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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
fraud
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.

jackie1987
July 11, 2020

In reply to by Senga

Once again I do believe it's the same man but with many different identities might he calls himself David but he's supposed to been in the hospital due to a car accident and that he was in ye men on the way to come here to me I think this person has many identities that he is using but I think it's the same man but I only know him as David Lee he is an Asian man supposedly
sam88
August 22, 2020

In reply to by jackie1987

I agree, I think he uses lots of different identities. Mine is called Nathan, star sign Leo. First contacted me through uk match.com calling himself Leo then asked me to chat on watts app now Viber. Very good looking and successful just bought a house in bath, owns a construction company, arranged to meet then had to rush back to his home in Florida as his 6 year old daughter Chloe was taken Ill. Sends me loads of pics some with his daughter and white dog. Love bombs me. Then yesterday asked for my address so he could send me a watch worth £3,500 when I said I dint feel comfortable sending my address he said. What could I possibly do with your address and that he thinks it best we don’t carry on speaking. He sent me the landline number for his house in Florida saying his daughters nanny and housekeeper are aware of me and will pass any messages on to him. His account is deleted on match.com. It has been disappointing as I was enjoying chatting to him but feel really sorry for more vulnerable people he is targeting..
Tica
September 07, 2020

In reply to by Senga

I been talking to a guy who said he is a. Orthopedic Dr Who was send to irack by the U.N. He send me a picture if him with his 6 year old daughter Also his wife is dead He don't want to chat in messenger or Facebook We chat on handgout Please I need to know if this is the same guy
Leigh
January 03, 2020

In reply to by Kimmy

I had a guy trying to scam me that used a photo of him and a dog. He took photos of me and photoshopped him holding a picture with four photos of me in it. Very good! It was probably an award in a frame. He used the name Malcolm Merlyn and Malcolm S (strange name). He was supposed to be from Germany and was an engineer. I finally caught on but it was heartbreaking. He was supposed to currently living in Baton Rouge. I had the address he used as his work and when I Google Maps it, it was an empty field according to the satellite picture. I did actually talk to him on the phone and he should have had a strong big voice for a tall, fit man. He sounded like a weasel! Little tiny boy voice. I had another supposed to be an Army General in Afghanistan. His name was Eric Anthony and Rich Anthony and Eric Rich. Picture of him in uniform had the name blurred. Sent pics of his 14 year old daughter putting ornaments on the tree. Both guys profess their love. When I said no to both these guys they vanish or come back later. If their Facebook page has no posts or no friends or nothing about them they are not real! Be cautious and follow your gut and not your heart. It's a horrible thing.
JenD0823
May 07, 2020

In reply to by Leigh

Hi I am curious about the person you met from Germany who said he was an engineer. When he first DM's me on Instagram he said he was an engineer from upstate New York and originally from Germany. He did the photoshop thing as well with a personal message and tried to do a Skype call which didn't look right at all. When we spoke his accent was so think so didn't believe him. I ended up finding the real guy whose pics he was originally using and he later confessed and started sending me pics of the "real" guy he claimed to be. Did he wear glasses late 30's early 40's? I have a lot of pics he has sent and video but still have not met him after 5 months.
Linda
May 12, 2020

In reply to by JenD0823

JenD0823 please can you send his foto or how do i find out more... I have a story to tell... i wrote a long message her... but not sure how it works here.
Crazygirl
June 22, 2020

In reply to by JenD0823

Hi can you tell me more about this guy from Germany? Name? Story line. I have someone i meet on WWF named Sam Schmidt.
Blueyeznnc
July 13, 2020

In reply to by Crazygirl

The guy I met on Coffee with Bagels. Sam Schmidt..VERY handsome. Gray hair. Has been in Atlanta (near his daughter) since COVID. From Germany...raised most of his life in New Orleans.
ScamAlert!
September 01, 2020

In reply to by Blueyeznnc

Yes I was also talking to Sam Schmidt! Won’t be long before he asks for money. Don’t fall for it. Block & delete
April
November 28, 2020

In reply to by Crazygirl

Can you tell me more about the guy in germany. I have one by the name of tylaro Williams. I am in contact with and he in the baltic sea.
kitty
September 04, 2020

In reply to by JenD0823

This sounds like the same person I am talking with and is in love with me but needs $100,000.00 that he wants me to send him. Malcolm Merlyn is the name he uses with me. He doesn't want to talk on the phone only email me. He tried Zoom and he disconnected right away so I could only see him for a minute. He took 4 pictures I sent put them in a frame and somehow I think photoshopped him holding the pictures. He is suppose to be on an oil rig in the gulf of Mexico and lives in Baton Rouge, LA.
2 angry
September 08, 2020

In reply to by JenD0823

My mom has been talking on the phone to a guy named Walter Muller. He says he is from Germany and lives in New York with a big beautiful house. He is an engineer that scored a big contract in Turkey and was stuck there for some time. He needed to money bc his laptop and I'd got stolen on the plane. He overstay his visa in Turkey and needed 18k us. Then flight after flight was cancelled. He is now stuck in New York airport and is asking her to sell her house to send him 42k usd...sound familiar?
CintaYad01
August 24, 2020

In reply to by Leigh

I talked with a guy for three days, and found out today that he used somebody else photos. With further searching, the image of man that I thought I was talking to was indeed in the Military with a wife and kids. As for the scammer, first, he told me his wife passed away two years ago... And then when I told him what I found out, he said that she disappointed him so much with her stealing money from him, that he came to a conclusion of her being dead. And then he went back to the story her actually being dead. He told me his name was Jack Edward Williams, and that he was stationed in Syria.
RT
September 27, 2020

In reply to by CintaYad01

How do you look up a photo, I tried on google image and it does not work
Kitty
September 03, 2020

In reply to by Leigh

I am in the middle of a relationship with this guy and am so glad I read your comments. He did the same picture thing with me too. He is really good and asked for money from me said he needed it for the Oil Rig project he was on. I am thankful someone read this and told me about what you said. Thanks You.
Curious one
September 04, 2020

In reply to by Kitty

Does he send you pictures of flowers and YouTube songs in the morning?
ms kotter
October 18, 2020

In reply to by Curious one

A scammer sent me flowers and youtube songs in the morning. He claimed to be an aircraft maintenance engineer named craig macgregor, finishing a contract in syria. He also wanted financial assistance to get his portfolio, supposedly worth millions, out of syria. He got some money from me but i got suspicious. He didnt get anymore from me. His helper kept raising costs and making more demands. He claimed to be locked out of all of his assets. Had a wife who died 5 years ago. Says he has 2 sons. He is a textbook scammer. I wish there was a way we could share pics. He sent me pics of an older man and says he is 62.
ms kotter
December 13, 2020

In reply to by Lucy

Craig macgregor's phone number is 262-261-3317. It traced to port washington, wisconsin. Claims to be aircraft engineer finishing 1 million dollar contract in syria. Things fell apart when i flipped the script on him. I asked why he couldnt use his resources to get his portfolio out of syria instead of mine. He was very sweet until i said no more money, then he started bullying. I blocked him from my universe. I dont miss him at all.
Liza
September 20, 2020

In reply to by Kitty

Hi, can I ask is this guy your talking to working somewhere in the German Baltic sea? Oil rig, with a daughter, good looking, wears dark glasses likes to sing songs, sends flowers pics. Gosh I met a guy like that. He scammed me, please beware.
Jan
September 22, 2020

In reply to by Liza

I’ve been talking to a guy calling himself Andrew Walters, met him on Scrabble Go. After a few weeks he was begging for me to go on Google Hangouts. I refused. He was going out on a rig in Germany for three weeks and didn’t want to lose contact. Gave him my e mail. He says he is a Independent Oil Contractor. Widower, wife died in an auto accident picking him up from the airport. Has a teen daughter named a Kayle. Said he is from Norway, but has lived in Kansas, and now Louisville , Ky. Raised the daughter himself. He was an only child, and both parents died. So romantic , wants to marry me, take care of me , and be with forever. His picture is really handsome, mixed dark and gray hair, Dark glasses, Pullover sweater and denim shirt. Brick wall in the background, picture of him and his daughter Taken in Europe shopping. Never asked for anything for the 3 and a half months we have been e mailing. Got a email saying there was a explosion on the rig and he has raised all the money for the repairs except for $18,000. Asking me if I could loan him that amount, so he can finish the contract and come home to Kaylee and I. I couldn’t believe he asked me to for the money. I emailed him and told him outright that he was a Scammer and I wasn’t falling for it. He called repeatedly and I didn’t answer the phone, he then emailed and said he couldn’t believe I could think that about him. His phone caller I D has a Olathe , Ks. Caller I D.
HerbEve80
December 01, 2020

In reply to by Jan

I was sent a DM by an Andrew Walters on Tictoc wanted to go to hangouts. Your description doesn't sound like my Andrew. however the name got me. This Andrew just told me he is sending a package to me via Transcor even sent a shipping slip and tracking number everything. I thought well let's see how far this will go it just sounds dodgy, I asked him over and over what I have to know before the package arrived, NOTHING he sa8id everything has been taken are of. Well the package arrived in Cape Town South Africa yesterday but is stuck at customs cause the import tax has not bee paid. it amounts to almost R 4 000 USD and in South African Rands close to R 65 000. Now he is ending all sorts of crying emojis and sad worried messages. I'm sitting here thinking well it went better than expected. But I am angry that he actually believes that I will pay this money.
Liza
September 20, 2020

In reply to by Kitty

Also when I already refused to send him money, he stopped writting and when I check Instagram I found same name with similar picture just recently , this September. Please be careful.
Duped
October 02, 2020

In reply to by Kitty

Where is the oil rig your scammer is working on? By chance is it off the Scottish coast?
April
November 28, 2020

In reply to by Duped

I have one in the baltic sea. He is from washington state and german parents. Would be interested what you have on him .
Jo Jo
December 16, 2020

In reply to by April

HA! I have one who I recently started talking to in the gulf of Mexico. His name is David Marco Alberto. White guy who resembles Kiefer Sutherland. Sent me a photo of him wearing a brown coat in a mint green tie. Also another wearing a fedora. He has a daughter in a boarding school in the UK. Parents are dead. Has a sister with Alzheimer's in a nursing home in Italy. Which is where he is from. Red flags everywhere so my guard was already up. No friends near where he owns his house. Sends me good morning messages everyday (which is nice) but this is off. Glad I found this thread. Guys like him are creeps. Sorry some of you have lost money on him.
TwinkleToes
December 26, 2020

In reply to by Jo Jo

I'm checking to see if my sister is being scammed. She is in touch with an Albert Sergio Marco born 1957 Florence, Italy. Works on an oil rig and plays the piano. Wife died 10 years ago. Has a 27 year old daughter called Sandra. Sound familiar?
April
November 28, 2020

In reply to by Kitty

I am also in a relation ship with do.e one on line. He is on a rig and has a son. Wife died and he was looking for a relation ship. Sending youtube music and morning poems. Called me twice with an accent. Wondering if anyone had the same conversations.is in bitcoins. He send me pics. Also apparently i am in contact with his son who also send me a pic of him. Let me know if anyone has the same experience
Pineapple 64
January 04, 2021

In reply to by April

Sounds familiar but my guy says he is a doctor working for the UN in Denmark I get poems he even did a video of us using his pics and mine I had sent him . His pics looked photoshopped. But I was still stupid enough to send him money I couldn’t do Bitcoin so he gave me a woman’s bank account number . Havnt heard from him for a couple of days probably because I told him I had no more money . I feel so stupid . Wish I had looked on here as soon as I started talking to him
christina
March 08, 2020

In reply to by Kimmy

Kimmy White headed with a chocolate lab. Claims his name is Christian R. Ackerman. Not a trace of him online and once I asked of a picture of his ID he disappeared. He is Australian according to him and we talked on the phone. Very strong accent.
My name is Julie
November 02, 2019

In reply to by Phyllis

Was he very muscular black t-shirt Gray hair sunglasses and a goatee Said he was in his 50s also in a picture with a dog And he believes in god and asks if you’ve been to church. An American but lived in Germany when he was young so has a German accent but muffled so difficult to understand and when you speak to him has a much younger voice if that makes sense! Says he is in U.N. & NATO us army
CharlieVDB
December 04, 2019

In reply to by My name is Julie

Sounds like mine. This scammer eventually admitted he had stolen someone's FB pictures. Had a story about a child who died in a car accident at age 19. His scammer name was Steve Van Der Beek, said he was Dutch and retired from being a chef on a cruise ship. MGD cruise line, something like that. Had a tatoo that said "I love you you" in script on his upper left chest. Some wild story about starting a Dutch restaurant in the US, and could I help with money? Ah, no.
Mayzel
October 24, 2020

In reply to by CharlieVDB

Can you send me photos of him? I think with the same guy chatting with me.
Reddish
January 07, 2020

In reply to by My name is Julie

Can you please send a picture I think the same guy is trying to scam me ,
Liza
September 20, 2020

In reply to by My name is Julie

Hi, may I know the name he gave you?. I think maybe the same guy who scammed me.
Liza
September 20, 2020

In reply to by My name is Julie

Hi, may I know the name he gave you?. I think maybe its the same guy who scammed me.
Shawn
December 09, 2020

In reply to by My name is Julie

This sounds like this fake Dr.Mark Eric Anthony I've been talking to he said he's. From Washington and he life. After he lost both parents and brother in a car wreck he said wife died of cancer and he has a 14 year old son he's raising he's claiming to be in Afghanistan and i need to email someone to request an emergency leave not knowing i know no one can request a leave for them if i could send a picture i would ladies sounds like its the same man with different stories
Scammed
June 18, 2020

In reply to by Phyllis

Same thing with me / he had me fall in love with him / but it is the man in the picture / I wish I could find him !
CROSS
July 24, 2020

In reply to by Phyllis

Not all men online are scammers... Some also come to find true and sincere love... A few people just give good men a bad name and image...
Craftlady
August 05, 2020

In reply to by Phyllis

Hi Phyllis, I'm at the tail end of a scam. I'm playing the money game with him right now that he needs me to pay $4,720 in airfare for him to return to the states from working on an oil rig in Germany and for an airline ticket to pay for a replacement person for him. Same as you, I'm crazy about the man in the pictures he was sending me. I'll see how far he's willing to go as I keep telling him that I don't have extra cash to send him. He's like demanding that I go out and get a steam card for him. Sad thing is, I told my husband that I wanted out of our marriage for this guy. Fortunately, he knew that it's a scam and is helping me research this scam. "Alex" asked me to contact the UN, he provided email address, to have them release him from his contract to be with me and his 12yo son, lost wife due to short illness. I actually contacted the real United Nations and they informed me that the UN does not have any thing to do with oil rig contracts. I'm waiting on a response from the oil company that he says he works for for confirmation of employment. I have a good husband. Guess I'll stick with him.
James oil man…
September 01, 2020

In reply to by Craftlady

Sounds very similar, James Alex, on an oil rig in Norwegian Sea. Lives in Dallas. Grammar is terrible in his text! I will share photos, do you have any?
Jeana1106
November 10, 2020

In reply to by James oil man…

I’ve been chatting with a guy named Jan Muller. He gives me a story that he’s on a contract with an oil company. Also has a 12 year old daughter and mother in Germany. The girlfriend who is the daughters mother was cheating on him. Not sure I buy his story.
Liza
September 20, 2020

In reply to by Craftlady

Hi, I think I have the same story. a contractor in an oil rig in Germany, widow, good looking in the pic, has a daughter who is in a boarding school in Germany etc..He asked money for his daughters upkeeps, sadly i sent a few.
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