Don't Take It From Us...

Online Dating IconWhen it comes to advice about online dating scams, you could listen to OnGuardOnline.gov. We have advice to help you protect yourself and your money.

But why not go straight to the source, too? Many online dating sites now offer really practical advice on how to avoid relationship scams. Here’s a sample:

“DON’T ever send money to someone you meet online, especially by wire transfer. Scammers often insist that people wire money, especially overseas, because it’s nearly impossible to reverse the transaction or trace the money.”
-Match.com

“If someone asks you for money, for whatever reason, do not do so and please, report the situation to us via the “Report a Concern” button. If somebody is asking you, they may be asking others, and your report can help protect other members.”
-JDate/Spark Networks

“Watch out for someone who immediately requests to talk or chat on an outside email or messaging service. Watch out for someone who reports a sudden personal crisis and pressures you to provide financial assistance.”
-eHarmony

These dating sites don’t want you to be scammed, and neither does OnGuardOnline.gov. They want you to meet a real someone, not a con artist hiding behind a bogus profile. Following the advice on these dating sites is a great place to start!

Comments

I have been scammed byb a man named Karl, claims he was in Benin for business and professed his love right away, asked for money a couple of weeks into it, then he started asking for money, and it was one situation after another, today he emailed me to tell me that he had been robbed, stabbed and had beeen in the hospital, I knew what was to come next he would have asked for money. Typical textbook scammer. I started wising up and looking at online dating scams. Met him on Chemistry.com, they claims they are not responsible but did give me my money back. we mainly cahtted thru yahoo messenger, he has a account listed as Karl, very handsome man, born in Germany, educated in England, claims mother lived in Lawrenceville, NJ also claimed have been divorced for 4 years and has a 9 year old daughter. He claimed not to have a facebook page but I found one he just started the week before one using spokeo.com and it was his picture. I emailed all of his friends this morning on their and now it has disappeared. He knows I am on to him and I am going to do what I can to get my money back and have this jerk dealt with. If you have suggestions on what to do please let me know and I also have pictures. I have notifed yahoo, and will send to every dating website if I have to. Please reply if you want to see pictures or have suggestions.

Yes, this certainly sounds like a "textbook scammer." The scam has many of the elements we often see: leaving the dating site to chat somewhere else, professing love right away, asking for money, and then asking for more money. To post your comment, I removed some of the personal details (like email addresses and full names), but if you'd like to file an official complaint you can do so at www.ftc.gov/complaint.

would like to see the pics as i am afraid i am being scammed too and maybe by the same guy,
Linda

Hi, Linda,

If you think you might be dealing with a scam artist, I wouldn't put much faith in a photo. These scammers often post phony photos. They also use bogus names and personal bios. The best way to spot a scammer is by how he or she acts. If an online love interest asks you for money, it's almost certainly a scam.

I believe i am being scammed by a man named henry, supposedly from ny, in benin working as an independant contractor, building a 4 star hotel in porto novo cotonou, he is supposedly born in germany, parents died in car crash when he was 12, an only child. He had to go live with his uncle in churchill pennsylvania. He has had trouble getting his loan money to get transferref to benin, ran out of money, got sick was in hospital, while waiting for loan money hotel bill was not paid, needed money for hotel, they supposedly downgraded his room, took all his nelongings until he could give them money. When the loan money came then needrd money to process loan in benin, then still couldnt get money until he received government clearance, thay of course needed more money, then when that eas ginally set, got his loanoney from bank, then there was an accident at the site a worker got injured, he had to pay the workers hospital bills, pay for broken equopment, for an rngineer to assess damage to building, then pay to fix building, ran out of money again, supposedly site was closed down by city due to the owner of the structure not having correct zoning, in the meantime he was going to come back to ststed and get finances in order and then go back when work could continue. He needed money to switch his tickey, then at airport the plane had technical problems, could not fly out, yhey put the people in hotel and were not able to fly them out for two days, then i get a call from some doctor saying there was a bad accident from the hotel to airport, 4 people in critical condition needed permission to treat henry, i told them to do what they had to to save him, he was bleeding profusely and was unconcious, then the doctor called back and guess what, he said bleeding undsr control, now needed money to proceed with treatment, 1200.00. I called embassy, they assured me it was a scam. I was told to send money to a victor yewenu, the doctor kept calling saying if no money sent henry would die. He is treating henry now supposedly has fracture lelvis and fractured leg, stitches in hand. I told henry embassy said it is all a scam, he insists he is really from ny and will be bavk here when he is better and then i will see, i said that is the only way i will be sure. Whenever he says dr needs more money and i say well i dont have money, he somehow gets sicker and neefs more treatment. Please beware, i spoke with henry for 3 months through all thos craziness, so i really thought he was real at first.

Hi, Rose,

This person is definitely a scam artist. Thanks for sharing your story. Hopefully, this will help others recognize the signs of a scam.

If you'd like to file a formal complaint with the FTC, you can do so at ftc.gov/complaint.

I meet somebody, and they dont ask me for money, they said somebody going to send me money and he want to i keep the money, i send the money later to him. i know this strange, i want to know if you know something about this. you hear about this before

Hi, Diana,

Yes, in another common version of this scam, the scam artist sends you money and asks you to put it in your account and then wire part or all of the money back. Usually, the money comes as a check -- a fake check. The check looks real enough to fool the bank teller, so you're able to deposit it and the money may even show up in your account -- for a while. A fake check can take weeks to discover, but once the bank realizes it's a fake, you will owe the bank any money you withdrew.

I am trying to fix some things that were messed up but it get"s to be ridiculous at times and unnecessary when you cannot even trust the government people and technology.

That certainly sounds like a terrible ordeal that you went through, be more careful and always keep your guard up.

I met a 35 year old woman from Kansas City Missouri,or also could have been from Kansas City Kansas.We talked for approx two or three weeks when she wanted to come to my state to visit,she asked me for money to help her get here.I knew right then she was a scammer.please beware of ANYBODY ASKING FOR MONEY AS THEY ARE NO DOUBT A SCAMMER.

Alfonso Alonso, Dallas,Texas. Italian. My first time on match, so I wasnt very smart. This guy is typical, now that I have researched. A widow. Lost his wife to brain cancer. A civil engineer building a condo. Started emailing me in private. We talked on my cell phone. Immediate love and fate. Had to leave for Malaysia for the big business trip. We emailed for 30 days. On the 30th day, he asked me for 12,000.00 to cover a bad business deal, so he could get back home to me. I cut him off, but he tried several times to get me to wire him the money. Got hysterical and cried when I told him no. Be careful ladies. This guy is charming.

This sounds like the same guy that my friend has been talking with. Antonio-Italian-Houston Tx. He started talking with her on JDate and all of sudden told her he was getting off match site because he wanted to dedicate himself to her. His wife died 2 years ago from cancer and he has a daughter-Maria, that lives in London. He had to leave for business trip to Malaysia but would be home in about a month. He even sent her flowers for Christmas. Well he's' supposed to be home in a week but the plant he was working in had a small fire/explosion and now he needs parts that he can only get from the US. The parts are now 3 IPads that cost $880 each. He said his daughter can get him 1 but needed my friend to send the other two. Then he said something about needing 36K. WHAT??? Red flags have been going off since she started talking to this guy. His picture is this really fit man,handsome, grey hair with dark mustache. Looks like a hot Sam Elliott.

Alfonso Alonso, italian, dallas, Tx. Didnt get money from me but sure did try. Was definitely a scammer. Said he was a civil engineer, doing a condo in Malaysia. we were emailing and talking on the cell every day. sent me pics to show my family. all of a sudden he needed 12,000.00 to complete the job, so he could hurry and get home to me. Met him on Match, but he got me off there really quick. I had just joined. So he taught me alot about what to do and not to do. was a widow, parents died, no kids. Very charming. Watch out ladies, he is good and has good grammer also. wish I could show you pics, but its probably not him anyways.

I met a man who claimed to be in the military goes by the name David P. He first asked me to send him a care package to some diplomat that would deliver it to him...The shipping cost twice as much as the stuff I sent..Later , he tried to say he was sending me something of value and had some guy calling me for a few days straight at 3am I have since shut my phone and changed the number..I am sure it would have just been a matter of time that this person delivering the package was going to need money..I didn't let it get to that point. I have pictures too. I have tried to contact the person in the pictures as in one of them the last name is on the uniform and I was able to find him on FB.. But he has not responded .I would be very upset if I come to find out this was a true military person trying to scam me...Still deciding if I should take it a step further and report the situation.

I met a woman through an online dating site, or at least claimed to be a woman. She went by the name Emily Hastings.Ive read other stories about online scams, and her story was textbook. She said she was living in the DC area,but had a trade show for Herbalife to do in London. Two days after the show, claimed to have been mugged, lost all credit cards etc. It just went on and on.The woman in the pictures looks hispanic, and claimed to have been born in Ecuador. She has a very anglo name, which supprised me, but then when I sent a message in Spanish, she did know what language it was, and actually thought spanish looked like french. It was all very bizzarre. Ive got probably a dozen pictures from her, as well as a Check from Herbalife with Emily Hastings name on it, which I believe is photoshopped. She claims to be stuck in London with all these bills to pay and needs me to send her money. She is persistant, but I keep telling her I know what shes up to. Im trying to figure out with the help of Herbalife who the woman in the pictures is. She is either part of the scam, or aquainted with the scammer, since the pictures appear to be current. Halloween party pictures, Christmas Pictures, etc...
Beware if you here the name Emily Hastings, this is a scam

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