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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.

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LagirlDon't us…
January 04, 2019

In reply to by Fooled

I had the same guy do the same to me. His fake name was Eddie Jeremih... he is a real sick individual... we all have to meet our makers.. these people may not get caught but God is watching them. God doesn’t like thieves!!!
JCwww
February 15, 2019

In reply to by LagirlDon't us…

You are right, at some point of their lives, they will regret all the bad they are doing. There is no way to have a paceful life scamming people. I was scammed for a website that says they were going to multiply my money, so i send them 500 usd, and they converted in 20,000 usd en 3 days, but in order to for me to get my money i need to pay them 15% upfront for account management.
mikesullivan43
April 14, 2019

In reply to by LagirlDon't us…

my wife is being scammed by this individual as we speak, thousand of dollars, plz respond back, its put our marriage in a bad light
mikesullivan43
April 14, 2019

In reply to by LagirlDon't us…

what a good way to get in touch with you
Goingup4hm2
April 30, 2019

In reply to by LagirlDon't us…

Where is this so called Eddie... I have been scammed by him too
Tforce
August 13, 2018

In reply to by Charma

Charma, I believe my mother is being cat fished by the same "doctor". His photos are of a real doctor named Fernando Garcia Pinto from Brazil. He is going by the name of Nathan Marcelo and says he is a surgeon in Syria. My mother is a doctor and very strong headed. I told her I believe this is a scam but she does not want to listen to me
K.Rapko
February 02, 2019

In reply to by Tforce

My nana is going through this right now. Shes been sending money etc. Everything she worked for is going to nothing. Id like to speak to some of you and maybe exchange info in hope to show her that this man isnt real. Shes throwing away a whole family over this. Anything could help. (I am 21 w a 3 year old son and we both love her very much) this is scary for everyone that loves her.
Disgusted
February 24, 2019

In reply to by Tforce

Yes the same exact thing was just recently done to me. He pulled on every part of my heart making me believe everything he said. He goes by the name of Dr. Henry Fernando. And as much as my gut told me not to believe a lot of what he said, he had a way of being convincing. He said he is Brazilian and is working in the army in Syria for the past 18 months and will be coming back to Columbus Ohio in the end of March. He also convinced me to send him I Tune gift cards via email because his general cut off the spending and made excuses for everything. I finally told him that he was a scammer and I didn't believe him unless he showed proof. He sent me a fake copy of a passport that had this persons name Henry Fernando and pasted a picture of the whole body. Passports only have picture of the face not half of your body. He then sent me a fake address of a commercial street and provided his bank info for me to send him $1550.00 to have his cars and house ready for when he gets back home. The account info was a Bank of America account with the name Blessing idowu located in NC. can't believe I actually got scammed. These crazy disgusting people are gonna get theirs!!! Tell your mom not to give him anything. I wish I knew how to catch these people.
Karma will get you
August 18, 2018

In reply to by Charma

How do you do the search? I entered the name of the person all different people came up. I want to be able 5th o call this guy out that I'm talking to. His name is Thomas Quimby. I noticed right away with the way he writes his sentences and his grammar is horrible.
TAG
September 16, 2018

In reply to by Charma

Charma, Did he ask you to send a letter to the U.N. asking for early release. When you searched for him was his name Bruce Rayford. Mine is currently using the name Bryan Ward. He asked me to write a letter to the UN and say I was his fiance and give him a reason to end his contract early. The pictures he sent I tried to research and it gave me pause to question. The gentleman in the pictures and is a lot how you describe. Whomever the real man in the pictures is I feel for him. The one good thing is he has not asked for anything but the letter.
Gabi
July 05, 2019

In reply to by Charma

Hi! Same as my experience, I have been also talking to this guy also a UN Medical Doctor from USA and he was working in Afghanistan now. He was using a good english. He says, he is a widower for 7 years and has a son named Kevin, 14 years old and studying Medicine in Cyprus Military Academy. This guy sent a follow request in Instagram and ask me to move to private message in Hangout because he is not always online on instagram. He was sending love poems, and music. He also professes that he is searching a woman to fill his needs as a man, and to have a stepmom to his son. And professes that he is inlove with me and marry me as soon as he gets to US. Days past, he started asking $500 to send to his son, or buy him an iTune Card. I smell fishy so i blocked and report him without saying any and he was asking sorry that he will not do it again until he showed his Identification Card that he is a real doctor from UN. I don't know maybe he's just made it by himself. He told me that this is everything I want to know about him.
Ali2
September 21, 2019

In reply to by Gabi

I started chatting on a word game UPWORDS with a guy named LEWIS FEDERICO ALEX..he said hes. From Spain.. Lost his parents in a car accident. Has a boy at boarding school in the UK. Says hes an Orthopedic Surgeon in Afghanistan. Hes in a war zone so he cant "take pictures" or receive calls. Hes very charming and good looking. Bad grammer.
Mrs BK
April 03, 2020

In reply to by Ali2

This sounds alot like the Lewis man iam talking to wish ppl would post his pic here to .he say he is an orthopedic surgeon from usa working in afganistan. Cant call or cam or take pics he is not allowed has a son 14 someone else is looking after him sounds to fimileur
Ali2
September 21, 2019

In reply to by Gabi

I started chatting on a word game UPWORDS with a guy named LEWIS FEDERICO ALEX..he said hes. From Spain.. Lost his parents in a car accident. Has a boy at boarding school in the UK. Says hes an Orthopedic Surgeon in Afghanistan. Hes in a war zone so he cant "take pictures" or receive calls. Hes very charming and good looking. Bad grammer.
Basketball
September 10, 2019

In reply to by Charma

Oh my goodness I have been having the same conversation. He said his name is Scott and Antony. Met on Instagram then went to hangouts. He is also on POF . Be careful. He has asked me for money constantly and I said no . Very charming
Roxy
October 16, 2019

In reply to by Charma

Hi I believe I come across the same guy, he says he's from Rome, and he's a marine engineer, And has a goatee that's black and gray. His same is seve Gabriel
Layla
January 11, 2020

In reply to by Charma

I just had the same guy for the last 2 weeks trying to scam me. He friended me on Facebook. Always with you’re so beautiful and I never felt this way before. He asked me to set up Hangouts or Whatsup. I never did since I knew it was a scam. He said he was an orthopedic surgeon with the UN in Syria. Born in Kentucky and lived in New York. His wife died of cervical cancer 3 years ago and has a son named Kelly who is 15 and in Italy going to school. He is 6’ 1” and not sure the weight since he told me in kegs. The pictures were of a gorgeous man with beautiful smile and beautiful dark brown almost black eyes. Black hair, salt and pepper beard. There were pics of him with different people, in his scrubs , suits and in workout clothes. His name was Tom Harley and went by Md Tom on Facebook. I called him out the minute he asked for $1850.00 so he could pay for his sons tuition. He said he could not do any money transfers while with the UN. I even told him if he was an American doctor his grammar would not have been so terrible. Be very careful ladies and don’t fall for it.
Laura
July 26, 2020

In reply to by Charma

Was he a fit man. With dark brown eyes black hair and gray in most his beard? Did he send pictures of drawings of himself?
mom's watcher
March 16, 2018

In reply to by Hilary

Hilary, I think he attempted the same thing with my mom. Would you be willing to contact me on Facebook to see if it is the same guy?
FTC Staff
March 16, 2018

In reply to by mom's watcher

We don't post personal contact information on this blog.

Neet
December 17, 2018

In reply to by mom's watcher

The guy name hammond Robert ask me the same thing write letter to UN for small vacation from Syria. I deny then he ask me that my army people will give me allowances so I have to give my all detail to him then army people post the chque to me I have to withdraw from my account and send to him and his son for xmas.
Jocelyne1987
March 27, 2019

In reply to by Neet

I have a guy named Richard Hammond asking for money lol... I knew he was a scammer
Sparkle
March 30, 2018

In reply to by Hilary

This sounds like the same person who contacted me via Facebook under the name of Derrick Chapman. Said he was in the US based in Aleppo, Syria. Wife died and had an 11 year old daughter called Bella at boarding school. Has contacted me for money for daughters school trip and wanted $4000! Is now asking me to contact the US army with a fake emergency so he can get discharged! Never followed this up as I know th3 next step would be another request for money
Don't use
May 24, 2018

In reply to by Sparkle

I have been chatting with guy that says he is military (army) stationed in Syria he is the father of one little boy named Timmy mother passed away during child birth we have been chatting for over a month he’s never asked me for anything no money no nothing he says he loves me and that I am his world that I’m the only woman that’s made him feel the way his deceased wife use to except me I do love him but I’m dying of an incurable disease but he still wants to marry he sends me flowers when he can he chats with me every chance he can but I can’t help but feel something is not right like I said he’s never asked me for anything and I have tried to research his info and his picture but I come up with s lot of men in different places but none look like my guy I’ve never spoken with him because of being too dangerous in Syria right now I do know he speaks some Spanish cause he told me so but that’s about all I know other than he promised he’s coming home to be with me before I die I’m hoping he is for real please Lord let him be real please
Jules
June 17, 2018

In reply to by Don't use

Be careful. I met a man who is stationed in Syria or that what he said. We talked for 3 months only by text. Recently he told me he wanted to send me a package he never asked me for anything. Before I knew it I was getting a message from the courier saying his package was being held in customs and requesting $2200. Long story short he made me feel terrible for not being able to help him since he said he spent all his money to send me the package and had no access to his account. I winded up using my rent money to pay half since they told me they would take payments. After the payment was received to a bank in NY eventhough the package was being held in Canada. I did question that but I was being told I only had 3 days before they were going to seize his package and auction it off. He started telling me that I was not being supportive and his problem was suppose to be my problem. So I fell for it. I found out later that the tracking number given was a fake not sure if the courier was real. I since have been in contact with my bank to try to get my money back and filed a report with the FBI. I hate that I fell for it and started to fall for him. Now I miss talking to someone I don't know who they even were. Mst Sgt Dave Hernandez deployed in Syria Courier: Swiss cargos delivery.net in UK the phone number on.the website is a Google number. I would love to find the soldier in the pic sent to me to let him know his pic is being used One last part I ended up hiring a PI to get answers. I was told the number he was texting me from was an app number his e mail was a fake..I thought it was a real military e mail. I ended up copying and pasting the trunk box story. I asked :"sound familiar " his response : "no, he sees paranoia and attitude" he told me believe what want to believe and he was done explaining himself. Haven't heard from him since. Just be careful. I never seen this coming :(
RayRay37
September 07, 2018

In reply to by Jules

May I had a guy talk me instagram and i blocked him. Proceeded follow me on facebook. I never accept friend requests I do not know. Marine, handsome and 42. Story was wife passed away daughter and in afghanistan deployed. We chatted about a month and he began talking about boxes freaking out what he was going to do his doctor friend had move to Syria he had get the packages out his house in Iraq. Naive me says send them to me I can care for the packages until you return home. Two weeks went by recieved confirmation of shipment to my name and address. Two more weeks went by and I needed purchase military tags for a diplomat seal 2,500. Stupid me paid it and another month went by all suddent the money i paid was invalid because the account had 3000 limit and i was sent an email retrieve funds from bank. Bank showed the account was fine and no issues. On top of that in between the packages were supposively stopped by homeland security for metal pieces detected i could pay 5200 for power attorney to move them along if i verified the contents. The sender told me what say. Money wired to an Emmanual Jack in africa. I was receiving emails from a diplomat. Received a new one today packages were enroute and stopped by authority and large sums money were scanned and detected need pay 10 percent of the money that totals 18,500 to IMF. confused because the supposed marine still talks to me and still acts worried about the packages and making it home to use funds when he is home again. Do not get taken. I hardly doubt diplomatic agents email you. Also no phone numbers have been given from courier service. Courier service also had me try go into bank and get a refund and the bank thought I was fraudulet and suspicious for trying take money from an account that didnt belong to me. So be very careful. It is not worth it! I wish i would have listened to everyone but i wanted believe i was different. I am not. I thought i was a smart person always warning my friends and here I am caught in a huge scam!!!!
Reasonable
August 01, 2018

In reply to by Don't use

This man is still setting you up. He has a long-term plan to take money and assets. Do yourself a favor and stop all communication. This is not God's plan for you. It is a scam-in-the-making. I'm glad you are not a financial victim. Being an emotional victim is bad enough.
She who knows
October 14, 2018

In reply to by Reasonable

I just have a question for you ladies maybe someone can tell me I stared talking to this guy on Facebook after he friend requested me his man is Joshua excellence Gabriel anyways he asked me to get the hangouts app hasn't asked for money but he saids he in Turkey and is a private investigator for the Army I looked on my facebook page showing a friend who I was talking to and when I noticed he hadn't been on messenger for a while I clicked on it and his message said this. This message is no longer available because it was identified as abusive or marked as spam. I'm not sure what's up so I asked him he said he was getting to many messages from people he didn't know but his Facebook account is now has anyone had this from this guy?
Froggy
December 29, 2019

In reply to by She who knows

Profiles change to Facebook user when the account is either blocked or deleted by Facebook for being fake
Starhope
November 21, 2018

In reply to by Don't use

I have been chatting with a guy say he is an engineer and he told same story as yours that his wife passed away while giving birth and his son is 13yrs old his name is Kelvin he said he felt in Love with me same as you but no flowers he already ask me for money and said his rich and has a house in California but yet his not able to touch his money because the bank block his account an in order for him to get his money he needs to give his fingerprint I told him I never heard anything like that his name is Steven Akama has anyone talk to him also that in order for him to come here we need to pay homeland Security around 300,000 dollars I told him that’s way to much money that if his rich he needs to get in touch with his bank and that he hasn’t seen his son over 14 months but he loves me with all his heart that I need to help him if I’m in love with him in order for us to be together.
always suspicious
December 08, 2018

In reply to by Starhope

I have been chatting with someone who says he has a home in Miami but is in Regina Canada right now with United Nations and also has a Son that is 6 named Kelvin. He has not asked for money but did ask if i was familiar with the Steam cards. Has anyone heard of a Richard Baron ?
Ann
December 15, 2018

In reply to by always suspicious

I have been talking to a guy who is an engineer off the coast of Australia for 10 months. Has a son named Kelvin in boarding school in LA. I have sent him lots of money and iTunes cards. Claims to be Spaniard, but born in US. Goes by the name of James Ashley. Not only has he ruined me financially, he ruined my life. Please be very careful.
spring
January 10, 2019

In reply to by Starhope

I just blocked a scam person, widowed with a son called Kelvin. I had fallen in love with him but I found he had stolen his photos from somebody else. Ladies, ask these men for a video chat right in the beginning. I'm a bit scared now because he's got my phone number and email. I hope I haven't given him my address during the two months chat.
sonkelvin
April 15, 2019

In reply to by spring

I have a guy named Dave that I am sure is scamming me. This started on April 13 th. Widowed, son Kelvin in boarding school, wants a new Mom, etc.
Shorty1966
May 03, 2019

In reply to by sonkelvin

I’ve been talking to a guy named Casey who has a son named Dave. Dave is in school in California and he’s on an oil rig in the Gulf.
Shy girl
May 12, 2019

In reply to by Shorty1966

This is all lies they all reverse the same line in a cage I did not want to belive this wen told I dig and found out the truth he has no kid the pictures are fake and there ages are 17 till 29 years they like older women becouse there more. Experienced and have property or retired all they want is money
Sunshine
May 13, 2019

In reply to by sonkelvin

Dave Belman...general surgeon, UN. In Kabul. Son Kelvin in boarding school. Just dumped him but he is still active.
My name is Julie
November 13, 2019

In reply to by Sunshine

Sunshine , what did Dave Bellman look like? Was he muscular with grey hair and a grey goatee beard and a little gap between is two front teeth said he was aged 59. He sounds like the scammer I’ve just blocked goes by the name Johan Trond Cooper.
Sunshine
December 31, 2019

In reply to by My name is Julie

Sorry. I just saw this. Yes, that description sounds just like the Dave Belman I chatted with and fell for. From Italy, went to med school in Seattle. Working for the UN in Afghanistan...general surgeon
Sharon
May 07, 2020

In reply to by Sunshine

A guy (widow) wants to be my friend. Says he is a surgeon for the United Nations. Good looking & about 60. Low & behold, he is a widow with a good looking son. I cannot find a doctor that looks like him. He goes by Charles.
sue
May 15, 2020

In reply to by sonkelvin

I had been speaking with someone for a long time. however, he was many different people and each one had a different personality and loved me so much. I knew it was all fake but I played along for fun and never gave him a dime.
Shy girl 69
February 06, 2019

In reply to by Starhope

He also gies by the name of william moore there from nigiria his age is like 27 he is not the only one that uses that nane its few of them he confessed to me hiw they do it he took like $9.000 threw years saying for sons school.fir flight im still talkibg to him but dont trust him a pit.
Scam Help
October 03, 2020

In reply to by Shy girl 69

Hi! I believe someone I know is talking to this man and now going by David Rogers. Do you have any other information about him? Are you still talking to him?
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