reply was simply.. Haha. He replied, what are you laughing at Dear? I wanted to say, "What? Here you are , an oil engineer in Turkey, making like $110,000 a year and you want money from me?" Lol! But I didn't say it. I just imagine he was sitting wherever he is and laughing at me so I didn't want to give him any further reason. It is because of blogs like this that I've been reading that I knew how to identify a scammer. He said his name is Roberto Franklin. When I searched for his pictures or anything about his name, nothing at all comes up. But I'm sure he has a facebook account with no picture or information on it because I think you need it for alot the online games. I told him I've been on Facebook for 9 years and all he said was , that's nice. Like, I thought he would want to chat with me on theee, see pictures of me but nope. So I really want to Thank you very much for all the advice , it helped me confirm my suspicions about him!

Hi there. I joined Our Time dating service and was wooed for several weeks by a man who wasn't who he said he was. Yesterday, after he asked me "can you assist me love in loaning me 35 grand so that I can get the materials out of Port" I didn't reply and immediately blocked his number. He goes by Charlie Walker but of course he'll shut that down and select something else. I always was a little suspicious and wasn't sure he was real, but I had a hopeful heart and he played on that. Luckily I lost not a cent, but I will have to recuperate from this because I do feel victimized.

William Lucan is a fraud. Claiming to be stranded in turkey. I gave him 1250.

i was new on Instagram and i came a cross Channing Tatum im a big fan anyways hearted a lot of his pictures and made so comments and next thing i knew i was getting a message from Channing saying thanks for likes and comments and support. i was like wow you know but after a few weeks things got real weird and he asked if i had a thing called hangout chat site.... an well i was enjoying the talks until he asked me support o organizations. and also ask me to send him a call card . an when i said no he asked me to trust him. Though I am a fan of Channing Tatum something doesn't seem right. what should i do?

Hello - How do I turn in one of these scammers - I have one live on the hook as we speak? Working me to the letter of these articles.

I met a guy recently on a dating site. He said the free trail person is over and to text him. Very sweet things he will say to me twice a day. Tells me about being born in America but father is German and lived there until father passed. Mother moved back to NY. He is a aeronautical engineer. Had to get to Chicago to work on a plane, then to Dubai now working on someone's personal jet. Today said he is having trouble with getting parts due to Dubai will not allow access to his bank. Asking me for $2500. Said having problems sending funds to the supplier. Said he sent an invoice to his banker yesterday but they are having problems. Said he will give the money back to me when he gets home. Then something about the money was sent to his account but due to restrictions in Dubai he can't get access to his account. His name is Andy ? and he was raised by an American mom and German father in Emmerich Germany. Has two adult kids and his mom is living in Albany NY with a nanny. Anyone heard of anything similar?

Someone once before heard of a guy called by the name James Spencer, he would work an stay in afghanistan for years for the us. army, he should been widowed and has a son in america who is whit a nanny. He contacted me by instagram

Did you happen to know any guy names Phillip Wilson?a chemical engineer in UK and now is staying at Dubai because of a contract but happened to lost his card and nneds money for his contract...

I’m talking to a guy named Tyrone avalos and using Juan avalos photo.i met him on a dating site he sent me fake ids he’s bank account.and he asked me to send him money.i have his new photo that he sent to me after I caught him.and after that he said he can’t get into he is wHatsup # anymore and he deleted his photos on his dating site profile.but I screenshot everything and I still have the ids he sent me.

Has anyone ran across ‘Joshua Rivera’ currently in Sudan on a peace keeping mission? Has 2 daughters, Maria and Mia, and his wife dies of lung cancer 3 years ago? Began to message me through TicTok. Madly and completely in love. Wants me to send him a new iPhone of send $500 to help his daughters, who are living with a teacher’... or to buy his contract out through the company he works for ‘through the military’??

There are several men scamming my mother. Tim Williams & son "Henry" from florida. Tim claims to be engineer whose been in new zealand, than miami, than virginia..etc. He has gotten steam cards and unfortunately money. My mother does not believe me when i tell her they are scammers. Is anyone else being scammed by them. Another name is Peter Anthony, who is a general for peace corps. He sent my mom a 30,000 check.

Anyone get a facebook message from a Anderson, Dave from Tulsa, OK birthday March 26 and will be 45? He said he is in the US Army and has a 13 year old son and his wife died 4 years ago in a fatal car accident.

I'm a 43 year old woman from the United States. There is one by the name of D'Angelo Morris or Andre Morris, said address is CA, ME in the United States... Met him on a dating App Tinder few months ago within a few days he was asking for money as he's travelling with his boss and he's having issues with his CC. He's very convincing and sincere he preys on older women that are longing for a true relationship. Be aware of him. You can search by name on Facebook.

I think i am being scammed how can I findout.

I ve been speaking with this guy who appeared all of the sudden on instagram right away he was telling me how we connect and that we are meant to be , so i went ahead of time and told him that i am unemployed and i dont have money he still talks to me and he does not care that i am married hum! He is using a pict of a handsome old guy with grey eyes and wearing square shirts Prints and navy sweaters or blazers he states that he lives in Alabama and gave me his number when i call him it sends you to text mail not even voice mail so i deducted that is a VoIP with the Alabama area code i ask him to send me pics and he is always like you don't trust me ! And he send me pic different pic of the same guy i did a reverse image search and this person has multiple accounts although the pics that he sent me are not repeated you see on the internet tons of pic of this person but i haven't seen yet the ones he always sent me i wish i can upload the pics to keep you all aware specially the ladies his name is Bryan Hopkins and also i find two more accounts lewis batford and richard Cunningham right know he is so lucky among 40 people he was chosen to go to turkey and got a big project i am just waiting for the question about $$$

My mom has been chatting with the man who claims to go by Maury Lucas? He said he’s an engineer and that he’s originally from Australia but live in Arkansas, USA. He said he works on ships. He’s always sending her pictures and they constantly talk but he just seems fake to me. He wants her to open an international bank account so that he can send her $40,000 for a retirement fund and then another $75,000 for fun money!? He claims he wants to be with her and as of right now he’s “stuck on a ship” near France and can’t leave because of the Coronavirus. Sounds weird to me. Has anyone else dealt with this? Ps. She’s absolutely not going to open a bank account.

My guy is named George Wilson age 66. He says he is a doctor working in Afganiston. He is a widow for 5 years and his son is in boarding school. He sent me a pic of him and his son. He asked lots of personal questions but not for money. He kept calling me "my dear". He finally admitted that he was "not genuine" and hung up.

A week ago i met a man online while playing words with friends. He started chatting me. He wà really nice. His name is Anronio Frank Matteo. . I was amazed on how professional he is. He said he is working at Yemen. He said that his work as journalist is a secret. He said that he got a son in Nebraska and his wife died 10 trs ago. He said he is 69 yrs old. He is asking me if i know Bitcoin. I said No... he would like me to help his son who is 12 yrs old to buy a laptap coz it is broken. I did not do it. What do you think? He is looking good. He send me 3 pictures

Has anyone heard of Marco Dominic who lost his wife and child 3 years ago in an MVA?

I want to send this girl I met in FB who says she is a Marine in Afghanistan,a birthday gift ,I have a ring to send her but she says she can't get nothing mailed to her ,is that true ?I thought it would be no problem sending her a birthday present ..

Anyone been in contact with Thomas Foster?