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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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The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.

  • We won’t post off-topic comments, repeated identical comments, or comments that include sales pitches or promotions.
  • We won’t post comments that include vulgar messages, personal attacks by name, or offensive terms that target specific people or groups.
  • We won’t post threats, defamatory statements, or suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity.
  • We won’t post comments that include personal information, like Social Security numbers, account numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. The comments posted on this blog become part of the public domain. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission.

Illinois
November 23, 2018
Anyone being scammed by a Frenchman who also travels to the Ivory Caost. Did a face search and found out he has MANY aliases on a lot of dating websites in which he usually says he's French but other times German or American or Dutch or whatever he feels like it that day.
Annagehle62
November 23, 2018
I am also being by a man name Chris muldock. He said he is an off shore drill. And wanted me to send him 500.00 but i was born. But. It not yesterday. So lady's don't fall for it. Lot of the military men ask you to send money to Africa. Not don't be fooled. Once they have your money. They block you from them and you lost you hard working money. On a idiot.
JustOnce
November 24, 2018
I have one trying to scam me right now. I'm going to have a little fun before actually using the information I've gathered to make their life hell for awhile.
sands12
November 24, 2018
I’m speaking to a man that goes by Hopper Sean Corey , in Facebook he claims his real name is Willis Lawrence Hopper , he is given me a different story than what I’ve read but if his name sounds do familiar to anyone please let me know ASAP . I do have photos of him Thank you
Irene, Cascais…
November 24, 2018
The man who tried to rob me called himself Roland Owen (rolandowen2020@gmail.com). He sent me a letter via SLOWLY (beware! because this app brings many more of them trying to get your mail and then from there to Hangouts). He almost instantly declared his love for me (how can a person you never met face to face can fall in with you like that?). It was very hard for me to believe him, even when he said he wanted to marry me. I must say I amused myself a lot with this story. He said he was a 53 years old widower with a 11 years old faughter, living in Manhattan Beach, but in the month of November working as a supervisor, then as a contractor for Freeport Mcmoran, with a 4 million dollars contract! Because of the fir in California, he asked me for money 1,200$ to send her daughter and nanny to another state. He couldn’t send any because he had “issues” with the bank... I decided not to give any money although I must say I believed the story of the his completely destroyed house. A week later he said he was broke and couldn’t pay the goods he needed to finish his work at the “rig”. And he wanted “so much” to come to Portugal and be with me (although he had a daughter who would be needing him a lot, I imagined). That was weird. I said I didn’t have any money and I remembered than I had made some research on the internet about him. I found his name as a contractor in Freeport Mcmoran, but it was not the same picture he had sent me. Later I found this site and sent him the link. And did copy paste one “sweet” message he had sent. Found it in a site with love letters for men to use. Sent him this link too. He cried a lot, saying he had nothing to do with those scammers. But he went on asking for money. I said I didn’t believe him, that I wondered who he was. So he decided to make a video call that day because he was going ashore. What a “coincidence”! I saw him and it looked like the man in the pictures but it meant nothing because 5 min later he sent me a long message asking for money again (the msg was too long so he must had done copy paste from another he already had used with other women-he couldn’t have had the time to write it after the previous one for me to receive it so quickly). I cynically begged him not to ask me for money because I didn’t have any and it made me “suffer a lot”. Afterwards, silence. Then I sent him a last msg an closed hangouts account.
DrDigital
November 24, 2018
I love how all these people gave nanny’s
Latest
November 24, 2018
Here another one via WhatsApp and i have been asked iTunes gift card. He/she is really good.i can give her/his number..met on POF.com
Ryan
November 24, 2018
There’s a Scammer named Harold Tom who says he is retiring from the army and he is looking for a lover. He then says after a few months that he was received gold and needs money for shipping it. He then says he needs money for the paperwork. He then says he is on his way to Canada. All of a sudden he ends up in a Hospital in Accura Ghana. He scammed me so much money and is now asking me money for medicine. He asks money for food. He then says he’s coming and he needs money for chop money. He’s a scammer!!! His name is Harold Tom.
A1
November 25, 2018
I know a woman who is talking with a guy who says he's American and is working on an oil rig off the coast of Qatar. It seems obvious to me this guy is a scammer. He has done all the usual things like moving off the dating site to an email address, professing love too soon, promises to see her but never does. He is grooming her. His alias name is Michael Grech. Said he has a civil engineering degree, his wife was not well and so they divorced about 1.5 years ago, and he took custody of his 15 year old daughter who is in boarding school, and a mother who lives in Nova Scotia. He has sent several pictures of him and his mom, him and his daughter, his daughter on her horse, and one of himself. He professes to be very wealthy and they are talking about marriage and what kind of house they want, etc. He says he and five others have invested in the rig and he is currently working on a project on the rig that he manages and he hopes will be completed soon so he can come home, retire, and marry her. He sends poems he says he writes, but that is just all so much nonsense...it's all a line, all of it! He has done everything the scam warning sites have said he would do. He is grooming her to give him money. I worry that my friend is getting in over her head and will end up with a broken heart and an empty bank account. She has promised me she will not give him money or open any bank accounts and ship things for him or receive things for him. Any man who says he has money and is investing in and working onsite at these off shore oil rigs is going to have the means to wire for money, medical funds, bank accounts etc. -- anything he might need, and that includes transportation, messengers and shipping services, etc. I was reading from an FBI site about scammers and they said the scammers will use a photo they get off the internet. They advised victims to ask the scammer to provide a current pic of themselves with something that has the current date on it--like a newspaper, or have them do something in the photo that will prove they are the person in the picture they posted earlier-something that you tell them to do. Have them take a selfie holding your picture, or letter, or something you know you sent to them. Or have them do something unusual in a photo that you tell them to do, like hold up 3 pens in front of their face. Or, rest a flower behind their ear so it shows on the side of their face. Or, have them put tape on their forehead with your name on it. You get the idea. And you can tell him/her you are trying to convince your family and friends they are for real and need some evidence to convince them. The site also suggested that if the person claims to be a U.S. citizen living or working in another country and asks you for help or money, refer them to the local U.S. Embassy or Consulate. I you want to send money, consider a U.S. Department of State Office of Overseas Citizens Services (OCS) Trust. An OCS Trust works like a wire transfer, but the embassy or consulate holds the money until the recipient pick it up--and provides proof of U.S. citizenship. If someone is truly sincere about their love and not just trying to scam you, they will understand why you are being cautious and will not get mad at you or try to make you feel guilty for protecting yourself from being scammed. If you have never even met the person face to face, why are you trusting they can love you? And why do you think you love them. Take your time, be rational, be sensible, keep your money and do your research on romance scammers. There are lots of people getting scammed. Don't be victim. Be smart.
Fields
November 25, 2018
Anyone hear of a Kenneth Collins in upstate NY Wife died, Raised three kids , has own business. Wanted to come see me at Thanksgiving. I said no. Then he went to India to purchase tools for his business. I was guessing what would happen next and it did. Needs$2500 To get back, lost his walllet Oh sure. Anybody else with this one?
Hope
November 25, 2018
i met a guy online and he is in america and we did a video call on whatsapp and we said goodnight,since morning i have been calling him and he is not picking and he has not come online to read the message i dropped for him,i dont know what is happening,i dont know if he's real or fake.
Asking for a friend
November 25, 2018
Anyone involved with a Nathan Wall or Nathan Gibson. Supposedly working in Dubai?
Tattoo Girl
December 05, 2019

In reply to by Asking for a friend

I have been talking to a Nathan Wall from Washington currently in US Navy his phone broke wants me to take out a contract for him and send him the phone
Asking for a friend
November 25, 2018
Has anyone received a diamond engagement ring from these people? Obviously not real. Why would they do this?
Stupid me
November 26, 2018
Went by name Billy Carlson on Scrabble words with Friends 2 about 50 handsome gotee Oil rig Gulf of Mexico widow wife died leukemia from Boston now in phyladelpia wants to marry me after 4 weeks send $300 iTunes cards then needed $10000 tool's out of Customs to finish contact on rig I didn't have he stopped talking broke my heart
Nealja.@
November 25, 2018
I opened an Instagram acct and was bit up by 2 different men. Jeff rice and sherriff Smith. Jeff was suppose to be in Afghanistan and wanted me to send his mom a Google Play card for his son for his birthday. He set up an email acct using the name Elizabeth porter satin it was his mom....? He was telling me he loved me and was call-in his son our son and him my husband. I told him it was to soon for that crap and he threatened to shoot himself and said he couldn't go out on patrol that night. I just shut him down and refused to send anything to his son. He stopped texting. Now this other guy Sherriff Smith is a lil harder to get rid of lol. He finally asked me for 100 dollar iTunes card. Told him no and he got all defensive. I think it's funny when they do that lol. What they are doing is wrong but I push back and get them pissed before I stop messaging them. Pretty sure it's the only way to get some satisfaction out of talking to them. Letting them think the can talk me into sending them something then shutting them down. Hope they rot in hell later on cause you know that's where they are going.
Believer
November 26, 2018
I’m praying mine is for real...but all these stories sound the same... anyone been approached by a Richard on Instagram on an oil rig in Australia?
Don't use your…
May 14, 2020

In reply to by Believer

just turn around and go away when you see "oil rig / Dubai". obviously those scammers love to use this kind of identity. i think the total number of scammers who claimed that they have oil rig related jobs far more than those people who really work in this industry. haha
Why my report …
November 26, 2018
I had spent a long time to type my personal experience and giving out the scammer details just to alert others. Why didn't allow my messages post up. It's so waste of my time and if there's anyone get scammed by the scammer - Eric Tem, YOU are the one to BLAME! Because you hid the scammer's information!
mike@butmont
November 26, 2018
Hello people who are a victim of many fraud and scams to make a very long story short I met a woman on Instagram as well I see a Facebook account for her Her name is Jessica Mark with a picture of her in revealing clothes as well pictures of her and her daughter for months now I have talked with her and I believe she falls in the category of a scammer to she has asked way too much personal information from me as well I have done the iTunes cards for her as well now she tells me of her mom wants to come to the states and would want me to take out a loan to help her Her description is very long black hair as well tattoos on her mid stomach area as well a tattoo on her arm she has many followers on Instagram as well people following her could really use some help in this matter my pockets are broke enough with all of what she is asking from me
Michael
November 26, 2018
Really hot chick by the name of Rose Burke be aware. She tried scamming me for amazon gift cards for groceries. Used a lot of the gimmicks and tricks y’all are talking about. I feel bad for these people... soulless trash
His"Queen"
November 26, 2018
Has anyone had contact from thomasgreen16027878 or Thomas George? (Instagram) They're the same guy. Typical story...widower...kid.....oil rig....needs $
Carter
December 23, 2018

In reply to by His"Queen"

I have a friend who has been talking with him for past few months (Thomas George). He is in Dubai, on an oil rig, son in Sweden living with his grandmother. Keeps having financial setbacks there. Promises he is coming for a visit but something happens every time. Wife died giving birth to a daughter who also died. Says he is from States. What started as a two week job has lead to him being there since September. Proposed to her very quickly. Obviously this is a scam.
chanel- bleu
November 27, 2018
On pof saying she’s in military
Don't use egta…
November 28, 2018
Does anyone know a Marek Bron?
connieh
July 19, 2019

In reply to by Don't use egta…

David Bron or David Bron Merch is a scammer. He took me for $2,300.00 from me. Please be aware of this name. He is very smooth makes you feel like he wants to spend the rest of his live with you
Anni
November 28, 2018
Hey, I think i find a scammer too. I found im at jaumo. Im from germany. So his name is jean lopes and he is from Belgium, 33 years old. We switched to skype. He told me that he is his own boss and has his own company. He had to got for a buisness meeting to benin, nigeria. After one week he wanted to visit me directly. By the way, he talked about some problems with his credit card at the hotel. The last day of buisness he told me he would book the flight ticket. Then some hours later he told me, he had a bad accident. He knocked a kid with his car. The kid was serious injured. The police take him" I had already taken the plane ticket. I was glad that I want to be able to go home. it was when I returned to the hotel that I had the accidnet. I knocked down a kid. I swear I did not see him coming. I have pain in my left forearm but the kid has had serious injuries, he is in intensive care. until now he is unconscious. " " the police confiscated all my papers and said that before I get back I have to cover all the kid's hospitalization costs and compensate the family. " My first thougths were, he is a buisness man why he has noch injurance ? Then he told me will get money from his friend. But 900€ left. And on mysterious way he lost his mobile phone while the accident, he could only write from hotel.So he ask me "honey, I do not know how to do it and I do not want to spend one more day here. that is why I would like you to help me by any means please. I do not know how much you trust me but I would like you to make me a loan, and I promise to pay you back as soon as I go back and this with interest if you wish" But i dont pay this. Im not stupid. When he is a buisness man he could handle it. Also the problem with his credit card. His look is. 1,74 m , brown hair, brown eyes . Got pic from a poolselfie, take lunch selfie. And buisness look. Its sad, how people fool around with the feelings of other. But thats life.
He.got.me.righ…
December 09, 2018

In reply to by Anni

Hey anni, I feel like we are in the same situation, 33 yrs old, but 1.82m, writes novels in his free time. The guy who's trying to scam me claims he owns an import/export business with cars and computer parts. He msged me first in a dating app and came in too strong, didn't really take him seriously at first, but he knew all the right words and I ended up falling for him. It only took him less than a week to tell me he "loves" me. When we started seriously talking to each other on whatsap he said he was on his way to Nigeria, and when he got there he says he's gotten himself into real trouble. His wallet and personal phone was stolen so he's only left with his spanish passport (cause he's from Spain living in the States) and his business cellphone. I could tell at first he was hesitant to ask money, saying he's got a friend sending him $50,000 just to bribe the people there, but as the days pass by he was starting to hint he wants me to help out. In the beginning he was so sweet to me, msging me and calling me petnames, but when I told him I refused to send him money because of all the scams I've researched online he's gotten cold stopped calling me with petnames. When I reassured him the only thing he's getting from me are prayers for his well being and comforting words that he'll make it back in the States he started getting dismissive. So glad I never sent any money cause now he's not answering my calls on whatsap nor replying to my msgs. P
SMK
November 29, 2018
Is anybody talking with Alexandre Sean Luca? Marine engineer, widowed with daughter Lily?
Not to be scammed
November 30, 2018
Below is an email from another dirt ball trying to scam Hello Pretty woman..My name is Robert Wow..I am very new here...I do work for US Army and i am on peace keeping in Afghanistan now...I will be home in 1 month time to get retired and leave a simple life..I am very serious and honest man looking for my other half...I am willing to relocate provided that the relationship is moving in a long term/serious direction.. I am not interested in bopping around "trying women out" on a more serious side.So if you have no problem with the distance and you are interesting we can exchange email address and get to know more and see where it will lead is too...Mine is Hankharris003 @gmail. com and yours..?What is your email and number #..? GentlemanJ
bella
November 30, 2018
I think I’m being scammed too....where can I see a picture of this guy?
Asset
November 30, 2018
Beware of a Leo Roberts. He has similar stories that I read here. He is pretending to be a US army special force. Pic is a handsome man, he says he has $1.2M in the bank but has no access due to his current mission in Syria. He claims to have a 3 yr old daughter and his wife died during child birth. His daughter lives with a nanny while he's deployed. Such a sweet talker but you can tell that he's a scammer because his stories doesn't make sense.
Lou17
December 01, 2018
Hi Can you please hp me. I want to know If I'm being scam. I've meet someone in dating apps last October 17 2018,He is from London. Team Manager of Mechanical enginering department. He is single 36yrs old. Have one brother, father died. Mother is 85 years old. We exchange messages from whatsapp. He is now in Bangalore India airport/immigration. His flight is supposed to be October 29 but something came up. When he is in Indian airport he needa to pay 1000US dollars for immigration but his card is not active. He only bring some cash. That's why he is ask Me to send him money, I send him through moneygram but not in his name, through the name of the immigration officer. I send him October 30,because October 29 I have work. But another problem came up. He missed his flight and need to book another one. People their ask for 120,000 Philippines pesos for booking of flight but soon it became 80000 Philippine pesos. And when he book his flight and boarding they saw the engagement ring that he baught for me. Diamond one. Cost 1million pesos. He said he keeps it inside the shoes. But they saw it. And the people their in the immigration is asking for 55000 phlippines pesos.They told me that he also needs to pay for the demmurage fee. I'm I bring scam? Or it's just a real situation happening in India airport. Please help me. Until now he is in India Airport. And the immigration call me that they will not released him if he will not pay the 55,000 Philippine pesos on Monday. But that is the last payment. It's because of the diamond ring.
FTC Staff
December 03, 2018

In reply to by Lou17

This sounds like a scam. He will probably keep asking for money and telling stories, but not come to see you.

The person said he would come to see you, but suddenly he had an emergency and asked for money. You sent him money after the first emergency, then he had another emergency and asked for more money. You gave him money after the second emergency, so he asked for money again, and you helped him. Many scammers follow this pattern. They continue to tell stories and ask for money, but they never come to see the person. The scammer's friends make phone calls or send email to help with the scam. The friends pretend to be immigration workers or customs officials.

Monica
December 01, 2018
Has anyone talked to a guy by the name of jack Maxwell he says he from Scotland but lives in New York with his seven year old daughter and his nanny and has h ku s own business he asked for a iTunes card and once me send him 300 for his daughter birthday gift
Natasha
December 01, 2018
Anyone encountered very good looking Norwegian Nicklas traveling in Lithuania for work, wife died of cancer 4 years ago, needs money for surgery on appendix and business bills to get back to US. Has 14 year old daughter
depressed
December 02, 2018
Has anyone spoken to a Michael Hall?
Know Better
December 02, 2018
Met Jacob Anthony on Instagram. He was so sweet sending pictures of flowers and cute sayings. Soon he wanted to move to Hangouts, a site I’d never been on. He became more romantic. He said he was an engineer on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico with a 12 year old son in Atlanta being cared for by a nanny. He claimed cell reception was bad on the rig and his regular phone was broken. Consequently, he had another phone which required iTunes cards so he could buy more time. Then his “son, “who he had call me “mom,”’despite my asking him not to, needed money for his phone. All the while his texts were getting more amorous. At this point I realized I was being scammed. He started telling me about a major contract he was bidding on. Since I was supposedly going to be his future wife, I needed to send him thousands of dollars because he got the contract and needed to buy equipment. I unkindly bid him farewell, blocked him, and haven’ heard from him again. He seemed so real.
K.L.D
December 02, 2018
Anyone talk to a Sgt Bill Connor station in Syria? Claims wife died in chul birth and has 14yrs son back in CA with nanny. Both parents dead.
so confused
December 03, 2018
I am talking to a guy now. Stationed in Iraq and his name is Davies Anderson. He hasn't asked for money but tells me sweet nothings for about 3 weeks now. He said he's a SSgt and I couldn't jeopardize his standing in the army so he wouldn't catfish me. He acts like he is so in love. Anybody else having these issues? I only have a few pics of him and we only communicate on Kik.
Beck12112
December 03, 2018
I met this one he calls himself Thomas Johnson. A widowed dad who's wife wife died of LUPUS and now has to take care of his 7 year old daughter. He is an Australian working on a drilling contract in Malaysia with the Petronas company. Could feel that the dude was a fake from the beginning but i played along as i did my research. I asked for photos of course he sent a few. When i ask for his daughter he sent me two and i could tell that those photos was from the Internet. I still stayed quiet and played his game, He never phoned me throughout the one week we started chatting. Maybe it was too early but he never asked for money. Exactly today i asked if we can do a video chat he told me that his phone is broken so he will not be able to. And he even sent me photos of that phone. And right there i told him straight up what he was and i blocked him.
Scepticalsis
December 03, 2018
Alexander Alastair supposedly a widower and retired cardiologist from Maryland. Says he is a Christian volunteering his services on Mercy Ship. Wants to Western Union $80,000 to my sister in law to hold for him until he returns to U.S. Sound familiar, anyone?
FTC Staff
December 03, 2018

In reply to by Scepticalsis

Some scammers use people to help them hold and transfer stolen money. They don't reveal that the money is stolen - they tell a story to hide the purpose for the transaction. They meet people online, create a relationship, and ask the person to use her bank account to receive and transfer money.

If you do this for a scammer, your name is on the bank account and on the money transfer forms. If you get involved with one of these schemes, you could lose money and personal information, and you could get into legal trouble. Your bank may close your account.

 

FedUp1919
December 03, 2018
Andrew Davies, 47 years old. Claims to be from Ukraine but now is in US Army. Says he has a daughter in boarding school in Tennessee. Claims to be an orphan and a widower. He is trying the romance angle and has asked for iTunes gift cards. He said he was stationed in Aleppo, Syria but has just been transferred to Nigeria. He sends pics of a handsome military man and even has a military ID card. I am pretty sure he has stolen this man’s identity. He asked me to pick up money from western union and send it to a bank in Nigeria. What a jerk! Ladies, watch out. There are horrible men in this world that will tug at your heartstrings and then ask you for favors. This is it how life is supposed to work. If they want to withdraw their affection because you will not give them money or transfer money or anything like that, then you are better off.
Mom manipulated
December 03, 2018
My mom is being scammed by David D Jones this is some stuff I found in her emails. Image search on his picture on Facebook and he's attached to three other names Roy Pieterson, Walter Lugo. This the email I found Beware of him he has manipulated my mom after just losing my dad. Honey i am scared right now writing you this message. I do not want you to b scared honey because i know all will be okay cos we have called for rescue from the security agents on water patrol. Our boat was attacked by sea pirates honey and they have held every one hostage. I am hiding inside the engine room tight now and sending you this message using the boats internet. i want you to know that i love you and will always do honey. I will get in touch with you the moment we are safe and rescued from their hold. I love you baby and will never stop loving you. you are my world and my everything. i will never leave you and never stop loving you honey. You made me know what love is and will forever remain grateful to you for that, I love you so much honey.
AttemptedScammedDude
December 03, 2018
I had a girl, Karen Donaldson, send me an email after talking with her on a dating app, she sent me pictures of what she supposedly looked like. So I downloaded the images and did a cross-check on images.google.com, surprised I got a hit and surprised(not really) it wasn't the person she said it was. Trust your instincts, if it sounds too good to be true, try to find hints in the conversations. She stated she was in West Africa, working with an organization called CSF, I looked it up, I couldn't find anything. Currently, been emailing back and forth, but now I know better now.
Seriously
December 04, 2018
About 3 months ago I met a man on Tinder who goes by the name William Antonio. He is 56, works as a drilling engineer for KBR...currently finishing a contract in Turkey. Fell in love with me immediately. I feel like an idiot because he convinced me to trust him. I'm very recently separated and my heart is bruised. He first asked me to buy a $100 Wal-Mart gift card...so he could send me money to help me with bills. I tried telling him I couldn't receive cash on a gift card and we argued. Now, he has convinced me to open a bank acct.so he can send me a lot of money and wants me to pay a company to fix his drilling machines. Then tonight, he insisted he must have my user name and password to the acct. I jokingly asked if he was trying to use me to hide money and he got angry. He says he was raised in ITALY and has a beautiful accent. I've spoken twice on phone with him. His 9 yr old son is named Kelvin and stays with a nanny. His wife cheated with his best friend and so ex and 17 year old daughter live in Cali. PLEASE HELP ME. HAS ANYONE ELSE HEARD THIS STORY? I'm 60 and lonely, mow feel so foolish. No idea of his reaction tomorrow when I refuse him access to bank.
FTC Staff
December 04, 2018

In reply to by Seriously

This sounds like a scam.

Some scammers use people to help them transfer stolen money. They don't reveal that the money is stolen - they tell a story to hide the reason for the transaction. They meet someone online, create a relationship, and ask their new sweetheart to use her bank account or open a new account to receive and transfer money.

If you do this for a scammer, your name is on the bank account and on the money transfer forms. If you get involved with this scheme, you could lose money and personal information, and you could get into legal trouble. The bank may close your account.

If you tell him your account username and password, he can take your money.

balkis
December 09, 2018

In reply to by Seriously

please even if you are lonely , STOP and BLOCK him immediately .. it is a SCAMMER .. they use the same stories each time .. please read other commends on these pages . I had a very similar Scam , by a different name , those people use different names , are very well organised and the pictures they use are stolen ..everything they tell you are lies. Pleeeease STOP with that guy , thats my very good advise .
Seriously
December 04, 2018
I forgot to mention when I asked this 'William Antonio' to either video chat OR send me a video of himself talking to me...he said that wasn't allowed over there (Turkey). ??? I know there is a real man with this name and he works for a large drilling company out of Houston. But, am I talking to that man? An imposter? Or is this guy really himself trying to use me for a bank acct. to hide money??