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 fell hard for a man by janeinla
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In reply to I've been chatting for some by unsure in Washington
In reply to I met a guy on instagram by Fed up
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In reply to Im at a loss, and need help.I by Private Eye
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In reply to I think I been scams friend by Advice needed
That phone call could be a scam.
Find the non-emergency phone number for your local police. Call and ask if they are coming to arrest you. Tell them about the phone call.
In reply to Has anyone been scammed by a by joymanuel3
In reply to Has any meet a man that goes by jbarton22
In reply to Hello Bridget, I had been by Sad and lost
The scammer might use your personal information to commit identity theft. Here is a list of clues that someone is using your information.
You could also order a free copy of your credit report. Check the report for errors, or new accounts that you did not open or other unusual activity. This FTC article explains how to order your free credit report.
In reply to Do anyone write with a guy by Anke M
In reply to I have been talking to this by Brh
Some scammers use people to help them transfer stolen money. They develop online relationships and ask their new sweetheart to use their own bank account, or open a new account and accept a deposit.
Then the scammer asks the victim to transfer money. If you help a scammer do this, your name is on the bank account and your name is on the money transfer paperwork. If you get involved with one of these schemes, you could lose money and personal information, and you could get into legal trouble.
In reply to Some scammers use people to by FTC Staff
In reply to Some scammers use people to by FTC Staff
In reply to Bridget, what if we received by Confused Girl
Some scammers use people to help them transfer stolen money.
They meet people online, create a relationship, and ask their new sweetheart to use their own bank account, or open a new account. Then the scammer asks you to receive money and transfer it for him.
If you do this for a scammer, your name is on the bank account and on the money transfer forms. If you get involved with one of these schemes, you could lose money and personal information, and you could get into legal trouble.
Also, some scammers send bad checks for people to deposit. You think you have a large deposit, so you withdraw money and wire money to help the scammer. But it can take time for a bank to find out that a check is fraudulent. If you withdrew before the bank discovered that the check was no good, you lost all the money you sent. You must repay the bank all the money you withdrew.
In reply to Bridget, what if we received by Confused Girl
In reply to I get a lot of guys messaging by Wonder Woman
In reply to I get a lot of guys messaging by Wonder Woman
There is a gay guy supposedly in the army for 26 years now goingvto retire in 5 years name used is Lance Moore he’s trying to get peoples credit cards. DONT GIVE HIM ANY PERSONAL INFO OF ANY KIND NOTHING HE WILL TRYBTO MAKE GUYS FALL IN LOVE WITH HIM BY SWEET TALK AND TONS OF PICTURES OF HIM EVEN NUDE VIDEOS DONT TRUST HIM HE SUPPOSEDLY STSTIONED IN SAN ANTONIO TRXAS BUT HAS A HUGE HOUSE IN ATLANTA WHERE HE LIVES DONT FALL FOR IT
I have been talking to a man for a long time,i have been totally stupid and at times I had a gut instinct that he was scamming me, but I convinced myself that he was real. I have lost thousands to this man. He is supposedly us military stationed in Nigeria and was always needing money to get home, get special food, internet access, etc. He said he didn't set up his bank account right before he left for Nigeria, so he had no access to his money. He told me his name is Paul Nemeth and in the beginning he was having me send money in his name which is why I was so convinced, now he is asking me to send to other names. I am totally in love with him but I am done being blind. There have been others as well. .
In reply to I have been talking to a man by foolinlove
In reply to I have been talking to a man by foolinlove