Online Dating Scammers
SouthernSweetie74
Posts: 844
I swear I get more than my fair share of these type contacts. I had to change my FB account to a more private setting because of this. Any given day, I could have up to 10 unsolcited messages from scammers on FB. UGH. If only they were real! LOL
I think I've got another one... but he's a little smarter than some of them, maybe more experienced at this. I'm still trying to figure it out. This guy sent me a message on Okcupid, and according to them, we are about an 88% match. But things just don't add up for me...
Okay, here are the sure signs I've learned in dealing with these creeps:
1. Their English is screwy. They use words and adjectives that most normal guys don't.
2. Seems like the use of the word "dear" is prevalent in these scammer messages.
3. Of course, they always give a compliment.
4. They are always looking for true love or marriage. And many times they have searched the whole world over just to find YOU. It's fate! lol
5. Their "profile" or message states they are from somewhere in the United States, but if you actually partake in email or communication with them, you will find out that "right now" they are either stationed in Afghanistan, helping orphans in Africa, or working in Nigeria.
6. This is one that I find the funniest! They either have 2 first names for first and last or they have 2 last names for first and last. Something like: Smith Brown, Johnson Morgan, Ted Robert, lol... I don't remember... I'm just making some up, except I did actually see one with Smith Brown.
7. If he looks like a super model or someone out of a magazine, chances are he's a scammer. LOL
8. But not all of the scammers post pics of super models. They've gotten wise and post pics of average men who are attractive...
What else have you found or experienced with these scammers?
*Beginning to wonder what it is about my pictures/profiles that says, "oh, she looks like a stupid idiot... " *
I think I've got another one... but he's a little smarter than some of them, maybe more experienced at this. I'm still trying to figure it out. This guy sent me a message on Okcupid, and according to them, we are about an 88% match. But things just don't add up for me...
Okay, here are the sure signs I've learned in dealing with these creeps:
1. Their English is screwy. They use words and adjectives that most normal guys don't.
2. Seems like the use of the word "dear" is prevalent in these scammer messages.
3. Of course, they always give a compliment.
4. They are always looking for true love or marriage. And many times they have searched the whole world over just to find YOU. It's fate! lol
5. Their "profile" or message states they are from somewhere in the United States, but if you actually partake in email or communication with them, you will find out that "right now" they are either stationed in Afghanistan, helping orphans in Africa, or working in Nigeria.
6. This is one that I find the funniest! They either have 2 first names for first and last or they have 2 last names for first and last. Something like: Smith Brown, Johnson Morgan, Ted Robert, lol... I don't remember... I'm just making some up, except I did actually see one with Smith Brown.
7. If he looks like a super model or someone out of a magazine, chances are he's a scammer. LOL
8. But not all of the scammers post pics of super models. They've gotten wise and post pics of average men who are attractive...
What else have you found or experienced with these scammers?
*Beginning to wonder what it is about my pictures/profiles that says, "oh, she looks like a stupid idiot... " *
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Replies
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They don't pick you personally. They do a search by location and gender and copy past a message to as many people as possible and send them out. In many instances this is automated. I have my profile blocked and private so I don't get many of these anymore.0
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I actually got one of them (off Match) to send me a bottle of wine for my birthday. I knew he wasn't legit so I gave him my work address so he could send me a gift. I still knew he wasn't legit but I did get a bottle of wine.
I agree with all you said about how to identify them.0 -
They don't pick you personally. They do a search by location and gender and copy past a message to as many people as possible and send them out. In many instances this is automated. I have my profile blocked and private so I don't get many of these anymore.
Whew! That's good to know.
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Bots are prevalent too. Fake female members. They can be somewhat easy to spot though.0
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Oooh, I love playing with scammers honestly... it's a waste of their time for my enjoyment, haha. Eventually I report them so they can't hurt anyone else.
My favorite one sent me love poems and wanted to spend my birthday with me after talking for 1 day (my birthday was in 2 weeks)! His wife died in a tragic accident and he was raising his daughter alone. We discussed our interests and when I mentioned volunteering.... he told me he liked to volunteer at the Motherless Baby Home, I KID you NOT! I said, "You mean an orphanage?" He said yes... so I turned him in, ha! I knew he was a scammer before that, but it amused me, what can I say?!
They're everywhere. Don't let it get to you!0 -
A couple of years ago I (nearly) got scammed by a guy called John Donald!! An American soldier in Afghanistan!!!
Spoke to him for a good couple of months on MSN chat before he said I had to buy a phone card to talk to him........:huh:
His English was full of Americanisms, like 'whoa' and 'maam', so I wasnt supsicious of the language, but when I did check him out it was a Nigerian email.......
Be careful out there :flowerforyou:0 -
I love love love love love when these people send me messages. I like talking to them and wasting their time and seeing how much they respond to whatever I tell them and how much is just generic messages. I just finished spending a month or two talking to a Russian girl trying to scam me. It's fun.
I've never gotten anything from them though, I am going to have to try that next.0 -
he told me he liked to volunteer at the Motherless Baby Home, I KID you NOT! I said, "You mean an orphanage?" He said yes... so I turned him in, ha! I knew he was a scammer before that, but it amused me, what can I say?!
LOL That's cute. Motherless Baby Home. Think that takes the cake. 0 -
A couple of years ago I (nearly) got scammed by a guy called John Donald!! An American soldier in Afghanistan!!!
:laugh:
And, yes, I'll be careful. I am not 100% positive about the newest one, though. I may do like some of the others have said they do and just have fun with it... I'm kind of curious..0 -
There are female versions of this as well. I know a guy who fell for this. They will eventually need help (a loan) for something. Like to fly back to the US. He was standing at the airport waiting for her to get off the plane. Surprise, surprise. She didn't get there after he sent her $1500 for a plane ticket.0
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Awww poor guy... :frown:
I would never send money to anyone.0 -
A couple of years ago I (nearly) got scammed by a guy called John Donald!! An American soldier in Afghanistan!!!
:laugh:
And, yes, I'll be careful. I am not 100% positive about the newest one, though. I may do like some of the others have said they do and just have fun with it... I'm kind of curious..
If you want to know if he is for real ask him specific questions about the area. Things like what's your favorite bar? What do you think about the traffic at XXX, What's your favorite concert venue, etc. The Nigerian scammer won't have a clue about these things?0 -
If you want to know if he is for real ask him specific questions about the area. Things like what's your favorite bar? What do you think about the traffic at XXX, What's your favorite concert venue, etc. The Nigerian scammer won't have a clue about these things?
Good idea. Thanks. 0 -
Rarely been contacted by a scammer...
That said I've won 1 million $ at the nigerian lottery about 20 times and about 10 distant relatives who happened to be also millionaires died and decided to make *me* inherit the money (I still need to send my banking details to all of these gentlemen)...
All of this to say that I'm not really worried about those scammers now that I'm so rich - what's $1,500 when you're a millionaire? :smokin:0 -
The most common I have found are obviously fake profiles of beautiful women winking or something in an attempt to get me to upgrade (pay) for more site services.
The other is phishing "Hi,your profile looks perfect for me,message me at iwantyouremailaddress@yahoo.com".0 -
I ran into the first of these guys on MySpace about 7 years ago. So annoying! The photo looked suspiciously professional, and something about the guy's story was off, too, so he didn't get very far. Since then, most of the ones I've run into have made the usual non-native english speaker grammar and spelling mistakes, but now there are native english speakers working for some of them, plus laundering their money:
http://www.denverpost.com/recommended/ci_20892031
A Brighton mother-daughter team stands accused of helping steal more than $1 million from hundreds of women in an elaborate, multinational online dating scam, according to an indictment announced Tuesday by Colorado Attorney General John Suthers.
Not sure if they had a role in cleaning up or creating some correspondence or what, but if not now, in the future there may be people doing this, which will remove the biggest telltale.0 -
Oh nooooes...Not sure if they had a role in cleaning up or creating some correspondence or what, but if not now, in the future there may be people doing this, which will remove the biggest telltale.
This is going to be really dangerous then, since I'll start sending money around (up to 60,000$) to people I've never seen in my life!
Oh what wouldn't we do for a bit of affection?0 -
Oh nooooes...Not sure if they had a role in cleaning up or creating some correspondence or what, but if not now, in the future there may be people doing this, which will remove the biggest telltale.
This is going to be really dangerous then, since I'll start sending money around (up to 60,000$) to people I've never seen in my life!
Oh what wouldn't we do for a bit of affection?
You'd be surprised how many people fall for it. But it's good threads like these exist, and sites warning people. No matter how gullible someone is, it's probably much harder to fool them once they realize these scams exist.
The newest one I've heard of I think is kind of funny. They'll tell you someone hired out a hit on you, and they're supposed to assassinate you, but if you send them money, they won't. I wonder how many people have fallen for that one?0 -
My fav was the guy on POF that sent me a 'personal message' that I was perfect for him and just beautiful. he had been looking for me for 2 yrs on POF and prayed I would respond as soon as possible."
then I closed my acct and reopened another one a few months later and guess what? I was perfect for him again:laugh: with the very same message
Wonder why he hasn't found a partner yet:laugh:
I am really done with them, and am just going to concentrate on getting Carl to move to Florida:bigsmile:0 -
Rarely been contacted by a scammer...
That said I've won 1 million $ at the nigerian lottery about 20 times and about 10 distant relatives who happened to be also millionaires died and decided to make *me* inherit the money (I still need to send my banking details to all of these gentlemen)...
All of this to say that I'm not really worried about those scammers now that I'm so rich - what's $1,500 when you're a millionaire? :smokin:
Dear flim,
I have been searching the whole world over to find you, dear. I am looking for true love. It is fate for me to be with you. I'll love to get to know you personally. We should not waste any time. Please send $1500 right away.0 -
I am really done with them, and am just going to concentrate on getting Carl to move to Florida:bigsmile:
Smart idea!0 -
The newest one I've heard of I think is kind of funny. They'll tell you someone hired out a hit on you, and they're supposed to assassinate you, but if you send them money, they won't. I wonder how many people have fallen for that one?
Oh, that's just awful! There will be some to fall for it...unfortunately...0 -
The most common I have found are obviously fake profiles of beautiful women winking or something in an attempt to get me to upgrade (pay) for more site services.
The other is phishing "Hi,your profile looks perfect for me,message me at iwantyouremailaddress@yahoo.com".
Oh, but, Carl... froom what I've seen on these boards, you know you're a wanted man! 0 -
Bots are prevalent too. Fake female members. They can be somewhat easy to spot though.
Yeah, just ask them a weird question and see how they (don't) react. It will be a bit scary though when bots pass the Turing test.0 -
I was on person.com and came across a lot of scammers. For some weird reason they all were from Ghana. Anyway I decided to have some fun, I was chatting away with a scammer, I told him that I knew he was one but I would send him $50 if he could solve a mathematical problem (derive the formula for the sum of 1 to n) in under 5 minutes (this is theoretically possible for someone to do). He swore at me and logged off. Only later did I realise that you could Google the answer. I almost lost $50! Scary, huh?0
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Nope sweetie I get them too.. I call them out on it and then their profiles dvanish. I hate when they ask me to yahoo chat with them or give them my e-mail address and I haven;t even sent a repsonse back. You know I have had stalkers from Match so I try to be carefl I google everybody. If they get upset so be it...
:happy:0
