Faking it — scammers’ tricks to steal your heart and money

I have been involved with a young woman from Ghana for over two years and have been scammed out of most of my retirement money . My own ignorance and desires kept me from the truth. It started with a dating site and the woman contacted me. I questioned her many times concerning my being of retirement age and she being in her 30’s . It started with her coming here and lead to her family being involved with many elders and family inheritance and later gold bars that were left by her father. Her daughter and mother were involved and an Elder of the family. I was warned many times by family and friends but my owe ego kept me blind. All the the scammers commented on the scammers of Ghana but indicated that there was good there and they were a part of that faction. We can all deceive ourselves and try believe in something that’s not really there. “Be careful out there.”

I had no idea going into the dating scene this was going on! I learned very quickly and since I got caught up with Fred on Match, I believe that every man I have been in contact with since has been a scammer. I now know what signs to look to for and think I've caught every one. Fred didn't get my money, but he stole my heart. These guys are so good. We spoke for almost 2 weeks with reasons why he couldn't talk or come to see me from Reno/Sparks, NV. If they can't send you a picture with their shirt off, they are fake - that's what I've concluded.

Fxcryptotraderfair.com is fake dont send money Toki Hall or Jeremy Good phone number +16099616114 is the romances phone number goes by Stephen bryan or Brian Stephen he plays words with friends has an Asian accent . He had a pic up as an dark hair with sun glasses in a car .

Mine is working very slowly. using the words darling babe right away but messaging very sporadically. Probably busy scamming someone else. His name is williams_wood on Instagram. on hangouts its williamsdanielwilson839. says he works for Jackson offshore marine in Wisconsin. says he was in Illinois united states which is a red flag...why say United states? Hasn't gotten too far into the scam yet. we'll see. Has pics that look real but maybe he stole them from someone else?!

I was randomly approached on FB which is rare as my security settings are high by a GRAY MOORE. Within a few very short hours , most of which I was asleep he was sending messages and when I didn't reply as I was at work they just kept coming . Widow, workington the fishing industry but from san fransisco. However apart from the annoyance of the constant messaging I noticed his english was not good. I just had a feeling so reversed searched him and found tons of profiles. I told him head on in rather unpleasant english that I knew what he was and to get lost . Part of me wishes I had let it run to the inevitable request for money and reported him . Be careful , many was to check someone out and you work hard for that money

Warning she used a Psalm verse in Christian Mingle as her name then later Patricia Dobbs and in Face Books as well with fake pictures taken from Fly Girl Jade. Patricia Dobbs says she does Fabric sales.

Richard Golab or Bernard Harvey or Peter.........The plot thickens. I have foolishly loved and given. More dollars than I want to admit to. The FBI has the case. On an oil rig. Daughter about 19, son about 27. Loved me so deeply. Just wanted to come home. Needs to finish job and has expended all the money he has access to. Please help me. We are one. ....

I want to pre-face this with information that the victim of this complaint was in a motorcycle accident and because of TBI has an IQ of around 80. I believe this incident to be part of a romance scam. I received a call from my ex-husband who is a co-signor on my Home Equity Loan. He asked if I had noticed the loan had been paid in full. I checked the account and it showed the entire balance had been paid. He told me he had a new fiance and the fiance's adoptive dad had paid it in full. Then said he had also deposited $8000 in his personal checking account, but that the bank had locked then closed his account for fraudulent activity! The alleged adoptive dad name was given to me as Richard Kelly. He gave his name to my ex-husband as Richard Carrano. Also suspicious was that Richard Kelly said he lives in Bronx NY…. not where the payment was coming from. My ex-husband sent me pictures of both Richard Kelly and the fiancée Thressah Woods. I used a program to find matches for the images and the picture presented as Richard Kelly is actually of a real estate agent from New York and the picture of the fiance is Claudia Alende from Brazil. I believe the pictures to be screen grabs to set this all up. I don’t know who this man actually is but he spoofed the real estate agent’s mobile phone number as well. I went to my bank and filed a fraud report about this payment from a third party and had the HELOC suspended so that no money can be drawn from it until they can investigate it. Then I was contacted by my ex-husband on behalf of this Richard Kelly. Richard Kelly wanted $50000 drawn from my home equity loan to “help purchase my ex-husband a home” and promised to pay it back later this month. I told my ex-husband that isn't possible since account is suspended and there isn't that much equity. On checking my mail there was a letter from my bank advising they had relieved a request for an increase in my equity line of credit. This means the scammer has gotten access to my ex-husbands online banking and requested an increase! I had my ex-husband change his sign on , password and security questions for his bank access. I signed up for credit monitoring through my bank. I’ve reported the fraudulent activity to the bank and had the HELOC account frozen. I made a cyber crime report to the FBI and one to FTC. I tried to make a police report but they won’t let me do that until the actual statement from my account comes in. Due to my quick action the scammer was unable to take an advance from my equity line. Had he been able to he would have gotten away with $50000.

Please stay as far away from David M Walsh, also went by David O Callaghan and had websites for his fake construction company called Light House Vestors in 2018, previously had a website in 2017 called Gen-X Contractors. Both are fake website for a construction company that doesn't exist. States he is working on a heritage library in India, wallet was stolen and can't get new bank card as he is in India, needs money to pay taxes on a huge contract as he can't access his own bank accounts, then when he is about to return, gets into a car accident, has a phony email sent with details about this accident and hospital and doctor don't even exist in India. all photo-shopped documents from police report to construction contracts. Asks for gift cards, buy Apple products and ship for him. OF course, professed complete love and wanted to be married, stated he was widowed with a 6 year old daughter. He quotes scripture well, very quick to be in love and wants to spend the rest of his life with you. Has some woman call stating that it was his mother who talks all this sweet talk and then blocks her phone number and can't be reached. He is a pathological liar that will scam anyone, I found information that he had been on other dating websites and one woman had committed suicide after being scammed by him. I am so humiliated that I ever knew a person like this. God bless each of you, stay strong.

I met this guy online and he's a doctor his name is Steven Patterson that he went Afghanistan and need the money to come home on

Hello I'm Josh and I'm talking to a woman named Sandra Debra caban and says she is a captain in the marines and everything is going so good and smooth and it does feel like the real thing but not really sure , I want to run a scan on her but I just don't have the heart to do that , has anyone ever heard or talked to a woman by this name or info before I would greatly appreciate your input before calling her out

My scammer was sweet, respectful, educated and smart. We talked for two months and even though I knew something was not right, I fell in love with him. We were talking/messaging for 2.5 to 3 hours a day. Morning, mid-day and night I would receive his lovely messages. He was about to come to meet me in Arizona, but of course, he had an accident at the rig where he had a contract as a metallurgical engineer and asked me for money. I did not send any. I have reported him to the FBI with all the information and have gathered. He was also a ghost, his name nowhere to be found. He went with the name Stephen (Esteban) Sanderval. He claimed to have been born in Spain and now was living in Atlanta. His wife died 12 years ago of cervical cancer, he has a daughter in college and her name is Amanda. His mother lives near his house and her name is ALma. He has his sister Angela in California. Anybody else has heard of this one?

I talked to one guy Steve Jones claims he's in Australia very good-looking has a picture of himself on Twitter he asked me for money the other day $100 I automatically blocked him they asked you to go to the app Hangout I'm talking to one called Scott Walter he supposedly a military doctor I've been talking to him for about 2 or 3 weeks now he hasn't asked me for money the other one is Jonas Calvin supposably he's German Mount pleasant Texas be careful I'm playing their game but they're not getting any money and I'm only playing the game because I like messing with people

Hi well, I’ve been contacted by a guy from tinder, his name Micheal Bromley, I have rank a number, whatever that means, pictures, but can never actually speak to him as he is on deployment in Sudan appararntly, sent me a request of leave form from a general or something, he hasn’t asked for any money, I’m not stupid will not send anything he claims money not a issue, originally he said he was based in base in uk, has a 9 year old daughter in military school, is this person a scammer??? Any information would be helpful

I have one by the name Harry brown he has not yet asked for money yet or any transferred but he is a military from Boston, yesterday he asked me to give him the size of shoe or dress I put on but I told him am not interested .he has not reply since yesterday. Now am not sure if he is a scammer or real ready for relationship, he sent me his pictures, with his mum ,dogs and even his place of work... Am Now confused

I’ve been scammed by a Chris Wright or as I called him “Mr. Right”. He didn’t instantly tell me he loved me but after about three weeks. He is a investor in oil, exploration, exportation & importations. He was in Nice Italy for a investors meeting and is “still” there per him. I wired money $ 11,510 to be exact to get him back into the country because of tariffs, taxes etc. He was arrested at the Nice Cote Azure airport, for trying to leave France without paying the 70% tax. I was sent a YouTube video that showed the arrest, really. He has 2 million in his Bank of the West Acct?? I feel stupid... Has anyone else encountered him or his posse?

Had two different guys give me a story about their life in Finland with their Irish wife who died. They never asked for money but dropped their profiles on line immediately and came on very strong! Lots of over the top love talk which made absolutely no sense since they knew nothing about me. Dropped them within a week so no requests for money. I gave them a piece of my mind before signing off permanently! So bad they play on innocent people's emotions!

I got this scam email pls read carefully. My Dearest Friend Thank you very much for your response as response' is one of the powerful weapon to occupy a place in someone's 'HEART' So, always give the best response to the person who cares for u.I promise to give you my best as far as you are committed to this transaction. I appreciate the fact that you are ready to assist me in executing this project,and you should have nothing to worry about. I will do everything legally required to ensure that this transaction goes smoothly and shall pass through all Laws of International Banking. I am now in contact with a foreign bank that shares the same telex type with my bank. This will enable me transfer the funds from my bank to the offshore bank account without stress.Therefore i will advise you to open an offshore domiciliary account on your name in a foreign bank that share the same telex type as my bank.The money would be transferred to that account which you will open in the bank that share the same telex type as my bank.This is the best way to move the funds.I want us to have peace of mind when we conclude this transaction so please follow my instructions religiously. As a result of this,you will have to open an account in the corresponding bank and that is your only financial obligation.After this,the money will be transferred from my bank to the account which will be set up on your name.You can then instruct the bank to transfer our various shares into our respective home bank accounts. The money in question is huge and I want to ensure that we reach a proper agreement,before I proceed to give you all the details to commence. I send you the details of the bank you will contact that share the same telex type as my bank which i intend you to open the account with so that you can open communication with them. So please do ensure to keep this transaction confidential. Upon receipt of your respond i shall provide you with more details of the operation.Your earliest response will be highly appreciated. God bless you. Ms, Melessa Freya 

I met a Czech/American man named Norman Hall on a dating site...who was retiring in 2 months but just got a big contract in Bahrain as a private engineering contractor. He was listed as a local on the dating app but he had to leave quickly to start the job. Even called me from the airport. He deleted his online dating profile to "focus" on me. A week before he was to return home, he called urgently saying he needed $69,000 to pay taxes to the Bahrainis before they would transfer his money. He was pretty smooth but spoke with a heavy accent and I never could find any info on him...on Facebook, LinkedIn or Google. He even sent a high value check to my house with a phony routing number. Reporting to the FBI. Be careful and always do due diligence on a dating site because these scammers know exactly how to play you.

I have some real beauties on Instagram. Chicki0203 and tjmark07. Same stories. Have a kid, something tragic happened to the mother. Deployed over in Africa and the other in Mexico. Want to chat on WhatsApp. They can barely write in English. Just waiting for them to put the bite on me so I can tell them off and report. Watch out for these two on Instagram ladies.

Being scammed by woman . Rexlyn Elson.. Has anyone else heard of that name here. She's from Ghana.

I would like to know if Joseph McFadden is a scammer he Sweden and America he a contracter construction supervisor

I'm speaking to a woman who says shes in the uk how can I tell if shes telling me the truth

I met my scammer off a dating site. Von Vilic, showed me his business website, born foreign, widowed, no kids, family all gone, friend betrayed him. Contracted for a job in Gulf of Mexico, platform 18. Suddenly the wifi on the platform doesn't work. Needs me to transfer money from his bank account to a provider of materials. Bank showed over $500k in. Red flags! why would you give your bank account info to someone you just met? Even sent me copy of his contract. Anyway I think all of that is fake, as now he says the bank has locked his account and will send a new password in 2 weeks. What bank does that? Oh, an offshore account, right! So now he wants me to send money to another supplier of material, because I know he's good for it (remember I saw the bank account) he will give me 30% interest on anything I can send him. There is the scam. Took almost 2 months to get it set up. This person has very good English, no typos, is intelligent, very convincing and works hard at winning you over. He is very very good at what he is doing. Please be careful, don't give your money away to these scammers.

Goes by Anthony William. Found me on FB. He supposedly owns a house in Saratoga Springs, NY and Germany. He works as an engineer on a gasoline carrying ship. Said his wife died of cancer and his son is 13 at Brymore Academy in UK. Sent tons of photos of himself on ship and one with son. He asked immediately to switch over to Hangout for increased security. He was quick to say, “I love you” and brought up god often. I said, “you can’t love someone if you haven’t ever met him”. He’s 50, 5’9 German looking, white hair, grey eyes in pic. Wears a lot of navy. He is unable to make calls or voice chat, however had no problem with internet connection. He asked for money saying that his son was in a terrible accident and needed money for his care and sent a fake photo. He said he could not access online banking... however he’s on the internet. Anyways, I blocked him. These are very bad people, looking to to take advantage of the most vulnerable.

I was contacted via fitbit app from a chap called Williams B Rashford. He asked me to chat to him using the google hangout app which I did. We have been talking on and off for a few months now. Hes giving me his story - single dad working for the USA Military in Afgan, hes from New York etc. Hes never asked for money until now. He asked if he could get his belongings out of Afgan and I'd they could be sent to me. Me being super naive gave him my address and asked me to track the 'parcel'. I've tracked it but now its showing up as with Jersey Customs. The customs are asking for £1800 so that the proper paperwork is issued ( certificate of non inspection) after me telling him that I cant pay that money as he didnt have access to his funds!! - this is rubbish as all military staff have access to the accounts. He got super aggressive with me when I started to question him and now hes blocked me on hangouts - this deffo rings scam to me and thank god I didnt send any money. Be careful as there are some sick people out there !!!

Has anyone heard of Alexandra ( Alexy ) Palacio - stationed in Afghanistan and coming home in 5 months....started on Instagram, had me switch to Hangouts - and after a week, wants to marry me and come and live with me in Canada....so far, no money requests but being very cautious...

Does anyone know who this is?? He is catfishing my Aunt and tearing are family apart! Any info would help, Please!!

Don’t respond to Henry Nathan Coleman. He is a love scammer and has taken everything I had.

i had chat with a guy we met through matrimonial site and he is from london we use to share our pic but we cant see other through video call and he is coming to india with in 3 weeks to get marry me but i am curious about it he sent me parcel and said there is money inside for our marriage and u have too take that parcel and courier may be charge u i m still curious he sent me link and courier details i tracked them those are all right but courier contact and toll free contact are not real what should i do know should i have to wait for him or stop chatting with him

Some using the email mary scott301 has been messaging me and promising to give me money if I buy a $200 card. When I told her I do not want to money, she threatened me.

I got a message on Twitter from a man that said he was an American military doctor serving in Syria. He said he's a widow and his mother takes care of his daughter who is in a coma due to the car accident that killed his wife. He's always been kind and never asked for money until recently when he said his daughter needs physical therapy and wants me to send money. I want to believe him but don't know what to do. I speak to him nearly every night, he has a British accent and sounds so kind.

I've been chatting to a Staff Sgt Michael Martel- boy is he hot looking-I told him at the outset I was aware of scammers but that didn't phase him- he was very smooth indeed. Within a week he was saying how he felt about me and that he was finishing his deployment in South Korea and would come to be with me. His English was very good indeed different to the other idiots on there. He then "came back from a mission" and said he wanted to leave early and was putting his papers in ad could he give my gmail address to his general! my Alarm bells started ringing but I dont use my gmail account and hadn't sent him too much info so said yes. Quelle surprise!- I get an email purporting to be from the General very poorly written asking me to fill in a form with all my personal details on it. I have a friend at the US Embassy and showed them- of course its a fake- they use the info to set up bogus accounts in your name and obtain credit. I challenged him and now its all my fault- I've ruined his career- my response was no I haven't and you can finish your deployment and then leave without me having to do that. I won't deny I am deeply hurt- these people are evil and prey on the vulnerable- and really why would someone as hot as this guy want me? I'm just pleased he got nothing but watch out for the name.

Can a Nigerian alter his voice to sound Australian?

My friend has been talking to a man who she met on Facebook Messenger, she can't say why he contacted her. She was then told to use Google hangouts because it's more secure. The story is he's working via contract for UN building a brand new teaching hospital in Damascus Syria. He was robbed had his bank credit card and phone was stolen. He got a new phone but couldn't access his bank account because it was blocked. He said all his money was being sent by his bank account in US which he can't access. He repeatedly asked for $1600 from my friend ignoring all the times she said she was a pensioner and had no money. Over the days the story unfolded his friends left. I looked up the Embassy details and suggested he contacted them, he couldn't say what the Embassy told him but the requests for money continued. His Facebook profile is about 2 months old with very few friends. He got angry when I took my friends phone and asked for details of his building project. The declarations of love were of course used. Long rambling love emails and one phone call on a withhold number. The man had been talking to my friend for about a week. The sad thing is my friend was completely taken in by this man(?) and if she had the money probably would of sent it. I'm glad she told me when he asked for money. What protection is there to stop these people? Concerned friend

Anyone know oliviakings90?

Sounds like the same person who is trying to scam me with sweet talk until I blocked him this morning. He uses the name Steve L Tobias from Austria. The photos he sent to me via WhatsApp is of a very handsome successful man but when we started chatting his use of spelling words didn't correspond with the person in the photo. He is an orphan who lost his parents in a car accident with his little sister and apparently he was the only survivor. He said he was abused by his only uncle and when the uncle tried to drown him in a river his granny came from Italy . After she passed away he went to a missionary school where he met his wife who passes away 5 years ago leaving their 4 year old daughter Lily for him to raise by himself. She used to have a nanny but this nanny wanted to come into his room one night so he had to let go of her and put his daughter in a boarding school. He knows I love children so he uses her every time I want to block him. He said she already calls me mom and this after only two days where he also profess his undying love to me calling me baby which I hate and sending me you tube romantic Songs. I told him that no one can fall in love with someone without talking and seeing someone and that one has to get to know someone very well before telling them that you love them. Of course he had an answer for that too. Another red flag came when he called me and I heard his accent which did not sound at all European but more like a Nigerian accent. I did not say anything or paying attention to what he said because I was too busy trying to figure out this accent which sounds very familiar. I couldn't take it anymore so the next time he called I asked if he was from Nigeria because his accent doesn't sound like any American .Canadian or European accent I have ever heard and that since I live in South Africa I know many different African accents. That was when he got angry and accused me of being racist. He said hurt his feelings by saying his is black so I asked what is wrong with being black because we are all created by one GOD. By then I was very aware and scared because I am a very friendly open person and also very forgiving I have him the benefit of the doubt. We kept on chatting and talking but at the back of my mind I could not shake off this uneasy feeling. I knew he was trying to scam me but I still talk to him but my suspicions were confirmed when I saw on one of the photos he sent of his supposed office and all the work he have to do. I am not someone who pay much attention to detail but when looking closely at the photo I saw a south African legal driver's licence document between two white sheets of papers . I asked what he was doing with a south African driver's licence document in Austria. He said since he was coming to South Africa he was doing a favour for a client. I didn't say anything but was now really sure that he is a scammer from an African country. I blocked him but for some reason he messaged me from a south African mobile network number which I blocked too. Then immediately after that I received 12 international WhatsApp call and a lot more WhatsApp messenges which I deleted and blocked too. The next day I decided to unblocked the Austrian number to ask him what he want from me and what did I do to him to do what he 8s trying to do. He said he doesn't want to do anything but just love me. I think he knew he was caught or almost caught when he said he made the mistake of declaring his love so soon. He will not push me or say love me until I was ready. He then made another mistake by asking me how many homes I own and that he want to invest in hospitality and if I can give him the name the company I have invest money in. I said I have not invest any money and that he should when he comes to South Africa do his own research. Then he asked if we are in a relationship will I ask him for money and as his "girlfriend" I should not hesitate to ask him for any money . My response was that it would take a lot a lot a lot out of me to ask a stranger for money. He didn't like my answer and got angry again. Saying "oh so that means you won't help me with money if I need any help," I didn't respond so he put the phone down. He called again change the topic telling me some story about God and how I must help people. He also said that I should get off the site tagged and that I should not tell anyone about him or what we talk about. To no one. So yesterday again he asked for money because apparently he got a contract from chevron to come and work in Mossel bay but he needs 240 million euros to bring his machinery over . Where he think I will get that money from only he knows. I blocked him but am very scared so much so that I have changed my number and email address and luckily for me he doesn't know where I live or have any personal information about me. He is supposed to come and propose to me on the 28th of the month. That is when he will be coming to South Africa. I blocked him this morning and am thinking of taking his photos to our local police and tell them everything I know about this Steve L Tobias. Please ladies and gentlemen be careful for the first time I let me gaurd down and almost got caught in this scam. Thankfully I blocked him and also left the site and also delete WhatsApp on the number he have. All I can say I be careful please do not give any money or fall for their sweet words. Did I mention when I asked to live video call he hung up on me but not before saying only childish people do video call .

Mierallas Fransisco....works on an oil rig. I fell for it. No money sent. The in-depth knowledge is incredible. It was believable at first. Until he asked for a steam wallet. Anyone know how I do an image search?