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 was almost scammed by a man by Never Again
In reply to He says his name is Harris by Quizzer
In reply to He says his name is Harris by Quizzer
In reply to I am so glad I Google his by urliltxtornado
In reply to I was almost scammed by a man by Never Again
I am talking to a guy named Harry Wallace Lord.I meet him on Christian Mingle. It is very intelligent,spelling and grammar is great. His father was an American and mother Indian. Father passed away 4 years ago,mother still lives in India. He is the CEO of his own company. He gave me the website to his company I looked it up it looks very legitimate. We were supposed to meet last week but last Wednesday he called and said that he have an emergency with one of his contract in Dubai and has to go take care of it. Now that he's in Dubai he said it's going to take him 3 weeks before he could come home. He even reserved a hotel room in town when he was supposed to come to meet me. But he reserved it in my name. I decided that I was going to go stay in that room since it's not coming to be near him. When I went in they tried to run the credit card that's on file it was denied. He has not asked me for anything until tonight.
He just called me, and said that he wants me to go and open up a bank account at a bank. It could just be met my name or both of our names. Supposedly he is doing independent Consulting outside of the company and he is being paid separately for that. And because he doesn't have access to put that money he wants me to open an account so that he could put those money in it. He wanted to be my name too because he want to take care of me. He wants me to have access to the money whenever I need the money it.
Has any of you have this type of issues? I wanted to believe so much that he is real, but this is giving me a red flag. Should I be worried because I have sent him so many pictures of myself and my family, giving him my address and phone number?
In reply to I am talking to a guy named by Npauj Npaim
This could be a scam. Some scammers use people to help them transfer stolen money. They meet a person online and create a relationship. The scammer asks the new sweetheart to use her bank account, or open a new account to receive money and transfer money.
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. You could get into legal trouble.
In reply to Has anyone been chatting to a by Gorgeus Flower1961
In reply to Have any of you gone to by isheacatfisher10
You could share information from the US Department of State about scams - including romance scams - that target American citizens. The US Department of State also has Country Information about the current travel, health and advisory conditions in a particular country. The US Embassy in Nigeria also lists signs of a scam that cause people to send money.
Just got a message from Paul Schmidt who contacted me on my yahoo email saying he found me on Linkedin (while searching for an old colleague). Anyway, I did some digging and, sure enough, I found the exact same paragraph from his email doing a google search. In that letter he used the name Daniel. I caught him out on two lies so far... and I'm so tempted to keep stringing him on and toy with him. Would serve him right! Waste HIS time on me!
In reply to Just got a message from Paul by Almost scammed…
In reply to Paul Scmidt emailed today - by pikl
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In reply to Anyone know of Travis or by Jessica J
Hi Jessica J Can you describe what he looks like and also do you know his old his daughter is too?
In reply to Has anyone been contacted by by Hen1990
Thats Jacob Adams on face book with black and touch of a gray beard dark blue half slive puffy jacket and dark blue tshirt...... And the other pic he is the gut in left with light blue shirt
In reply to Does anyone know a Michael by D Gallant
Hello D Gallant, Is his daughter on the cruise ship with him? Also what happened to the rest of the people who were on the cruise ship. He needs to come up with a better story. Also how does he plan to get off this cruise ship to get medical attention and needs $10,000 dollars. The stories these scammers tell are so funny sometimes.
has anyone heard the name adrian Peter schleminoff...
In reply to Have any of the guys you by Keepdreaming666
In reply to Yes he said the same thing to by Deborah68
In reply to Hi Deborah68, by Keepdreaming666
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In reply to Yes l know nelson Anthony he by Trisha
In reply to His says his name is Elliot by Ella
In reply to Hi Ella, by Keepdreaming666
Pagination