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 I have been contacted by a by Nath
If someone you just met asks you to send him money by wire transfer, it's probably a scam.
Scammers make up stories about why you should give them your money. If you send money by wire transfer, it's like sending him cash. He will get the money, and you won't be able to get it back.
In reply to For 2.5 months I have been by Ariana Sure
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In reply to Hmmm. I have been talking by Wondering
I was just recently talking to a woman I met on POF,ANE McFarlane who said she is in the Air force and is on deployment in Africa and that she was 33. WE just started chatting about everything and on the second day she asked me to load up kik chat and deactivate my POF. That was the first red flag for me any one using Kik is usually up to no good.We were talking about and she was like I can feel a strong connection between us and saying all the sweet things you would want to here but at the same time she was asking me if I had credit cards if I owned or rent my house as if I was applying for a loan. I am sitting here wondering how a soldier has time to talk to me from the time I get up until I go to bed especially if they are on Africa time. She sent me pictures and sweet word told me she feel a strong connection and missis me so much and couldn't wait to see me anymore. She wanted to see if she could get approved for a leave to come I see me which I already knew she couldn't. She writes me back and says she was approved but we have one problem, I was like here we go, what is the problem? She said leave is free but my ticket isn't and it cost 1300 so I just need the closet city to you and the 1300.I played with her for a while gave her some prepaid credit card numbers and she was like those will not work for what I need and I was like they wont sorry ,let me figure something else out. I played with her until she got tired of me and moved on.
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Brian Altiero living in america government is working in demiryo .he says he is Fedrerl .married and a pervert Be careful !!!
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In reply to My scammer Alexander Freeman by linda
In reply to Anyone was scammed on twitter by BEATTIKINGS
I surf Twitter and Tinder, and frequently run in to scammers. Any scam can be delivered anywhere on line, but mostly the scam I have seen is the Date Verification scam. That is your "date" wants to meet you but you have to prove you are safe, not a predator etc. They send you to a website that will verify you "for free", using your credit card. In reality, they sign you up for a dating or pornography site without you knowing it. If you want to read more, just search "Date Verification Scam".
I almost got scammed but i put on my detective hat and went on a search. He had sent me a couple pictures i used a website called tineye. com put picture in and site picked him right away. He said specializes in Interior Design and Detailing. which he used someone elses website this is the website he gave me sandpcdgroup. com which is a scam too. His name was Scott Paul, he has gone by Scott Wilson probably more. The sweet nothings and the i love you's from him wowed me here was his about him.....
Am a Swedish American, currently living in Seattle,Washington. I was born by a Swedish Mom and an American dad who was a catholic before his death. I lived in Sweden for years and moved back to the State after acquiring my degrees. I had a happy family until my ex cheated on me with her colleague in the office, things got worse, we got divorced and she decided to moved away. I decided not to go into any relationship until my son must have come of age. I needed a companion, someone to talk to and share burdens with,tired of being alone, that is the reason why I followed my friend's advice to join a dating-site which was really not what I wanted. I'm a very easy-going, friendly person with compassionate personality. I love to keep fit and am usually at the gym 1-2 times a week. I enjoy the outdoors very much. Am a great listener and could be a wonderful friend. I have a great sense of humor, love to smile and see people happy. Much of my time and energy in recent years has gone into my career. I love adventures and will be much more fun to share it with that right woman. I love to enjoy the basic things in life, movies, an evening by the fire and cooking or relaxing with an inspirational book when am doing nothing and I love dinning out on weekends with friends. I specializes in Interior Design and Detailing. I attached some pictures for you to see, hope you like them. I will be glad to hear from you. Waiting to read from you. Please can you resend your pictures to me, it seems it can't open from here. Regards, Scott Here is his email scotpals @ gmail.com probably changed it by now. I met him on bbpeople meet dating site
In reply to Broken communication in by DamTheScamDon'…
In reply to A guy named Greg Miller by Mary
In reply to A guy named Greg Miller by Mary
In reply to Im not sure if ive been by Kati
In reply to Same thing happened to me i by Juvee64
Sir I don't know what to do some man on Facebook his name is Matt Fraser I thought we were good friends I helped him and he never paid me back then I got a call and he said he would help me I'm having hard times right now and I talked to him on the phone and he said he would help me he keeps asking me and asking me for more information he is a scammer he has a heavy German accent and my bank even said that it sounds like he's a scammer and they told me all she needed was my bank information and I told him that because I trusted and and then please help me I've been learning disability
In reply to I had a guy tell me he was by Lydawna
Pagination