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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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Topics
Shopping and Donating
Scams
Romance Scams

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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.
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  • 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.

Michelle
March 27, 2020
I believe I got scammed I paid $18,000 he is at Sea in Norway I’m still in contact with him
Busted
April 01, 2020

In reply to by Michelle

What is his name my one says he’s on a rig in norway
Missmissy
April 01, 2020

In reply to by Michelle

I met one that is working in Oslo Norway says he is a marine engineer and very very handsome did a photo search and found out that photos are fake, still talking to him to see if he will tell me the truth about photos but not doing it, goes by name Richardson Philip. Is from Hawthorne CA, has a California phone number but is in orange county, asked also says he has a 7yr daughter say he is seperated and daughter lives with uncle in the UK, but wife is still alive, I know he lying through his teeth, wants to send me money to help with me with my bills and started talking on March 11 by March 22 he wants me to open an account so he can send me money to help pay my bills, he is out of ever loving mind he was on Facebook but know longer there trying to get me to open new Facebook account but not doing it, under same name, Richardson Philip cause Im affarid if I do it he can get my info cause I going to get in contact with person he stold photos from
Neveragain
March 28, 2020
I met anthony lorenzo smith anthony (yes he said that was his name) on ourtime. At first he was sweet. Said he was a US marine and in 2 days he was being shipped to iran, which took him 6 hours to get to (from FL??). I told him up front don't ask for money or cards (been scammed before) and he assured me he would never do that. Then the story got weird. He said he was with a special unit that saved the son of a prince and they were rewarded with jewels. He needed to pay the courier that was taking them to canada and then wanted me to meet and pay his courier (in canada??), but I was not to worry he would pay me back (hahahaha!). I said no! Now he is stuck in iran and because of covid-19 he cannot get home or get medicine. Now he needs money and of course itunes cards (that can cure the virus !?!?!). Needless to say, I'm done. Watch out, covid-19 has given scammers a whole new angle.
Loulou
March 28, 2020
My boyfriend is a system developer working for IDP Yemen His name is Luca Alessandro I have sent him a couple of ITunes cards, but refused to send him money to assist in his exit He says he has approx 1.5million GDP to be paid when he returns to UK - he is Italian He wants us to open a joint bank account therefore proving to me he is genuine Is this a scam
Jonagirl2020
April 27, 2020

In reply to by Loulou

SCAM. Nobody goes to Yemen to be irk! I had a surgeon working for UN there n it was a scam too! Block everything
Just wondering
March 29, 2020
Has Nicholas Adam Chandler or Michael Trump contacted anyone?
Missmissy
March 29, 2020
Anyone know a Richardson Philip
bustedhaha
March 29, 2020
I’ve just had one delete me off hangouts for calling him out of a scam asking me to open a wallet for bitcoins for his company he would even talk me through it wow charmer.. nice looking entrepreneur comes from Idaho USA but says he has french accent goes by the name of Tony klaus morthorst... spoke to me on ig first sweet talker declared undying love within a week sent me love songs via YouTube
soqudifb
March 30, 2020
Congratsss
lynn
March 30, 2020
Anyone know of Matthew Robert
Wjf201Don't us…
March 30, 2020
I met a Christooher Alex Hills on Facebook. Very romantic. Good looking. Very persuasive . Wish I could put picture on here. I'm sure he was a scammer. 1 week he was divorced the next week he was a widower w a daughter. Beware Ladies. He asked financial questions. I didnt give anything out but asked if I had an IRA. Warning sign. Praise God I told my kids.
yelnahs05
March 30, 2020
Has anyone heard of a Carl Barris? I think he is scamming my mom. They met through an online dating site. Says he’s a airline captain for Emirates airlines and lives in Dubai but has a house in Oxnard, CA. He keeps having excuses to not meet up, has already proposed marriage, and won’t video chat her. She won’t listen to my concerns and I don’t know what to do. He hasn’t asked for money yet, but I feel like it’s only matter of time. We looked up his number and it’s a textnow number. Please help!
almostscammed07
April 15, 2020

In reply to by yelnahs05

Yes to almost being scammed by Carl V Barris. EXACT description as your mom; had been in contact daily since December; recently proposed. Have many photos of himself, and “sons” Troy and Zane (and wife Isabella). Never asked for money but his “son” Troy recently did (stating he was on a humanitarian mission with UN; passport & credit cards stolen). Became suspicious and found your inquiry. Thank you SO much for posting! Did NOT give any money. They had been saying “Carl” came down with Covid-19 and was in critical condition in Dubai (has been in hospital in vent since last Saturday). Please tell your mother...total scam. She may be a bit heartbroken and feel a bit foolish but...the fantasy is just that...a fantasy until it turns into a nightmare if they gain her trust to send money.
kayRay
June 28, 2020

In reply to by almostscammed07

This one sounds close to the one my my just sent un ungodly amount of money to but said he was in Syria but had a wife and 2 boys
Magriffe
March 31, 2020
Anyone heard of Justin Howard ? An orthopaedic surgeon with the UN??Beware..
Fun an loving …
April 09, 2020

In reply to by Magriffe

As well Austin Jonathan orthopedic surgeon in Iraq from TX. My friend thinks he is a real DEAL. If anyone could tell her that it's a pure scambag...
silverlocks64
April 21, 2020

In reply to by Magriffe

How about Mark Anderson? An orthopedic surgeon with the UN... Facebook friend request been sitting there for awhile, so I finally accepted it. He immediately contacted me on messenger. Widow, orthopedic surgeon with UN, asked what kind of work I do and if I was happily married... I told him I needed to get some sleep. Then I got on Google and within half hour of searches I reported him on Facebook, blocked him and deleted the other app he wanted to "talk" on.
MsParker
April 01, 2020
I’ve been chatting with a John Diamond on IG, from San Francisco. He started off really sweet. He’s been offering to send me money. He’s also trying to get me to use bitcoin. I declined. He’s being persistent. It’s really weird. I even did a google reverse image search, nothing...I believe he’s a scammer. If anybody has been talking to this guy, don’t give him anything. I’m still digging for the actual person in the photos.
Freshskin07
April 01, 2020
Has anyone met James Michael Ronald? He goes by the name bigdavidone on POF. A true romance scammer just like he wrote the book. Calls you honey, baby, his queen and has a accent. Wants to marry you. Says he is a civil engineer working in Dubai on a contract, has a 11 year old son in Seattle and a sister who is keeping him. After about a month into conversation he started asking for ebay cards & iphones. Wanted me to open an IRA account and had sent me money to pick up, and a fake check to cash. No worries I was smart enough not to do the money transactions. He got for ebay cards and an iphone which told me where he was located in Nygeria. I believe his photos on POF are not him. I never saw him via video cause he said it did not work. So ladies we become emotionally involved with our unknown scammer and before you know it you are caught up in the middle. Thank God for this website and now I see how the game is played. Reply back if you have met Mr James!
Cljc0124
April 01, 2020
My guy was in It and he was a charmer. I did lose out on $300 but he goes by the name of Trenton Williams and will suggest you use Google hangouts to communicate he will never do a video chat and he is actually using another users pics. He tried to tell me that his accountant was going to send me a check for the money I sent and extra for him to use because he was on a Contracting job that he got for Germany because he claims to be a contractor. He also states that he lives in Houston, TX. He is by the way still making fake pages on Ig he has a Jamaican accent too.
Michcarol
April 02, 2020
Hi has anyone had a man calling himself Bill Wallace. His profile is billwallace213. Contacting you thought a dating site. He says he is a engineer working on a oil rig.
Cruzing for a …
April 02, 2020
So has anyone met a James Anthony Fanelli on FB says he lives in Dallas, Texas but is currently active in the Army. His wife died and has a daughter and no other family. He’s another scammer. We talked for liked 2 weeks and claimed I was the woman he had always searched for. When I asked about his deceased wife he said I was better than she was because she had so many flaws. Who says that? I was very upset about it. I should of known he was fake news.
Alupnu2469
April 04, 2020
Will a female scammer get married to a guy she meets an then send him a picture of a marriage cirtifice showing that they are married ,an how long dose a scammer stay with this person ,if they still talk after 3 years is he still being scammed or dose the female that's scamming really have feelings for or just a scam
234didit
April 17, 2020

In reply to by Alupnu2469

Thank u for your post.im kind of in the same boat and I'm very curious.
TheMOMTHER
April 04, 2020
I am so glad I found this thread. I was taken (almost) by a quite handsome Marine in Syria named James Milier. He messaged me on IG. From Hawaii, widower, 8 year old son. Lots of nice ab pictures but not much else. So many "You are so beautiful, so charming etc" SMH. Kept asking me to join him via gmail because of security, couldn't be caught on the phone due to "Military security monitoring device". What a tool. Finally had enough and blocked him.
TheMOMTHER
April 04, 2020
I wish there was a way to post pictures on this, I think we are all falling for the same "man".
DonnaLeslie
April 04, 2020
I been chatting with this guy on Hangouts he said his name is Chris Brooks he said he's from Madison,Wisconsin,He said he was 57 years old,He told me he works in the oilfield I don't know where..He said right now he's working the oilfield/right..I do have a picture that he sent me it's of him..I met him on Tango...We are just friends
sadlymistaken
April 17, 2020

In reply to by DonnaLeslie

It seems they like hangouts a lot....must not be as many controls on that ap.
Hp1984
April 04, 2020
I met him on Instagram also he said he was a staff staff sergeant and been in the US Marines for 10 years is currently in Iraq Wilson McDaniel
PRAIRIELUV
April 04, 2020
My neighbor is a widow and I believe she is being scammed from a guy on a dating site. Anyone know of a Richard Marc Tedson owns an oil rigging company. Retiring and lives in Lake Villa but was born in Australia? Has a daughter Mia?
tired of the fakes
April 05, 2020
I had a persons that said they were the dad of a girl who was now in the hospital and I owe them medical bill money or they were reporting me to the police though I searched there phone area codes and they were different and a police officer friend of mine told me they were a scheme and not two weeks later the same thing happened to a friend of mine they acted like a dad two saying they wanted my side of the story while still Threatening and acting concerned about the person but looking back there language was that of a professional and when I found out the account did the same thing to my friend I was sure I immediately reported them on the app and deleted all dating apps. This is something that needs to be regulated I was terrified that I could have hurt someone but than I calmed down and realized it was a scam I believe that these apps need to be held responsible for scammers they seem to be getting a lot better at manipulating people they also like to say that they are not what there profile said and that is a red flag for me they said they were from South Carolina on there profile told me they were in Baltimore I also learned the app keeps your location But then the phone numbers didn’t match up with either of the places or each other the fakes need to stop I just wanna warn others and definitely don’t send money that is what I was told the irony is they said they talked to the police but also kept saying they were gonna contact the police and even though I did nothing wrong that’s still a scary thought and makes u go into panic mode I think that’s how these scammers work they scare u to make you not think straight I am just glad I hesitated but seriously there needs to be a way to track these people down this quarantine seems to be making things worse and though it is necessary there needs to be more internet regulating
Moore32
April 05, 2020
Has anyone had any contact with a Austin Richmond claims he's from California city California in the army and overseas he never told,me where he was at met on fb talked a couple months and one day got a message off messenger from his page saying that his page has been hacked and supposedly it was the hacker who messaged me well we moved to email and talked that way he did ask for money but I never sent it to him always for leave or phone card to call me never would send me a pic of him the ones he sent was always old ones off his phone he claimed just wanted to know if he was a scammer or what i ain't talked to him in almost a year just lost contact with him of course he was very handsome no kids never been married parents dead and had one brother that he didn't talk to told me he wanted to get to know me better about a week after we started talking and about a month to tell me he was falling for me when i told him that I couldn't send him money cause I didn't have it he never did what u say get mad then he wouldn't ask for a while then he would ask again then the last couple of months we talked he didn't ask for money no more
Paigenc16
April 05, 2020
There is a scammer on Tinder named Steve claiming to be a pilot for Emirates. Beware ladies. I caught him when he never could videochat or talk on phone.
sammysanj.dupegirl
April 05, 2020
I met someone who message me on facebook asking me to be friends and he said my smile attracted him. samun started messaging me everyday and offer me to go to all my favorite places. I was cautious but he always say he is very lonely man and one day he told me his mother needed money to have surgery. I gave him a lot of money. Then end of the year he was crying to me because he said he have to stop going to university. I helped him again because he promised to support me after graduation. But when my brother found out more about him, he disappeared. My brother think he has does this to others as he was illegal in Uk. We tried to find him but he changed number and must have shifted. Please everybody stay away from this horrible man.
J-Var
April 06, 2020
Someone named Bill Benjamin and I can’t even find that if some called US FAST INVESTMENT thing and I can’t tell if it’s a scam or not and tells me about my bank information and everything and wants to give me $100,000 and everything,can someone help me plz I already got the phone number of that person
InGodWeTrust
April 06, 2020
Gomez, Praise a Marine in Special Forces in Afghanistan. 35 Years old. Any one being scammed by him? He claims that both parents died when he was 15 years old, was raised by his mom's brother in Texas who was a Priest in the Military. His fiancé died of cancer and his son died at birth. He declared his love on the first day, his loyalty on the second. He is often asking money in form of gifts cards to be sent to his Commanders wife Tiffany Gold. He claims his birthday is April 13, 1985. His birthday is coming up. He says he is a Marine and speaks very sincerely about his love and faith in God which makes this deception all the more cruel. He often prays over me and my family. He has contacted my mother and speaks with her. Also, he has his "friend" contact me as well. I feel this is a total scam!!! God help me! The pictures of Gomez he has sent me of the service man are spectacular. So gorgeous. Please watch out for this guy! Also, he has an African accent. Any advise?
Ms Teachwr
April 06, 2020
Someone name Richard Williams is trying to move very fast with after conversing with him on Tinder. He immediately asked for my email address since he was about to go to Dubai for a contract job. After responding to his emails, he’s excited about meeting me. He also sent his favorite Bible verses. Also, he’s from Houston but raised in Germany. Anyone knows him?
Suspicious
April 30, 2020

In reply to by Ms Teachwr

A guy named Richard Williams sent me a friend request on Instagram. He said he was an Orthopedic Surgeon from Dortmund, Germany. He asked me to move to Hangouts as it would be easier to communicate. He also said he had lost his wife and son in a car accident 5 years ago. His only family was his 14 year old daughter Ella. Different things he said just didn’t sound right to me so I started searching him up. Of course there was no doctor under that name in Dortmund and the pictures he was using were of a Turkish handsome doctor, stolen from his Instagram account. I reported him and blocked him on Instagram... By the way, stolen photos and fake Instagram accounts are very common. Beware!
Don't use your…
April 06, 2020
I sign up wt Expat/Internation, this dude sent me twinkle, I reply to his twinkle, next he send me a message to become his friendn this happen on February 11 untill now, this person gave me his name and ask me to move over to "hangout. I did so, his name he gave me is Harry Andersen, age 60, said his wife pass away with cancer for 6 years now, he has 2 kids, he said he is an Enginear work out in the Gulf of Mexico, Rigs worker, next he gane my confident and ask me if I could send him$4.500 to buy electric jackets for he and his men, cause he's having problem with his offshore banking, I played the game cause I heard about them. When I told him that I have no money he called; my surprise his voice gave him away voice sounded like a Nigerian very persistant. He even send me pictures of this lovely handsome man. Somebody need to stop these people from trying to use photos of people in order to do their scmming.
Ree
April 07, 2020
I have a similar case guys name Bernard Andre Kruger, stuck in spain with out money needs urgently. Hss a daughter staying in USA with aunt anyone heard somethink like this. A engineer work in scotland now stuck in spain and needs to get to South Africa. Have pictures
Ana
April 08, 2020
A month ago I met a US soldier he told me he was Cabul afeganisthan the first two weeks were amazing he wrote so many beautiful things, we use to send pictures of each other , but I've noticed the pictures were not taken at the moment I ask him why, he said he had army rules.. My nightmare started when he gave me his bank details and told me that I needed to transfer money for his leave, so I did I did not mind because was his money well so I thought. The next day he asked me to do a transaction to my account , I said no but he put so much pressure on me that I accepted but I was very afraid , I didn't put all the my bank details correct but it was approved and his bank winstrusth sent me an email saying that in order for the money to be deposited in my account I had to pay 5%fee because I did an international transaction and his account was pending due to that and he said he could not help me me do the payment because his account was pending I emailed the bank with the email address he gave it to me many time and the answer was the same that I had to pay the fee I did not had much money in my bank account I had to borrow from friends but wasn't enough I've done half of the payment and he promised me his friend was going to help but he lied I lost ten thousand dollars , I've cried so much , I was so naive, I was fragile because my marriage wasn't well he made so many promises , but I know I lost my money I want to show his picture to the world but I don't know how , if I had money I would pay someone to help me find this horrible man .. Looking back there were many loose ends , I don't want this happening to any woman on the planet, because I just cry every day. Thank you
sad to be had
April 09, 2020
It kills me that all we’re looking for is love and that someone feels the need to take advantage of that for their own gain. Handsome man in his 40s on a peacekeeping mission overseas. Doctor says his name is Matteo. His photos he is fair skin green eyes tattoos on left arm. All photos are of him including passport. He asked for money twice in which I had to decline. Third time he asked if I would except money From his ex-wife to help him get out of there. I had to decline. He’s stop texting but occasionally sends a message. I’ve spoken to him on the phone and more recently he is offering to video chat however says I need to provide personal details before he can which obviously red flag means I will not. Has Anyone else had a similar story? I wish we can upload photos here. Maybe we can work together to track down the people in the photos so they are aware someone is using their identity. But then again I thought, this person says he can prove he is who he is. What if the person in the photos is the person you’re talking to, however the stories are not real and the photos are faked. They can prove who they are physically anytime and we wouldn’t be able to find information on them elsewhere but they’ll still be trying to get your money.
Please help
April 10, 2020
Does anyone know a man named Brian Jeti? Supposedly from CA but now working in Zurich as a supplier of construction equipment? I'd love to hear if anyone has had contact with him or been scammed. Met of POF. Thank you!
Cheyenne22
April 18, 2020

In reply to by Please help

Just recently, yes, I logged onto PC and blocked them the other day. I won't communicate with anyone on that site long distance anymore, and wants to go right to texting and emails/phone calls & refuses to meet in person or send pictures. Tons of scammers on POF.
Not into the games
April 11, 2020
So here we go I was recently talking to an oil rig guy who promised me the world said he wanted me to start looking for a home and wanted to marry me after he retired from his last contract from the rig in Scotland. Anyway he said all the right thg things but would get upset if he wasnt able to contact me. So about 2 weeks into his contract he claims he needed to update files on his computer or he would loose his contract. Even took a blood oath to show his love. When I refused to send money he stopped talking to me then a friend request came through a couple weeks ago a man named Michael Christopher guess what same pictures as George Miller be careful out there.
drog50
April 11, 2020
recently went through this on instagram, she got my bank account info off of me, which was my fault, and she deposited 10,000 dollars from a stolen work check. It turns out that the check was fraudulent and bow my account is suspended for four days until the check is returned . Why do banks not report this stuff to the proper authorities when it happens. Yes she promised all of this stuff and i fell for it
refused
April 11, 2020
This person has gotten my pension money 80,000 I cannot retire now
concerned gran…
April 11, 2020
My mom has been scammed out of over $75,000 in the last year from a guy she met on an online dating site. He goes by the name of James Morgan. He says he’s from California & claims he’s a jewelry maker. He has scammed her by claiming he has this gold he needs to get home. Anyways after the first scam I told her she was being scammed. She swore she’d never have contact again. Well she has continued to have contact. This week HE had her send money to “global shipping freight” to have HER gold released. Now the gold is supposedly in her name. I swear. She’s 70 & vulnerable. I wish there was a way to get this guy!!
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