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.
Search Terms
Topics
Scams
It is your choice whether to submit a comment. If you do, you must create a user name, or we will not post your comment. The Federal Trade Commission Act authorizes this information collection for purposes of managing online comments. Comments and user names are part of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) public records system, and user names also are part of the FTC’s computer user records system. We may routinely use these records as described in the FTC’s Privacy Act system notices. For more information on how the FTC handles information that we collect, please read our privacy policy.
The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.
We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. The comments posted on this blog become part of the public domain. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission.
In reply to Hi. I recently met a man on by LAB
In reply to I got scammed by a guy that i by Chio 116
In reply to I got scammed by a guy that i by Chio 116
In reply to I think they contact people by LLP
In reply to I think they contact people by LLP
In reply to I'm getting "scammed" right by Ain't gonna fool me
In reply to I'm getting "scammed" right by Ain't gonna fool me
In reply to I'm getting "scammed" right by Ain't gonna fool me
In reply to I met a guy on Tagged. We by Wondering!
When you meet someone online, you can't know who they really are. A scammer may ask you to send money for work emergencies, or their families, or for other reasons. If you send money once, they may ask you to send money again. You can't know how the money is really being used.
In reply to I met a guy on Tagged. We by Wondering!
In reply to Met a man on Instagram named by BLMDHC
In reply to Hello All - Here is the by WaryForever
Hello- This one sounds new. He states his name is Christian Buchanan, lives in Miami Florida, and is in Germany as a civil engineer on a road project. He has asked for money to help pay for a shipment, I declined. He is now asking for me to set up an acct so that he can transfer money into it. I won't do it, but I want everyone out there to be aware. He is on Facebook . From Germany. Has anyone had experience with him?
In reply to Hello- by Lastlaugh
In reply to From what I can gather, this by Lastlaugh
I met a guy thru online. After that, we exchanged messages thru whatsapp. 4months been in contact. Video call, sending pictures and sending messages. But suddenly he vanished out of nowhere, it's almost 2 weeks now. Been checking all kinds of site to see if he's a scammer but no any trace. Is this is a scam? I haven't remember he was asking for money. He's the one who gave me three times. What should I do?
In reply to Does anyone know Bryan Packer by Bev
In reply to Does anyone know Bryan Packer by Bev
Pls Don't believe it is scam I got This mail
KINGSTON FARMS AND FOODS PRODUCTION LTD CANADA City Place II 1473 John Counter Blvd, Suite 101 Kingston, Ontario K7M 8Z6,Canada, Tel/+16474861795.,,,,,,,,......
Dear Applicant, Your interest to join the company is accepted, your services will be of advantages to the company , therefore we need some certain documents from you, to enable management grant you job offer approval for further processing of the required work travel documents(Work Permit Visa/LMIA) here in Canada,in line with the employment status.
Note: all Nationalities are requested to forward us the below documents by email in not later than three working days.
1. Your medical report issued in the year 2017, showing to us that you are not sick person infected by malaria or fever frequently ,you can visit any of the clinic or hospital where you obtain the issued result test. 2. Your nationality identification card scan copy or any valid identity card, provided is valid.. 3. Your passport Scan copy and one passport photo size by email attachment. Immediately we received these above stated documents by email from you, we will forward you the Employment Entry Form and Company Agreement Form to fill in and sign.
Jobs Opening from KINGSTON FARMS AND FOODS PRODUCTION LTD CANADA . KINGSTON FARMS AND FOODS PRODUCTION LTD industry development today have contributed greater impact to the welfare of the entire nations across the global regions of the world; Maritime , Dive instructors,Scientist, Economics, Agriculturist researcher and industrialist have made contributing effort towards further enhancement of companies today. In KINGSTON FARMS AND FOODS PRODUCTION LTD CANADA became the most developed and enlarge scale in Canada , of which it has maintain balance scale measure in both area of, Dive instructors ,sea water jobs , Dairy farming , Milk production and Health re habitation centers .
(1). PROFESSIONAL WORKERS SALARY INCOME STATUS. WORK HOURS PER DAY (8 HOURS) PAID RATE: ($24 CANADA DOLLARS PER HOUR) FOR PROFESSIONAL WORKERS. WEEKLY SALARY GROSS INCOME EARNED :( $1,152 CAD) EXCLUDING 6.2% TAX DEDUCTION: $71 CAD. WEEKLY NET INCOME SALARY EARNED: ($1,081 CAD). MONTHLY NET INCOME SALARY INCOME EARNED BY PROFESSIONALS IN ANY FIELD OF STUDIES: ($4,324 CAD). YEARLY EARNED NET INCOME SALARY :( $51,888 CAD). COMPANY BENEFITS: HOUSING/HOSPITALITY ALLOWANCES AND GRATUITY RATE 8% PER YEARLY EARNED NET INCOME SALARY: ($4,151 CAD). EMPLOYEE GRATUITY RATE IS TO BE PAID WHEN CONTRACT DURATION SIGNED WITH THE COMPANY IS EXPIRED. DURATION OF CONTRACT: 1 T0 20 YEARS. (2). NON PROFESSIONAL WORKERS SALARY INCOME STATUS. WORK HOURS PER DAY (8 HOURS) PAID RATE: ($17 CANADA DOLLARS PER HOUR) FOR NON PROFESSIONAL WORKERS. WEEKLY SALARY GROSS INCOME EARNED :( $816 CAD) EXCLUDING 4.6% TAX DEDUCTION: $38 CAD. WEEKLY NET INCOME SALARY EARNED: ($799 CAD). MONTHLY NET INCOME SALARY INCOME EARNED BY NON PROFESSIONALS IN ANY FIELD OF STUDIES: ($3,292 CAD). YEARLY EARNED NET INCOME SALARY :( $39,504CAD). COMPANY BENEFITS: HOUSING/HOSPITALITY ALLOWANCES AND GRATUITY RATE 5.3% PER YEARLY EARNED NET INCOME SALARY: ($2,093 CAD). EMPLOYEE GRATUITY RATE IS TO BE PAID WHEN CONTRACT DURATION SIGNED WITH THE COMPANY IS EXPIRED. DURATION OF CONTRACT: 1 T0 20 YEARS. (3). UNSKILLED WORKERS (MAN POWER SOURCES) WITHOUT CERTIFICATE OF ANY KIND. WORK HOURS PER DAY (8 HOURS) PAID RATE: ($13 CANADA DOLLARS PER HOUR) FOR PROFESSIONAL WORKERS. WEEKLY SALARY GROSS INCOME EARNED :( $624 CAD) EXCLUDING 4.1% TAX DEDUCTION: $26 CAD. WEEKLY NET INCOME SALARY EARNED: ($598 CAD). MONTHLY NET INCOME SALARY INCOME EARNED BY UNSKILLED WORKERS: ($2,392 CAD). YEARLY EARNED NET INCOME SALARY :( $1,206 CAD). COMPANY BENEFITS: HOUSING/HOSPITALITY ALLOWANCES AND GRATUITY RATE 4.2% PER YEARLY EARNED NET INCOME SALARY: ($2,093 CAD). EMPLOYEE GRATUITY RATE IS TO BE PAID WHEN CONTRACT DURATION SIGNED WITH THE COMPANY IS EXPIRED. DURATION OF CONTRACT: 1 T0 20 YEARS.
Below are the Terms and Condition of the company: 1. Applicants are only responsible for the required charge fees for obtaining their Work Permit Visa and the required DHL Express Delivery Service charge fee that will be used to post his or her Work travel documents(work permit visa) including the air plane ticket to his or her stated home or office postal address.
Company Responsibilities: 1. KINGSTON FARMS AND FOODS PRODUCTION LTD CANADA is responsible for the provision of housing allowance, car allowances and hospitality. 2. Provision of free air plane ticket (to and from) to all approved applicants whose work permit visa have been confirmed issued. 3. Gratuity and salary packages. 4. Loan grant (this is applicable to only employee who have work with the company for a period of six months and above are only entitle for loan). 5.One day off day at of the days in the week.
Note: Work Permit Visa will be processed and issued here in Canada upon approved, provided the applicant in question follow up the instructed procedures if only Applicant paid the processing fee charges, they will received their Work Permit Visa and air plane ticket through posted through courier service (DHL express delivery) to his or her stated home or office address. Best Regards, Mrs.Rita Scott, HRM.
In reply to I have run into a number of by ScamBuster
In reply to I have run into a number of by ScamBuster
In reply to Does anybody know a Dave by Candy1953
In reply to anybody able to comment- by tonyme
Your friend is putting herself at risk when she shares personal information with someone she doesn't really know. That person can use her passport and other personal information to commit identity theft. He could open credit card accounts, take loans or create identity documents with her information.
If she believes his stories about getting married, it could be hard to explain this is probably a scam. The FBI recorded an interview with a woman who was tricked by a romance scammer; maybe your friend would listen to this interview.
There's also an short audio interview about romance scams with FBI Special Agent Christine Beining. You or your friend could listen to that to learn how the scammers work.
In reply to I was contacted by 3 by Tinker7