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Online Dating Scams Target Victims In Dating And Social Networking Sites

Dawg — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 00:09:02 +0000

Man, 48, Falls For Online Dating Scam

We have posted several articles about online dating scams on this blog. These scams – also known as romance scams or love fraud - typically follow the same pattern, and the tricks are rarely new. Most are fairly easy to detect if you know what to look for. Recently, a 48 year old man was ripped off of his life’s savings in a textbook (if one were ever written) pattern of internet romance scams. This one happened on one of the popular social networking sites but it also happens on dating sites especially the free ones. I don’t like the term “divorcee” as used in the article as I hate labels, but it is a story worth reading. Below the story are common patterns of online dating scams that were at play in this case.

It started with a flirtatious Myspace message from a dark-haired beauty with smoldering eyes and olive skin; it ended with him $14,000 poorer and nearly losing the roof over his head.
Rob, a 48-year-old divorcee, responded to the woman's overtures by kindly explaining that the social networking site was not an online dating service -- but, no matter, a response was all this Internet stranger was looking for. The woman eventually revealed her tragic story: She had moved to Ghana to marry, but within a couple months her husband died of malaria. "His family was trying to force her out of the apartment that she was living in with him, and they had even cut off her power," he tells me by phone from his home in Nova Scotia. "That was the first of the money sent -- just enough to supposedly get her power turned back on."
Then there were requests for more -- first for food and then to escape the country. Her ticket out was to marry him, she said, and she knew a travel agent who could arrange for a local ceremony -- with someone else standing in as him -- a Canadian visa and her airplane flight. Each of these things cost yet more money, all of which he provided. "I've always been a rescuer type," Rob says. He waited at the airport for her, but she never showed. Then he got a request for yet more money, an unexpected declaration fee. "Like a fool, I went and sent my last 2,3000 dollars," he said. In total, he sent more than $14,000 to a woman in Ghana who did not really exist.
He's a victim of what's called "love fraud." The looker in the photos was actually porn star Raven Riley. The woman he developed a 10-month relationship with was the fictional creation of a team of professional scammers in Ghana. Rob tells me with a laugh, "I've written a song, 'I married a porn star and only got screwed, never got laid.'" It's certainly one of those laugh-or-you-cry situations: He's never getting that money back -- and Rob is just one of thousands who have fallen prey to this online racket. Now he's a peer counselor at RomanceScams.org, a six-year-old support group that has over 17,000 current active members and claims to have counseled some 50,000 people who believed themselves to be victims. See the original story.

Some Common Online Dating Scam Patterns

Know how these scams work can help you avoid becoming a victim. Here are some common patterns at play in this case, which can serve as red flags:

The victim is a middle-aged person and divorced (perhaps recently). Con artists like to target older persons as they are deemed vulnerable and are typically more financially stable. A recently divorced person is especially vulnerable (he is at a low point in his life, perhaps even desperate).
The scammers find the soft spot which most if not all of us have. In this case, the con artist exploited the poor victim’s sympathetic (and giving) side. Usually, they will pretend to fall madly in love with the older guy or gal, knowing that he/she will be flattered and excited and start thinking with something other than the brain.
They almost always claim to be stranded overseas or suddenly fall into problems, fall sick etc.
If you fall for it and send money, they will probably come for more. Their objective is to milk as much out of you as they possibly can before you wise up.
They use stolen photographs from modeling sites or similar sites. In this case, a porn star’s image was used.

It is fairly easy to avoid common dating scams such as the above. Your first line of defense is, if someone asks you for money, cut the communication right away. If the dating profile picture is magazine quality, something might not be right. Ask to see several pictures of your online date. Don’t flatter yourself. If some model-gorgeous person suddenly claims to be in love with you, something might not be right. Any other tips out there?

Woman Scammed In Online Dating – Don’t Let This Happen To You

Dawg — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 20:05:13 +0000

Recently, a woman was scammed by what she thought was her prince charming that she met online. Getting scammed this way is doubly hurting and disheartening, as you not only lose money but your heart.

We have posted several articles about how to detect and avoid this very kind of thing. While it is more rampant on free sites, it also does happen on paid dating sites as this one did. I will say it again, nothing can replace your own due diligence.

If an online “love” begins to ask for money, or your home address before you’ve actually met face to face several times, this should automatically raise a red flag. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been “together” online. Some scammers are very patient, as this one was. They can afford to be, as it creates trust and there are other victims ripening for the pick all the time (you’re just one of many).

Watch the full story on video

New Dating Scam Busted

Dawg — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 17:07:23 +0000

Ohio Couple Dating Service Scam Busted

By: Rob Adams
Staff Writer
Published: Aug 6, 2010

Ohio couple could face two years prison if found guilty for dating service scam.

Ohio couple dating service scam busted. An Ohio couple has been arrested for conducting an online dating service to scam singles. The dating service was able to scam seven people by the Ohio couple.

Read the full story

Internet Romance Scams – Don’t Let Yourself Get Scammed

Dawg — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:16:01 +0000

Many people commend the use of online dating for various reasons, convenience being among the top of the list. However, it is possible to be taken by one of the many different internet romance scams if you participate in these websites. If you choose to take part in online dating, it is important that you exercise caution in order to not be scammed.

The typical internet romance scams are perpetrated by people who join online dating sites in a false attempt for find a companion. These peoples' objective is one; to find a lonely vulnerable soul and take advantage of her/him and use this vulnerability to rip them off.

Most perpetrators appear to be located outside the United States, although this is not always the case. They will do everything in their power to get close to those they wish to scam.

They will chat frequently, and will usually try to talk you into taking the communication through a more private method, such as the phone. When the "date" is supposed to be of foreign origin (such as a Russian mail-order bride), this may not trigger suspicion as they will be presumed to have an accent.

But if someone claims to be an "American solder" deployed overseas (or some other type of worker or volunteer) but has a heavy foreign accent, that's a red flag right away. Scam artists usually get around this through hiring a "voice".

Once they have you wrapped in the relationship, those involved in internet romance scams will then become in need of financial assistance. They may try to scam their victim by asking for money so they can purchase a plane ticket to come visit the other person.

Sometimes, they prefer to use a story of despair, such as they need money for medical bills, or to leave the country because they are in danger. No matter the story, many will want to help them due to the bond they have created with the person.

Those who fall for these internet romance scams will likely not hear from their "partner" once they send them money. Some scammers will place a call just to let you know you were scammed, but the majority will just no longer communicate with you. But there are scam artists really have… well, balls. These will keep asking for more using different reasons.

These scams not only harm someone financially, but also emotionally, especially when you felt attached to this person and all they wanted was some cash. For this reason, many people give up on internet dating after being scammed.

To prevent yourself from falling into one of those internet romance scams, you may want to consider staying away from online dating. At the very least, you should use a paid dating site if your budget allows, as this leaves a paper trail.

The notion that people from the US are less likely to scam you is largely false. Yes, unsophisticated crooks can be caught due to IP addresses, but the more sophisticated ones know how to hide this. So, just because someone is from your country does not mean you should let down your guard.

Often internet scam artists use stolen photos in their dating profile. Simply asking for more pictures in different day to day activities such as in the kitchen cooking, for example, will spook the scammer, who will simply disappear.

Always be very cautious and suspicious when someone starts hinting about needed financial help, and decline to offer assistance.

Avoiding Internet Dating Scams

Dawg — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:29:05 +0000

As much as we are loathe to admit it, there are a number of dishonest people out there that seemingly like to take advantage of people through internet dating scams. Why do they do this? Basically, they are looking to separate people from their money and setting up a dating scam is a way to do this.

Since online dating has increased significantly in popularity over the years, there is an audience of people out there that some feel can be easily manipulated. Some of these scams are not only dishonest, they are downright cruel.

One of the more repugnant scams involves masquerading on the internet as a soldier deployed in Iraq (or elsewhere overseas) who is looking for love. Once a person has been found that responds positively to the "soldier's" advances, the "soldier" will convince the person that the best way to communicate with him/her is through signing up to a telecommunication system that comes with a high monthly fee.

Many have fallen for this terrible scam and it is a shame. Not only do internet dating scams such as this outright fleece innocent people of their money and their affections, the reputation of many honorable people in uniform is besmirched as a result. Sadly, such internet dating scams have grown common and that is why it is so necessary to do what one is able to do to avoid them.

Romance scams are nothing new as they have been occurring since the dawn of time. However, the internet has allowed some scammers a new forum in which they can peddle their wares. What type of scams do they commit? Here are a few common examples:

Someone will seek to develop a "relationship" online through instant messaging and then claiming to need money for an emergency situation.

Procuring personal information from a potential boyfriend or girlfriend and then using the personal information to commit identity fraud.

Gaining private and confidential information from an individual and then using it for extortion purposes.

There are many more myriads of internet dating scams out there. That is why you need to be keenly and acutely aware of them. More importantly, you will need to keep your wits about you and try to avoid them. How do you avoid them? Here are a few steps:

Stick with reliable matching making sites online when looking for romance on the internet. Reliable sites will do their best to weed out phony profiles or ISP addresses from known scammers. They also have certain terms of services in place that prevent suspicious activity. When such activity starts to appear, the profile of the scammer will be deleted.

There are no guarantees, but paid sites are safer than free ones. Why? Because they often require the use of a credit card, which leaves a paper trail.

Don't even think about starting a romance that is the result of a spam email in your inbox. Many people fall for such scams and this is a shame.

Since most scammers use a stolen photograph on the internet, you can try asking for different photographs taken during day to day activities. If the person can't produce this, be very suspicious.

You should instant message a person once or twice and then talk to them on the phone while avoiding long term IM sessions. You want to speak to the person on the phone at some point to determine whether or not they are legit.

Of course, an American soldier with an American-sounding name but with a Nigerian accent should light a red light in your mind. If the person insists on calling you at a specific time, be very suspicious. They may be looking to "hire" the right accent.

May I be quick to add that it is not just Nigerians who perpetrate internet dating scams, and that not all Nigerians are fraudsters.