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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.

No and No
April 23, 2019

In reply to by April Love

Engineers earn 5k a month if is it not more than that and most of them get cars from the company and boarding houses including a nanny ....i can tell because my niece is married to anengineer ...A REAL ONE
R123Swe
April 19, 2019
Hi, I've just been contacted by a man on my fit bit April 5th, now we converse through Hangouts. He lives in Dallas, he's a widower of an 11 year old son who happens to be in boarding school. He is an independent contractor/engineer for an undisclosed oil company. I googled his pictures along with his son's picture and they checked out to be genuine. No other names came up. I also did a background check on his name and it was clear and good. Nothing showed up even for my name. He went to West Africa to fulfill a contract. He says now that he can't find his universal credit card to get back home. None of his workers can help him out but he needs me to Western Union or Bitcoin him $1500 for food, etc. to get back home. He politely asked me not to tell anyone of his arrival for when he comes to pick me up. He previously stated that his son needed an Amazon gift card sent to his son's email so he can do his projects at boarding school. I relunctantly bought and sent $100. This guy is very protective of his information and his son, which I'd expect any good guy to be like. He gave me his son's email but he can't give me his. Of course telling you on here this story everyone would instantly say he's a scammer. I wish I had more ways to really know if he's true or not. I want you to know these details just in case he is a scammer.
stingrayblue88
October 05, 2019

In reply to by R123Swe

When someone is telling you that you should not tell anyone about it... Trust me, its a scam... That message alone is a high raise red flag.
Don't use your…
April 19, 2019
Senior 70, Rose in Kentucky , Blue Eyes, 2 posts about Kevin's , almost sound like the same person , (Ferguson, Kerecman) , can you tell me what they look like from their profile pictures . , they sound so familiar .
meridianleeward70
April 20, 2019
Being scammed by Valetina McCurdy. Is anyone else dealing with her?
Tracy
April 21, 2019
I have a guy talking to me now that started on instagram and wanted me to switch to hangouts to talk he says he is a surgeon and has already told me he loves me just after a week and now is telling me to send his general back in the states a email saying we are to get married and that I need him here to help with the wedding. He hasn’t said anything about money . I just wondered if this isn’t some kind of scam.
Mojo
April 21, 2019
recently started to chat with one girl who claims she is in Iraq with us air forces. we dont chat often as she says its not allowed hones there, but because of her rank she can sometimes. send me loads of pictures and told me her full name. i checked her pics through google and found one in use on instagram profile. i saw even pictures of her i havent seen before. as i asked her whats up with that account she claims she had no idea and that her facebook account was stolen. tried to ask about the mission and she didnt gave me straight answer as she cant tell me. 3 days we are chatting, but no money is asked or anything like that. after reading tons of stories not sure to believe her or not
mike_martinez5039
April 21, 2019
Possibly a scammer on Instagram
Confused
April 21, 2019
I just started talking to this guy named Alex Said he was from Texas and in the marine corps. Said he will be stationed in Yemen for peace keeping. Sent me pics of a person that I figured out the guy in the pics is an actual soldier but also a fitness model named Shane. He hasn’t ask me for anything yet. Just wondering has anybody came across him. Said a nanny is taking care of his daughter and dog back home.
BB
May 24, 2019

In reply to by Confused

Did alex provide you with more information, like his last name?
KO
April 21, 2019
I have 2 people...1 I met on a dating site and wanted to use hangouts. Says he was deployed to Nigeria right before I was to see him. He said there was a clitch with the bank there and he couldn't get his money to eat or use the internet. This has been since Nov. 2nd person contact me on ig. I searched him and he had another ig account, all the names matched his uniform in both and his deployment in Syria. He says he is now in Libya and will be retiring in early May but wants me to send 3000 to a security person who works for a shipping co to transport goods to me. Says he can't get to his money and wants me to get a loan to send this money. Both men are questionable because they have done a good job with the posting of the pics and claiming to be deployed. I am trying to confirm this. You can go to the Facebook military scam page and post pics. Be careful!!
Opdrjohnethan
April 21, 2019
True scammer at military camp in Syria gets you long and gets you to fall for him. Says he’s from New York.. beware he’ll ask for money and when you refuse he gets rude and mean I blocked him from everything
Sthepanie
May 20, 2019

In reply to by Opdrjohnethan

your story is similar to someone I met on Facebook let me know and I'll send you photos, I think it's the same guy
ugh
June 03, 2019

In reply to by Opdrjohnethan

Sounds like mine, met on meetme. How do we share pics? Mine has braces
Bowler
April 21, 2019
I think I may be talking with a scammer. Anyone been talking with someone who is a surgeon with the UN in Syria , wife died about 4 years ago, has a son. Says his name is Corey Levin.
Nmjlili
August 07, 2019

In reply to by Bowler

I was talking with a scammer name Henry Harrison , cardiologist with a son , working with the UN in Aleppo Syria. I believe same person with a different name and they change a bit their story. Very good looking man , video chat was same person in his Instagram pictures but video never match up with sound and always froze , they can manipulate stolen videos. Henryharrison8 is his Instagram account do not Fall for him , this man asked me for iTunes cards for his son few days after we started to talk in hangouts also had email from his son asking me for money and wanted me to wire him 180.000 to Aleppo from his friend with the excused that he wanted to terminated his contract and he not getting pay and needed money for plane tickets , permission etc. I reassure him that he was lying and he was scammer he pull the card saying , you don’t care about us and to don’t want to help me get out, I deleted the hangouts app and block him from WhatsApp. This man is scammer his contact number is from Nigeria. His Instagram pictures most of them are from profesional photographer and he looks very well financially. His grammar is poor also he professes his love immediately and lots of his messages didn’t follow hw previous one making me suspect that more than one person was replying and calling .
Nmjlili
August 07, 2019

In reply to by Bowler

I was talking with a scammer name Henry Harrison , cardiologist with a son , working with the UN in Aleppo Syria. I believe same person with a different name and they change a bit their story. Very good looking man , video chat was same person in his Instagram pictures but video never match up with sound and always froze , they can manipulate stolen videos. Henryharrison8 is his Instagram account do not Fall for him , this man asked me for iTunes cards for his son few days after we started to talk in hangouts also had email from his son asking me for money and wanted me to wire him 180.000 to Aleppo from his friend with the excused that he wanted to terminated his contract and he not getting pay and needed money for plane tickets , permission etc. I reassure him that he was lying and he was scammer he pull the card saying , you don’t care about us and to don’t want to help me get out, I deleted the hangouts app and block him from WhatsApp. This man is scammer his contact number is from Nigeria. His Instagram pictures most of them are from profesional photographer and he looks very well financially. His grammar is poor also he professes his love immediately and lots of his messages didn’t follow hw previous one making me suspect that more than one person was replying and calling .
sczoo
October 30, 2019

In reply to by Bowler

My guy is named John Prada and he says he is on a “Secret Mission” and is unable to disclose his location until December 2020! I never bought that! Come on! He says he is a widower for 4 years and his 14 y/o son is at boarding school. Started chatting me up immediately on Chess with Friends. Professed his love, etc. beware!
MSF
April 21, 2019
I found scammers named John Rios, Baron WIlliams, Williams Graham, Mac Hendry, Spencer Arthur. please check on them.
Jan
April 22, 2019
I've been talking to a Jeff Todd from Alaska for a few months. He talked and asked for money but I said no and he still wants a relationship. Is this normal for scammers? I'm trying not to think of him as one, but everyone says as soon as they ask for money they must be one. Any idea?
use your e-mai…
August 23, 2019

In reply to by Jan

Yes! They just want to ware you down so you can go deeper into the rabbit whole!
Zanzra
April 22, 2019
Name Oliver Frank. He is use own photos and face, use video-calls. He is from Germany, but live in Manchester. After a month of chatting and after he said “I love you” he asked a money, because his step brother was a victim on crash in Madeira 17.04.2019 and needed a surgery. Asked 4000€ After I refuced he sent “his” photo from the hospital and continiued insist. It was a fake from the internet. Also he wanted meet in reality. But vanished after was catched. Ladies, be careful, never give money to online strangers. He said he work as a computer’s ingeneer but his english very bad. Phone number +44 7480 059894
mlee
April 22, 2019
Ive gone through this now for a number of years, I'm older and use my real photo on social media, this year it has gotten worse.. I don't get hit on facebook anylonger, I weed those out fast when they want to be friends.. but twitter, instagram . I have an old account with pof, and recently was hit twice in one week on that old account, the men claiming to be residents of my state. What I do is run the photos posted on google, and that comes up fast showing the stolen photos and different sites. If your 70 and the guy looks 20 to 55, don't buy into it.. curb your ego and realize real fast.. they are fakes, your going to loose money and your pride.
MadHousewifeDo…
April 22, 2019
Anyone know of a Miley Walla Robert that’s in the military asking for money from Instagram senior citizens being a scam artist??
Wow not the on…
April 22, 2019
Well I am on the same page as all of you. I feel like a total idiot. At first I did not believe him at all because it sounded to good to be true. And as time passed I guess I was somewhat convinced. Knowing allot about military life because my dad was in the army for 25 years i stated to ask him question and i would not get a response . His story was that his wife passed away and he has a daughter that is in New York being cared for by a friend and her grandmother. I got pictures videos but never a phone call or a video call he said its not allowed. Then he ask if I could send him a phone when I ask him the APO or FPO mailing address he said that it was not allowed to receive phone or mail that it would have to be sent to a friend in Nigeria and it would get to him soon so we could video chat (that never happen ). We would argue about me sending the phone because i did not want to send it he would tell me that i did not trust him and how would we get married if i did not believe him . We keep taking and I finally expected to send him a phone. Then he ask if i could send him money to get the phone to him i told him no i did not have it he told me he did not have access to his money and really wanted to video chat with me. I keep telling him no that i dont have the money and never got a call from him just text by hangout . He has not ask for the money anymore or anything but keeps telling me how much he loves me and missed me . Wish i could put up pictures so you can see.
Wow!!!
May 01, 2019

In reply to by Wow not the on…

I would love to see a picture of him. Please I wished they was a web site to go and share these pictures of scammers. but can you tell me what his pro files picture looks like?
scott
April 22, 2019
Anyone chatting to Rose Merritt -US Army, mission in Iraq, single parent, etc....
algra
April 22, 2019
yeah i have a few guys that they say are in the military and over seas. they all ask for money for air far home or i tunes or money for medical bills. all of them say they are in afacia. most of them say they are in the army but one says he is a marine. and one was dumb enough to ask me to marry him. they all got mad when i did not give them the stuff they wanted. i would tell them i didnt have the money or i would say yeah i would love an i tune card too. i have also been asked for my bank info so they could send me money and i would lie and say i dont have one. all of them are very good looking guys and all say very sweet things. um some of the names that i can remember are ray ott he was the marine. tyler jesus, stephen, gibson roy. i did talk to more and once some of them realized that they were not getting anything they went away. but some kept on talking to me. when they would ask what i was doing right now i would give them some random thing or told them i was somewhere that i was not near just to make it sound like i was having fun. i hope their names ring a bell for some of you. i know it is hard to not to fall for what they say cause it is so nice to hear those things. im one of those women who have lots of padding lets say and im not use to guys talking to me and being nice to me. i just hope if you see one of those names to stay away. if i find anymore names or remember any i will post them for you guys
Facebookgames
April 23, 2019
I play Words with friends and recently blocked some guy FredFrank who immediately started chatting to me. I like to play the game not chat. I chatted back a little and he all of a sudden told me the scammer story of being a doctor from Germany and was stationed in Syria for the United Nations. Whoa, too much information right away. Asked about marital status and family. After I stated happy married. No more plays however he was able to chat. Blocked him especially after checking that there are no United Nations Doctors in Syria. Please let your friends know that they are targets in any of the games that allow chatting also. This is the second guy that got too personal right away on the same game site. The first one I told I was uncomforatble chatting, then blocked him, with in two weeks.
Stupid girl
April 23, 2019
I had been talking to a guy named Chris Porter everything was going fine, we talked about family his dreams of owning a gym someday showed me all his military credentials which looked really legit.. so since he sent me his credentials he wanted me to send my license to make sure it was me.stupid woman I did.I know better but he seemed so legit. Then asked me for iTunes cards. Didn't send them. Sent a pic of me in the shower ( nothing showing ) my face though. I'm so scared he'll identity theft me.i blocked him on hangouts and was wondering if once blocked can he still see my pics? I pray not. I'm so scared. This was 4 months ago nothing has happened so far.
Victim 22
April 23, 2019
Be careful from someone Frank Tyler Hammanh. He is a scammer. He speaks very sweet. Honey, i love you, my heart code, my life companion, my queen, i want to marry you, God believer. After 3 week's hhe bakes for money. Tàlk on houngouts. Met on Facebook and after 3 daus he closed it. Has dogs a dauther studies in Australia, wife left him 5 years ago. Nanny cleans the House and cares about the dogs. Oil gas inginieur in Russia and Mexico, lives in New York. 50 yeas old. Never spoke to him in phone only message because not good network. He bakes everyday for money. I sent him 500 Euros and dessapeared after that. I feel so bad. Be careful please.
Sarah collinson
April 23, 2019
Anyone hear of the girl Sarah collinson says she’s from Phoenix Arizona
Silly one
April 23, 2019
Has anyone heard of a Wilson j Barton?
wwfchess
April 23, 2019
John Prada is a scammer. He says he is a UN peace keeper. Likes to use hang outs app. Uses story that wife had a car accident and died 4 years ago and hasn’t dated since. His 12 year old son, Tyler lives with his old sister in law in Houston, TX. Sweet guy will charm you with romance. Than wants you to get him home soon by sending an email to the UN and pay 15 to 20 thousand.
Amanda
April 23, 2019
Thommy Wareen. He is a fraud. Contacted me on instagram. Said he is a wildlife photographer, divorced, and rich, but working out of country and can't access his accounts. Wanted itunes cards. Told him you can't buy anything with those cards except stuff from Apple. He got very upset. Promised to pay me back. Glad i didn't fall for it. I did contact others on his account who lost several thousands of dollars to him. Hope karma pays him pack double. He deserves to suffer after scamming those women.
Kind-hearted
April 23, 2019
Texting a man name Patrick Antonio. Says he is engineer and is trying to get to Italy for a job building a bridge. He says his wife died 3 years ago in car accident and has 2 children in college. Supposedly he was mugged and is now having trouble with his bank account because muggers hacked into it.
sach
April 24, 2019
Lucie Razvan she had send following request and i was accepted and then she ask me my whatsapp number. i had give it her my whatsapp number. then she chat with my whatsapp last 10 days then she just told me that she is coming to my country and she want meet me. then one day later she told me she is in india and she arrived at airport . she told me some reason she said aiport authority asking some custom duty chareges some money then she told help her to give that money to airport authority.
Cruisiegranny
April 24, 2019
My friend was scammed by James Wesley.....supposedly a marine engineer living in Florida, widower with a son in boarding school. He approached her on Instagram then quickly went to Hangouts.....his love grew etc He asked for money. She paid some and he asked for more. At that point she contacted me. I requested to follow him. The next day he started on me. Oh you are so pretty, download Hangouts etc etc. I fobbed him off till my friend completed bank paper work to hopefully retrieve her last donation to this scum bag. He told me he lived in the Bronks. Funny though, the bank account she sent the funds to were in New Zealand and in the name of Ziad Mohammed saheed. He has many profiles and jameswesley509 is one he seems to have forgotten about. When we were Instagram friends I did message him saying my account wasn't my real identity. He tried to make out I had the wrong person etc And he blocked me!
lovrly
April 24, 2019
I chatted with a man Turki Naibil from Germany and using telephone from USA . He doesn’t show face only voice on WhatsApp
reneeg09
April 24, 2019
I started talking to a man claiming to be a doctor stationed in Syria called Alex Ray.He only chats on Google hangouts and won’t let me see him on video chat as he says it’s not allowed on his mission lol.After three weeks he asked me to send him a google play card for $50 because his phone is full and he needs it for making more space on it to make room to chat to me.I sent him stupidly only a 5$ card .After a few days he asked me for a $50 one again claiming he had no credit cards in Syria.I said no . Yes know he is fake and I wonder if anyone else has come across this person .He claims he is Dutch but grew up in Virginia.I don’t understand why he asked for google play cards.He still talks to me after I said no to him
Sounds Familiar
May 08, 2019

In reply to by reneeg09

If he's a younger guy, dark hair, handsome, tall, & has a Spanish accent. He's a scammer. Sounds like the same line of bull he tried to tell me.
Paminbama
April 24, 2019
Words with Friends on Facebook is covered up with them. I'm not looking for a relationship, don't usually like to even chat but will try to at least be cordial until they immediately start asking about relationship status and/or if I will chat with them on hangouts. I shut them down immediately.
getting-the-truth
April 24, 2019
I was on Tinder and was contacted by John Kennedy who sweet talked me and we talked for and are still talking, I want to see how far he goes. He has pledged his eternal love for me and what not. He had a business trip to Lome, Africa to help build something on the border with Ghana. Three days into his trip he says he needs a Steam card so that he could download games. I pretended to send it but never sent it as it seemed fishy. A week in a half he says that he tried to take money using his ATM and that it doesn't work. He has contacted his friends and nothing so far. He hasn't asked me for me yet and I haven't offered either. His WhatsApp is not receiving messages. I put his pictures through TinEye which is an image search and recognition company, but he did not pop up anywhere on social media which raises more red flags. So we will see what happens
asennhenn
April 24, 2019
I answered this dude on facebook after a while his request was removed. He loved me and wanted to marry him wanted money and sent him 12,000 thru a friend of his. Now he wants 4,700 for a flight ticket. Had a very loving relationship . Now I feel I was used.
getting-the-truth
April 25, 2019

In reply to by asennhenn

I am going through the same thing. Guy was totally sweet, and it seemed like we really clicked. Now that I denied sending him, he has been quiet. Hasn't blocked me on WhatsApp so we will see his next move
Another Victim
April 26, 2019

In reply to by getting-the-truth

Same story... i sent money.once .. but when refused to send - he is quiet but did not blocked me on WhatsApp. What is next?
Used at will
April 25, 2019
I have girl who is thirty telling me she will send money but wants money in exchange how do i get rid of her
getting-the-truth
April 25, 2019

In reply to by Used at will

Block her on your social media, that way she cannot get in touch with you.
djh50
April 25, 2019
Hi,beware of a Robert Petruzzi,I chatted to him on pof,then on Hangouts. He was very nice,drew me in,saying he had lost his wife and child through the delivery,lost his parents etc,was in Malaysia,going to be a millionaire,due to his inheritance,asked me to send him an Amazon gift card as he needed £100,I blocked him straight away,a very sick,nasty person
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