Online Dating Scams

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Message 461163 - Posted: 18 Nov 2006, 19:44:13 UTC

Just helping to spread the word about online dating scams. $15 Billion dollar business. Anyone online is a target of these scams.

They chat with you, become online friends, profess their love, then start asking for help, in the form of money, to help cash checks, or to re-ship stuff to them. People around the world lose big money to these criminals.

For complete details about these scams, visit the Yahoo Group Romancescams. http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/romancescams

Hope this helps!

Thanks,

Mark
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Message 461165 - Posted: 18 Nov 2006, 19:53:57 UTC
Last modified: 18 Nov 2006, 19:54:27 UTC

Hehehe those lumps...



Welcome to the Forum btw!
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Message 461168 - Posted: 18 Nov 2006, 20:01:40 UTC

I wouldn't go so far as to say people that date on line get what they deserve; they don't. But I find it rather lame to have to resort to that sort of thing in the first place. They need to get away from their computer and go out into the world and meet people themselves...something that has been done for millennia. Finding someone on the internet is worst than a blind date, IMO.
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Message 461169 - Posted: 18 Nov 2006, 20:01:59 UTC - in response to Message 461165.  

Thanks Doc!

The group I mention in the post, was created about 15 months ago, and has had something like 10,000 members.... Almost all of whom have been scammed, or were suspicious of their online friend.

It is an emotionally devastating thing, to find out the friend, boyfriend, girlfriend, etc, that you have been talking to for weeks or months, and that knows all about you, where you live, your phone number, your kids names, etc, turns out to be a scammer.

And, if they earned your trust, and then told some compelling story of tragedy and got you to fork over a bunch of hard earned cash, it is even worse.

That group is online for the sole purpose of helping out victims and spreading the word about these scammers.

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Message 461172 - Posted: 18 Nov 2006, 20:05:24 UTC - in response to Message 461168.  
Last modified: 18 Nov 2006, 20:06:26 UTC

I wouldn't go so far as to say people that date on line get what they deserve; they don't. But I find it rather lame to have to resort to that sort of thing in the first place. They need to get away from their computer and go out into the world and meet people themselves...something that has been done for millennia. Finding someone on the internet is worst than a blind date, IMO.

Or you could be on a (non-dating) local bbs together. Meet later at a party. End up disliking each other. Then much later end up dating. Move in together. Break up. Get back together 2 years later. End up happily married. 6 years and counting. ;)
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Message 461180 - Posted: 18 Nov 2006, 20:10:32 UTC - in response to Message 461168.  

There are like 60,000 new online dating memberships to the dating websites in the US, each month. It is getting to be quite a popular thing. Whether they are looking for pen-pals, friends or for a long term relationship. Any person with internet access, is a potential victim. They dont have to be on a dating website. But they make easier targets for the scammers if they do have some type of online profile. They also use chatrooms quite a bit, to snag their victims.

I accept your opinion, and for most people, getting out and meeting people in public is the best way to do it. There are people that due to one reason or another, be it time constraints, work, or whatever reason, dont get out and about that much, and resort to looking online. Some of them actually do find their friend/pen-pal/lover or whatever, online. Most probably do not.

:)

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Message 461181 - Posted: 18 Nov 2006, 20:11:58 UTC - in response to Message 461163.  

Just helping to spread the word about online dating scams. $15 Billion dollar business. Anyone online is a target of these scams.

They chat with you, become online friends, profess their love, then start asking for help, in the form of money, to help cash checks, or to re-ship stuff to them. People around the world lose big money to these criminals.

For complete details about these scams, visit the Yahoo Group Romancescams. http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/romancescams

Hope this helps!

Thanks,

Mark


Is it organized?

I have heard about those stories with people who are getting milked for money to these scammers.

Taking advantage of people's loneliness is detestable, and playing with other people's feeling is just as bad.

Many years ago on my workplace we had a little game among the staff, that we were assigned a task of being the good or the teasing fairy towards our colleagues, and I had a good fairy, where I found little gifts every day in my pockets or in my bag. One day I received an envelope from the local newspaper, containing more than 10 letters from men, who wanted some company during the Christmas from a pixie girl. I realized, that somebody had put on a personal ad in my name, and I found it and saw it was a joke. Some of the guys, who answered, took it as the joke it was meant as and sent me a Christmas card, some with a phonenumber saying that I could call them if I wanted company. But about a handful of these letters were heartbreaking answers from men, who were dead serious.

I was not amused, specially at the last day before Christmas, where it was disclosed who was our pixies and what we had done or given to each other as the teasing or the good pixie, and I told about these responses to the company of a Christmas pixie ad and where the others started to ask me about details from these letters. Some were even disappointed that I didn't bring them for them to see them and laugh of them.

I burned the letters, and I put and ad in the newspaper telling those who had responded that I was sorry, but it was a joke, and I had burned their letters.

Taking advantage of these people is easy, they are easy targets, they don't need to be ridiculed or abused.


"I'm trying to maintain a shred of dignity in this world." - Me

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Message 461183 - Posted: 18 Nov 2006, 20:12:22 UTC - in response to Message 461172.  

I wouldn't go so far as to say people that date on line get what they deserve; they don't. But I find it rather lame to have to resort to that sort of thing in the first place. They need to get away from their computer and go out into the world and meet people themselves...something that has been done for millennia. Finding someone on the internet is worst than a blind date, IMO.

Or you could be on a (non-dating) local bbs together. Meet later at a party. End up disliking each other. Then much later end up dating. Move in together. Break up. Get back together 2 years later. End up happily married. 6 years and counting. ;)


Congrats on the 6 years! - I was happily married for 6 years.... Twice! :)
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Message 461184 - Posted: 18 Nov 2006, 20:12:32 UTC - in response to Message 461172.  

I wouldn't go so far as to say people that date on line get what they deserve; they don't. But I find it rather lame to have to resort to that sort of thing in the first place. They need to get away from their computer and go out into the world and meet people themselves...something that has been done for millennia. Finding someone on the internet is worst than a blind date, IMO.

Or you could be on a (non-dating) local bbs together. Meet later at a party. End up disliking each other. Then much later end up dating. Move in together. Break up. Get back together 2 years later. End up happily married. 6 years and counting. ;)

Congratulations! I was refering to dating services...I should have been more specific.
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Message 461192 - Posted: 18 Nov 2006, 20:18:51 UTC - in response to Message 461184.  
Last modified: 18 Nov 2006, 20:19:11 UTC

Congratulations! I was refering to dating services...I should have been more specific.

Where ever you meet someone..whether real life or the internet there is a risk that you are going to be taken advantage of. It is good advice to be wary, but then again..my friend met her husband on a forum. He moved over from Canada to be with her and they are still together many years later.
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Message 461193 - Posted: 18 Nov 2006, 20:19:02 UTC - in response to Message 461181.  

Just helping to spread the word about online dating scams. $15 Billion dollar business. Anyone online is a target of these scams.

They chat with you, become online friends, profess their love, then start asking for help, in the form of money, to help cash checks, or to re-ship stuff to them. People around the world lose big money to these criminals.

For complete details about these scams, visit the Yahoo Group Romancescams. http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/romancescams

Hope this helps!

Thanks,

Mark


Is it organized?

I have heard about those stories with people who are getting milked for money to these scammers.

Taking advantage of people's loneliness is detestable, and playing with other people's feeling is just as bad.

Many years ago on my workplace we had a little game among the staff, that we were assigned a task of being the good or the teasing fairy towards our colleagues, and I had a good fairy, where I found little gifts every day in my pockets or in my bag. One day I received an envelope from the local newspaper, containing more than 10 letters from men, who wanted some company during the Christmas from a pixie girl. I realized, that somebody had put on a personal ad in my name, and I found it and saw it was a joke. Some of the guys, who answered, took it as the joke it was meant as and sent me a Christmas card, some with a phonenumber saying that I could call them if I wanted company. But about a handful of these letters were heartbreaking answers from men, who were dead serious.

I was not amused, specially at the last day before Christmas, where it was disclosed who was our pixies and what we had done or given to each other as the teasing or the good pixie, and I told about these responses to the company of a Christmas pixie ad and where the others started to ask me about details from these letters. Some were even disappointed that I didn't bring them for them to see them and laugh of them.

I burned the letters, and I put and ad in the newspaper telling those who had responded that I was sorry, but it was a joke, and I had burned their letters.

Taking advantage of these people is easy, they are easy targets, they don't need to be ridiculed or abused.



Wow. That was pretty cruel of the teaser. A lot of the victims were searching for someone to love, in earnest, and pretty much are devastated by what happens to them. Very unfortunate that they get taken on the emotional end as well as financially. Some of the victims, were not even looking for friends or anything, just happened to get a simple email, and started to correspond. If people knew about these scams beforehand, they would not be targets.

The FBI has followed the money, and at least some of it goes to terrorist organizations too.
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Message 461207 - Posted: 18 Nov 2006, 20:32:39 UTC - in response to Message 461172.  

I wouldn't go so far as to say people that date on line get what they deserve; they don't. But I find it rather lame to have to resort to that sort of thing in the first place. They need to get away from their computer and go out into the world and meet people themselves...something that has been done for millennia. Finding someone on the internet is worst than a blind date, IMO.

Or you could be on a (non-dating) local bbs together. Meet later at a party. End up disliking each other. Then much later end up dating. Move in together. Break up. Get back together 2 years later. End up happily married. 6 years and counting. ;)


Awww... how romatic! :-D

-> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> 6 years of



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Message 461227 - Posted: 18 Nov 2006, 21:03:13 UTC - in response to Message 461183.  

I wouldn't go so far as to say people that date on line get what they deserve; they don't. But I find it rather lame to have to resort to that sort of thing in the first place. They need to get away from their computer and go out into the world and meet people themselves...something that has been done for millennia. Finding someone on the internet is worst than a blind date, IMO.

Or you could be on a (non-dating) local bbs together. Meet later at a party. End up disliking each other. Then much later end up dating. Move in together. Break up. Get back together 2 years later. End up happily married. 6 years and counting. ;)

Congrats on the 6 years! - I was happily married for 6 years.... Twice! :)

Ahahahaha! LOL!
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Message 461230 - Posted: 18 Nov 2006, 21:04:47 UTC - in response to Message 461192.  

Congratulations! I was refering to dating services...I should have been more specific.

Where ever you meet someone..whether real life or the internet there is a risk that you are going to be taken advantage of. It is good advice to be wary, but then again..my friend met her husband on a forum. He moved over from Canada to be with her and they are still together many years later.


Yet Es would never herself move to, say, the U.S. for such a crazy idea. ;)
Capitalize on this good fortune, one word can bring you round ... changes.
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Message 461231 - Posted: 18 Nov 2006, 21:05:28 UTC - in response to Message 461207.  

I wouldn't go so far as to say people that date on line get what they deserve; they don't. But I find it rather lame to have to resort to that sort of thing in the first place. They need to get away from their computer and go out into the world and meet people themselves...something that has been done for millennia. Finding someone on the internet is worst than a blind date, IMO.

Or you could be on a (non-dating) local bbs together. Meet later at a party. End up disliking each other. Then much later end up dating. Move in together. Break up. Get back together 2 years later. End up happily married. 6 years and counting. ;)

Awww... how romatic! :-D

-> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> 6 years of

Now that is what I call a story in pictures! :)
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Message 461234 - Posted: 18 Nov 2006, 21:06:30 UTC
Last modified: 18 Nov 2006, 21:09:19 UTC

I'd sure like to know what sites this guy is referring to, anyway. Scammers probably tend not to do anything more than register, meaning they cannot initiate e-mail contact (or sometimes even respond to, or even read, what is sent) without becoming a PAYING member.

EDIT: sites such as match.com and americansingles.com, as well as Yahoo! personals work in this way. The most you might be able to do is send an "Icebreaker."
Capitalize on this good fortune, one word can bring you round ... changes.
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Message 461235 - Posted: 18 Nov 2006, 21:07:17 UTC - in response to Message 461231.  

I wouldn't go so far as to say people that date on line get what they deserve; they don't. But I find it rather lame to have to resort to that sort of thing in the first place. They need to get away from their computer and go out into the world and meet people themselves...something that has been done for millennia. Finding someone on the internet is worst than a blind date, IMO.

Or you could be on a (non-dating) local bbs together. Meet later at a party. End up disliking each other. Then much later end up dating. Move in together. Break up. Get back together 2 years later. End up happily married. 6 years and counting. ;)

Awww... how romatic! :-D

-> -> -> -> -> -> -> -> 6 years of

Now that is what I call a story in pictures! :)


Also called a "story-line". ;-D


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Message 461237 - Posted: 18 Nov 2006, 21:07:38 UTC - in response to Message 461234.  

I'd sure like to know what sites this guy is referring to, anyway. Scammers probably tend not to do anything more than register, meaning they cannot initiate e-mail contact (or sometimes even respond to, or even read, what is sent) without becoming a PAYING member.

How do you KNOW that for a fact?
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Message 461241 - Posted: 18 Nov 2006, 21:10:56 UTC - in response to Message 461234.  
Last modified: 18 Nov 2006, 21:13:44 UTC

I'd sure like to know what sites this guy is referring to, anyway. Scammers probably tend not to do anything more than register, meaning they cannot initiate e-mail contact (or sometimes even respond to, or even read, what is sent) without becoming a PAYING member.


The scammers use stolen funds or credit card information to become paying members of the dating websites. The dating websites are primarily interested in making money. They are not so interested in stopping the scams. Some of them are quite difficult about getting the scammers profiles removed.

Most of the scammers profiles use pictures taken from modeling websites, such as www.focushawaii.com or www.newfaces.com to name a couple. There are many.

Many unsuspecting victims see a pretty woman or a handsome man, and become emphatuated with the fairy tale love story the scammer spins on them.

Almost all dating websites, like Americansingles, Yahoo Personals, Match.com, etc, have hundreds, if not thousands of scammer profiles on them. There are a very few that check out their clients IP addresses, or billing information to ensure they are not fraudulent. They are the exception by far.

Plusdate.com if chock full of scammer profiles, as are many other little known dating websites.
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Message 461245 - Posted: 18 Nov 2006, 21:18:34 UTC - in response to Message 461241.  

Almost all dating websites, like Americansingles, Yahoo Personals, Match.com, etc, have hundreds, if not thousands of scammer profiles on them. There are a very few that check out their clients IP addresses, or billing information to ensure they are not fraudulent. They are the exception by far.


There are obvious bogus profiles. How many times does a person, on average, receive an e-mail from the "user" behind that profile? I have not received many, and I sure don't have the resources while in grad school to bring some woman over from the Philipines or Russia. LOL. In other words, if they're looking for a ticket to a green card, they're barking up the wrong tree!
Capitalize on this good fortune, one word can bring you round ... changes.
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