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Image of cupid and heartNot 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.

A woman looking at a dating site on her computer.

Search Terms
bank account
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military
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online dating
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Topics
Shopping and Donating
Scams
Romance Scams

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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 won’t post off-topic comments, repeated identical comments, or comments that include sales pitches or promotions.
  • We won’t post comments that include vulgar messages, personal attacks by name, or offensive terms that target specific people or groups.
  • We won’t post threats, defamatory statements, or suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity.
  • We won’t post comments that include personal information, like Social Security numbers, account numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

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.

someone concerned
March 08, 2018
My goes by the name of James Michael Kelly US Navy and he wants me to send him $400 to get his paperwork to be released. He is supposable deployed in Afghanistan keep an eye out
Shirl0347
March 08, 2018
Boy they are on FB as well. Watch out for this guy Victor Anderson. Says he is from Romania but currently in UK. He says he is a ship captain. His wife died in a car accident. Has a daughter. He will quickly ask you to get on whatsapp so that they can chat and then will ask you for money. We really really need an option where we can post pictures here.
Jillian
March 09, 2018
Has anyone spoken to a man named John Edmonston I. The army in Kabul, Afghanistan? He wants me to give him all my bank account info, including my security questions. He says he was going to deposit money into my account for the orphans in Kabul and donate it to them. And that a diplomat will pick up the money from me. I told him that I don’t do any banking online and I won’t give my bank info to him online. I asked him where he banks at and I would go in personally and he said that won’t work. So, he got no info from me.
Kbanjo
March 09, 2018
Has anyone spoke to a Jonathan wilsmore he tells me he is from Austria he has a daughter named Mary she is with his mom his wife died 5 years ago while giving birth to Mary he is a on tractor also working on a oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico and he supposedly has a apartment in Baltimore
Joel33
March 09, 2018
Anyone, girl named fabienne Grenier from ivory coast who says her father died and needs help getting his land in her name. Anyone?
Ladyinlove
March 09, 2018
Hi. Did you encountered the name JEFFERSON GARCIA? I'm really curioused with him. He said he is oil reg engineer,he add me on my Instagram and were chatted now in google hangouts. And he is in Dubai he said. And now his asking me 2500 dollars because his materials seized in Dubai custom. If he can't pay that amount he bring to jail as he said. I don't really believed him.
Skeptical lucy
March 09, 2018
Hi has anyone ran into a guy with a German accent says his name is Lukas Robinson and he's currently stuck in Turkey. First he left his debit card home. Second he got detained at the airport third he got robbed twice. He's on a few dating sites.
Rachel3
July 28, 2020

In reply to by Skeptical lucy

Hi Lucy, i just saw this. I met this guy about 3 months ago during quarantine on weworld app. He is a scammer! Lukas Robinson has a number from the US. He said he is half german, half american and the works for an Oil company in Jacksonville, Florida. His accent is more like a person from the middle east. Really good loking in the pictures he use (blue eyes and blonde hair). The way that he use to scam people is asking for google app store cards. He creates different stories and he is really intense by asking you to send him money when you say NO. Be careful girls!
Mitiary man's man
March 09, 2018
First off I must tell my Story 3 weeks ago I met someone online on a gay dating site he told me he was in Afghanistan and asked if I was willing to leave the site and go to a messenger service like Google Hangouts. What's it no more than a few days later he asked me if I could get him an eye card cuz he can't get music so I bought him a $50 I card cuz I thought. He's one of the boys send it to the army guys they're doing their Duty for the country over this time we talked everyday. We're still talking but the whole thing is he was sending me pictures so after a week or so I decided to scan a main face picture cuz all the other ones nothing came up but finally I got a face picture and I sent it his real name came up his last name is the same he just change the first name so I found out it was real name I decided to go online I found them on Facebook apparently dating girls and so on he's got all kinds of files online that has to do with lifestyle living no different aliases or anything I told him I didn't want to see him anymore cuz I felt it was cam he got upset I even deleted it so I decided to undelete it and he was still waiting there said is he looking for a home and a family to this day I'm still very confused on what's going on we're still talking I told him I'm not sending money or anything like that so he can get that out of his head but he still wants to talk he said the person on the thing was a girl he was with they broke up because she cheated on him in the beginning of the relationship he did explain to me some one another guy broke his heart took his car and sold it out from underneath him I thought that's almost impossible he wasn't married to him I just found out a few days ago after I confronted him with all this he said it was his girlfriend or wife I can't remember but she had cheated on him and that's what he was talking about I don't know what to do I don't want to end it but he says he wants to meet and he's coming home in May should I be worried
Lovemuffins
March 10, 2018
Has anyone dealt with Onenira Dreamtym on facebook?
Rose
March 12, 2018

I was talking to Calvin Ryan who works for United Nations Asking for money for his son.Also wanted for me to write UN to apply for his vacation. This man is using pictures of a real Navy Doctor.

steph
July 01, 2020

In reply to by Rose

I met a David Miller who is a "navy doctor" working over in Somalia for a peace keeping missions. Ask me to request from the UN for vacation. The UN emails me asking for $1500 to process paperwork for the release. Is this a scam?
Jon Mike UK E…
March 10, 2018
Anyone any experience with this guy? Please lets compare notes on such a "perfect man" and world traveler. Heartbroken fool---- here and accounted for.
Canne
March 10, 2018
Any one heard of David Luiz petroleum engineer widower from Victoria BC Dutch accent on rig off Alaska asked for itunes card was on POF very in shape 56 years old
Loonie Tunes
March 10, 2018
John Mike London UK Finnish Oil Rig Contractor whose two-year contract just ended. I can tell my experience later, but PLEASE women on here, KNOW he just left me an email that said he's meeting his new family in one week. He said to only contact him back if I did a money gram to him for $3500. Please read this fast because he is working tonight on some woman & going to meet her very soon. He told me to stop calling him but I don't have International Calling on my cell plan. He cannot speak English well at all. He does have an associate Mark Robinson from UK too, & that guy tracked me on my LinkedIn profile checking me out. LinkedIn emailed me, I clicked on it & it told me the method of search he did. They are working together and been (or say they have, on business) to Asian & European countries. Take heed. Don't b a fool who fell for this John Mike scammer. He's very intelligent or someone else is. If he could convince me to talk to him, he could convince ANYBODY, because I am very cautious.
Smarter Than Him!
November 09, 2021

In reply to by Loonie Tunes

I think I am talking to this same guy right now! Now he is John Greenslade, a freelance petrochemical engineer who is currently on an oil rig in the Sea of Marmara. He hasn’t mentioned money yet but he was way too fast to say he loves me. I feel like scamming him back somehow! His first wife died in a car crash, his second marriage ended in divorce. He just asked me to manage his invoices, and give me his bank info. I wish we could catch him! We have never met in person.
Fed up
March 11, 2018
I have had a couple people contact me, want to be friends, tell me they lost their wives in childbirth. One had his own business in Alanta Georgia but was on a job site and needed me to buy him a $100 itunes card because he couldn't get one where he was. The other one pretty much same story but he was in the US Army and was deployed out and could not buy iTunes cards there and wanted me again to buy $100 itunes card. Has anyone else experienced this
Lessons
November 10, 2018

In reply to by Fed up

When these people ask for itune cards and you send the information off that card to them they turn it into what they call bitcons and sell them online such ad if its a 100 can sell it for only 40 to 50 dollars nigeria is the worst when it comes to lies and scams poverty is why they say they do it but these young men and women sink there claws into people dont send anything to anyone who asks a real humane being has class and decency and dont lie warning to all who read this
My Love/My Queen
June 30, 2020

In reply to by Fed up

My username is just some of the titles I was given ... playing a game of Scrabble, I got drawn into a conversation which led to me being asked for iTunes vouchers for $300 and then to pay for a visa application fee - of course, I did nothing of the kind! US Naval officer - Sergeant Mark John... outrageous scam please be aware!
Smarter Than Him!
November 12, 2021

In reply to by My Love/My Queen

We must have been talking to the same man! He used so many romantic common phrases and sent me a rose every morning. He would text me at Dawn everyday. The lengths they go to make you believe them is insane. I want to write a book about this!
Chez
March 12, 2018
Does anyone know Peterson Ashley on tindar
Lisalish
March 12, 2018
Have anyone heard of a williams peter meyer....he try to scarmmed me too of a 5000 US ddolrs ...all in the name of I send a gift but they have seen money I had put in the pages so I had to pay 5000
GB1030
March 13, 2018

Good evening everyone, sorry to hear about your stories. My lady has fallen for a fake romance scam. I have tried to explain, the person on the other end is not a real person, just a Facebook scammer. I even had the local police check the profile picture, the claim the it is fake. I present several websites regarding fake romance scams.She is in deep denial about this issue and will not listen. The person she talking to, his name is Jake Williams,claim to be in Syria on peace keeping mission, Widow with a young daughter. US Army General, A member of a law enforcement, ready to retire after deployment. She has been sending him money. I serve in the US Army, I have been deployed to middle east and Iraq. I am familiar with the deployments and services the Army provides. She claim to fallen in love within 2 weeks. Every time we talk about this scammer more and more clues come out, scam. Do anyone have any info about this person. I need help.

FTC Staff
March 13, 2018

In reply to by GB1030

The US Army Criminal Investigation Command has issued several warnings about scammers who impersonate US military personnel. This CID article contains links to several related articles. You may want to show the articles and warnings to your friend.

stupid_me
March 21, 2018

In reply to by GB1030

GB1030, this sounds similiar to my story, only the name is different (Calvin Brian). Peace keeping mission, widow with a young daughter, US Army General, all the same. Luckily I saw the clues and stopped the conversation when he asked me for money. Hope your lady will wake up. Kindest regards
GB1030
April 10, 2018

In reply to by stupid_me

Good evening,thanks for your reply. I posted a discretion of Jake Jimmy Williams on pg 54 under GB1030 March 22, 2018. Please take a look at the article, let me know what your thoughts are.
LB
November 05, 2018

In reply to by GB1030

yes. A Jake Williams in Syria. Its a scam. Mine would be a British Soldier (SAS - United Nations) no children, but I am sure its a scam. I am glad I didnt send any money...
JtroncosoDon't…
March 13, 2018

I too have had someone by the name of Jason Hardaway wants me to get in a bank account so he can transfer funds from One bank to another anyone heard of him

FTC Staff
March 13, 2018

In reply to by JtroncosoDon't…

Some scammers use people to transfer stolen money for them. The scammer might ask to use your bank account, or to open a new account. Then he asks you to receive and transfer money. If you do this, 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.

Lori 1234
March 13, 2018
I think I'm talking to a scammer. But not sure, he tells me he loves me and we going meet soon. For weeks he has not ask for anything till now, he says he needs an iTunes card for he can send pictures. I haven't sent anything. And he still is texting me. He sent a video of him singing, and a picture. He says he is from Texas, his number showing from Texas. He claims to be in air Force. In Texas, he says he is 44 and goes by Richard Taylor. I'm wondering has anyone been scam by him. I Google his picture up but doesn't show any other images of the picture I have.
I've Lost Everything
March 14, 2018

Ladies, I have lost all my savings, my car and my condo. Authorities (including FTC) are investigating about this huge and well organized network of scammers. Infos about that con artist: Civil engineer from California; perfect english and well articulated; doing a contract in Cyprus; wife died 3 years ago in a car accident caused by a drunk driver; wife died on the way to hospital, in his arms; 15yo son "bayley" living with his granny in Scotland; Grand-mother eucheria thompson needs a lung; had to pay taxes in Cyprus and was stuck in there; under the name of robert kinder; con mates under the names of scotty berlinger, david desroches, rohanda hopkins, james isaac and youlanda; real woman named Madame G.Rennie - dont send money to her, she is a victim too but does not believe it... yet; his company web site disappeared suddenly; fake lawyer web site in Cyprus: stanley cleverly also disapeared; all emails are gmails; phone numbers look like real from Cyprus and California; stolen pics of course; web cam broken (that's why he could not skype). I was his soul mate, the love of his life, ready to marry me and to start the second chapter of his life, sms, talking and emails few times a day, sent me flowers, shopping for a diamond ring for me, wow! I am now left with nothing except huge debts; he took all my savings, my car and my condo.

I've Lost Everything
March 13, 2018
On the top, I am recovering from a breast cancer, and he knew it all those months.
Oregon
March 15, 2018

In reply to by I've Lost Everything

So sorry, your losses. They ask about your vulnerabilities to hurt and use you. It took the death of my sister, to snap me back to reality. No, they don't care. Yes, they are a network. Thank God we can see these crooks now for the ugly, wicked little creatures they really are. NONE OF THEM ARE THE PEOPLE IN THE PICTURES FOLKS. Not at all!!! Look up real pics of scammers, they are little twerps
Loonie Toones
March 16, 2018

In reply to by Oregon

I have to agree. Attractive pics, but probably little men, in reality. Is there such a site that shows real pictures being impersonated? I feel sorry for those also being used. The one that hooked me cannot possibly look that good. Scammers, yes have to be little twerps maybe less than five feet tall, hiding behind a cell phone.
GB1030
March 15, 2018

In reply to by I've Lost Everything

You are one bad bad women, dealing with a scammer and breast cancer. Beat them both.
LB
March 13, 2018
Beware a scammer named Mike, aged 60, says he's from Beverly Hills, he is using pictures of a model named Marc Hertle. He says he's a widower, sometimes his English seems fine, other times not. I am so grossed out, what a loser.He told me today he deleted his Facebook because someone was stalking him. LOSER!
I've Lost Everything
March 14, 2018

to Bridget Small - FTC Hello, I cannot see my post (x 2). How come? Thanks

FTC Staff
March 14, 2018

In reply to by I've Lost Everything

This is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted. We review comments Monday to Friday, 9 am - 5:30 pm, EDT.

GB1030
March 14, 2018
Update since my last entry, I was able to locate victim of a romance scam. She agreed to talk with my lady. I hope this intervention works. Wish us luck.
Jimmyjohhn
March 14, 2018
My mom has been scammed by this guy named "Leon Hanz" He also has many different names. He "works" on an oil rig owned by ExxonMobile in Austraila. Funny thing is, that their isn't an oil rig owned by Exxon Mobile in Australia. He has a thick German accent. He has the same thick accent he uses whenever he talks to my mother, I know for a fact he has scammed more women, in fact he has scammed a women out of over $100k. He will ask money to to given to his nanny somewhere in Texas, mostly Itunes gift cards, $100 mostly. He said his wife died in a fatal car crash and she was from the U.K. and he is from Germany. He has a 17 year old daughter and a 14 year old son. He was going to meet my mother at the oxnard airport to but he said he let someone watch his bags for a minute on the plane and he was detained. Oh, and the lady that got scammed for over 100k is talking to my mother, Leon wanted my mother to talk the lady back into letting her not block leon anymore. So he could scam him. Idk if she could also be in on it as well. But they're talking atm.
It’s me
March 14, 2018
Anyone know Michael Eric Tyler, a gas and oil engineer who is currently in Malaysia? A power surge wrecked his computers and he needs 4 more sent there so he can finish the contract job and come home to meet me
St Jude
March 15, 2018

In reply to by It’s me

Hi Do you have his photo?where can we exchange details, i am currently chatting with a guy and he also claims to be at Malaysia and needs help blah blah blah.. thanks.
It’s me
March 16, 2018

In reply to by St Jude

I do yes, do you have pics of your guy? What’s his name? What does your guy need help with? Can we post email address on here or how can we contact each other?
St Jude
March 16, 2018

In reply to by It’s me

yes i do have how can we contact each other, never suspected before but then lately i have noticed something stranged on him and those pics he sents not sure if its his coz looks old and not real coz some of them i saw already online where he claims to be new or current ATM
It’s me
March 20, 2018

In reply to by St Jude

I don’t know how we can, I have sent my email addresss twice and they haven’t posted it yet :(
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