Skip to main content

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.

Search Terms
bank account
fraud
military
money transfer
online dating
scam
Topics
Shopping and Donating
Scams
Romance Scams

It is your choice whether to submit a comment. If you do, you must create a user name, or we will not post your comment. The Federal Trade Commission Act authorizes this information collection for purposes of managing online comments. Comments and user names are part of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) public records system, and user names also are part of the FTC’s computer user records system. We may routinely use these records as described in the FTC’s Privacy Act system notices. For more information on how the FTC handles information that we collect, please read our privacy policy.

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.

GiaMaria
June 08, 2020

In reply to by Marl

Yes. Just received friend request from Dr. Michael Scott. I'm looking this up now because I went through it witha Kelvin Francis, Orthopedic. I cut off the texts when he asked for money and then got violent in his words when I told him I couldn't. Now I can;t find him on instagram or facebook all of a sudden. Same words and sentences, Baby, Honey. So I was right its a scam and i am ahead of the game now.
Maggie
August 20, 2020

In reply to by GiaMaria

I am talking with Dr Michael Scott, he is a military doctor from LA now in Yemen by a contract, he lost his wife 5 years ago and have a 12 daugther. It sounds to you? Hahaha
Jenny W
March 05, 2021

In reply to by Maggie

Just got similar message from a Larry Hogan, says Orthopaedic surgeon in Yemen j On a undercover operation. Just told me he lost his wife 4 years ago and has 16 yr old that studies in London. Anyone else?
KPP
January 03, 2021

In reply to by GiaMaria

Been chatting with a Kelvin Francis since July 2020 - says he’s a military engineer in Yemen. I haven’t given him any money although he has asked. Wondering if he’s the same. Did he send you photos?
Maggie
August 20, 2020

In reply to by Marl

Me, he said is in Yemen and he is a military doctor. His wife died 5 years ago and have a 12 years old called Jeanny. Sent me pictures of a handsome guy haha
Pixie60
September 11, 2021

In reply to by Maggie

Hi was the Doctor working in Aleppo, Yemen and was his name Dr Donnie White? I found out he was a scammer and the pics were of a doc from Central America somewhere.
Don't use your…
June 22, 2019

In reply to by kidney gurl

Hi there...the oil rig guy. Same for me. He came out of nowhere and is "madly in love" All kinds of flags. Yours isn't named Bryan, is it???
Kim
July 03, 2019

In reply to by Don't use your…

The guy my friend is dating is Bryan Kelly. Says hes on an oil rig in Afghanistan. His daughter is In boarding school. Madly in love with her and wants to get married
kath
July 20, 2019

In reply to by Don't use your…

how about a David John - engineer on a oil rig in Norway has twins in Houston TX at boarding school - he is hungarian/spanish . anyone talking to someone like this ?? He needs to get documents for his vacation so he can go home
WP/ Nov 13, 20…
November 13, 2020

In reply to by Don't use your…

I talking to an oil rig guy, North Sea going by Bryan also. Does he have an accent?
tdiamonds74
June 28, 2019

In reply to by kidney gurl

Hi all! I am also talking to a guy names "Brad Thom" who owns his own Petroleum Co and is currently on an oil rig in the Aegean Sea in Turkey. Came to the States 20 yrs ago after his mom past. Is a father of 2 children "Jane" currently 19 and "Kevin" currently 12. Is a widower of 12 yrs. His wife died giving birth to "Kevin". He Instagramed me out of the blue the other day. And by the end of the night he stated the he loved me and wants to marry me. Last night he stated that "Two of my most important machines used for working got spoilt " "It’s gonna be fixed by the mechanics and I’ll have to pay them to fix it I’ve spent a lot in getting this contract and also since i came on here And am currently having this problem with my account that can’t be fixed until i get back home" and "I just don’t know how i can get help with the remaining of the money to pay to fix the machine i just promise to pay back as soon as i complete this contract and get paid". So i ask him if he was asking me to help him out financial b/c i couldn't and he stated, "No am not I’ll just try to find help myself to see what i can do about it". So i looked up his facebook page that he stated that he no longer has and I found his picture, along with another picture of a different guy on his facebook profile. I'm toying with telling him but i'm not sure. What do you ladies think??
Madaboutyou!
July 30, 2019

In reply to by Been there

We are intelligent women. First, I like to let them think I'm star struck. Then they start him hawing about financial. I let them think yes I can do that. I play they game right back. Then I finally let them have it. I asked him if he really thinks I'm dumb? Then I tell him I played him. Works like a charm. Then I block them.
Blondie
August 02, 2019

In reply to by Madaboutyou!

Hi I am in UK just about to do same thing! My scammer pledging undying love met on dating site Plenty of Fish. Says he is called Diego brought up in Bahamas but Italian. Has 2 daughters Sonia and Emma, his wife had affair with his best friend. Is a diamond dealer, flying to Poland today to do deal, will take a week for diamonds to be cleared then needs to go through bank account! Waiting for him to ask me im going to give him incorrect bank details then ask him how it feels to be duped...then name and shame him on every site I can think of...these men think us women are stupid, however he has met his match with this blonde!!!!
Wondering Too
December 13, 2019

In reply to by Been there

Told me his name was Lawrence Louis not true ...same story
Rhody
June 07, 2020

In reply to by tdiamonds74

Almost the same MO,. Will change their identity/pics so no one will recognize them. Ur story sounded similar in many ways to mine. They always need money, for a dire need
Scamattracter
July 10, 2019

In reply to by kidney gurl

I have a Russell Williams who claims he works on an oil rig. He also says he has no access to a phone because his company don't allow them. I asked for proof of his ID and he sent a photo of his ID badge. His picture doesn't match the one he uses in words with friends 2 - which is where 11 men have spent their time proclaiming undying love for me haha. They're all widowed and have kids. Sometimes they say the child died too. It's disgusting what lengths they'll go to.
Willow
July 23, 2019

In reply to by Scamattracter

Nice touch for him to use the name Russell Williams. Russell Williams was a former Colonel with the Canadian Forces. Was convicted of killing two women. B&E into many homes and stealing women's undergarments and 80 odd more charges.
qzsusie
September 11, 2019

In reply to by Scamattracter

I’m going thru the same thing. I was contacted thru words with friends 2 out of the blue. His name is Williams Theodor. 56 year old, widowed, two grand children who were abandoned by their mother. They live in boarding school in Oslo. Deceased son also. Good conversationalist and makes you feel like you’re the most wonderful woman in the world. Calls me his queen, honey, babe, wife. I’ve fallen totally. Wasn’t looking, i’m Married but he drew me in totally. His WWF profile shows he is Norwegian. White hair and profile photo showed him in bed with a small dog looking like a French bulldog. His WWF profile has disappeared. Supposedly works on rig in Irish Sea at present but going home to Oslo in January. I wired 5,000.00 to a bank in Istanbul for expenses for his grand kids school excursion. Now he wants money for them to get back to Norway and more school expense money and food for them. I feel like such a fool!!!!
Jane
January 02, 2020

In reply to by qzsusie

Hi Yes I have come access him Via WWF Different name though After a few months online , telephone AND video calls came the sting I was his Queen too !! This low life sent pics of his ‘child ‘ dying in a hospital bed Then hurled disgusting abuse at me for refusing to send money for hospital bills Unbelievable the lengths they will go to Contact me if you want to chat x
Jennie
March 28, 2020

In reply to by Jane

I think I’m talking to the same guy started chatting with me on words with friends. Works on an oil rig, is widowed with a daughter and a nephew (his brother died last year) he says he’s very religious! from Germany but lives in Miami! I have a picture it won’t let me post it!
Hcred
July 13, 2019

In reply to by kidney gurl

Is there a way you could send me the oil rig guys pic? I met a guy on a plane, total love at first sight kind of deal, and he works offshore. Some things have popped up that make me question his motivation and I'm wondering if it's not the same guy.
mescrystal
August 10, 2019

In reply to by kidney gurl

is his name Scott Owen? his wife died & has two children name Roxie & Tyler. Says he's from Charlotte. Ready to retire after 31 years in the military. He's a LtGeneral. in the army.
wb
July 10, 2019

In reply to by Entertained

Hey, I also have a US Army Sgt by the name of Matthew Acosta in Afghanistan telling me he has a gold reward for saving someone’s life. He wants me to pay the storage fees and shipping to get it to can get it to Canada. He professed his love for me, and wants to spend the rest of his life with me. The cost is ONLY US$8,550. He lost his iPhone and tells me he’s using an office computer. I checked his picture he sent me on photo recognition system and came up to another guy who’s been posting on Instagram since 2017. He told me someone stole his ID. Still in love with him. Having Dubai police confirm the existence of the storage company in Dubai. Can he be telling the truth? We’re hopeless romantics.
Doubts2
August 13, 2019

In reply to by wb

Mine also states he is Us Army Capt however FB says General which he says someone hacked. His insta started in 2017. Has a 6 yo daughter madly in love w me ... i just cant stop mu doubts anyone have stories like this. ?
Lynn
September 02, 2019

In reply to by Doubts2

Yes, this has happened to me recently. Guy in service stationed in Oklahoma right now at camp. Says his name is Steven Alex Tillman. Says he has a little 6 year old girl named Rose who he wants to find a loving mother for. Says he loves me and sends very romantic texts to me. The pictures he sends are never current ones like as in while we are chatting. Also he says he can’t make voice calls unless I follow procedure. I called the base he claimed and they said they never heard of the supposed link he sent to secure my line. I was afraid to do it and told him I was not going to unless he gave me a name of the his supervisor and a number of contact at his camp for such inquiries. Also he could never voice call me. And I looked into his number and it was a voice text number. Very sketchy. His words of love grabbed me in but the story was only considered for a second because I thought maybe there was these rules in the military. And when I investigated on the info he provided I started to open my eyes. He never got to the point of asking me for anything but, he promised me a lot of things. But he couldn’t deliver me basic requests that would prove himself to me. Ladies be careful with yourself and remember to do your homework. Things should add up. Find ways to test someone. I was so heartbroken I stayed in bed all day. Foolish for thinking I may have found true love. He came on strong and I thought wow, god works in mysterious ways. And then the poor little girl with no mom. (Said her mom took his money and ran off with another man.) Just wanted to marry me and find me to love his daughter too. But he can’t send me a current photo? Or call me? And the supposed link he wanted me to “secure my line with” was a communications something USA.com. I erased it already. He said I don’t trust him. And no trust no love. I told him the things I ask you to provide are very reasonable. Like a picture current, holding my name. Or your supervisors name. Or a phone number to your military camp to discuss of the “ securing the line” Just did my homework. Still wishing for true live but not with someone who is totally fictitious.
Basketball
September 06, 2019

In reply to by Dontbeafool

How do you find someone phone number when they call you and all you get is a name and no face.
Mom's been catfished
March 18, 2019

In reply to by MeToo2018_2019

My mom has been talking to this "special forces chaplain" who is in a war time zone in Syria. I've told her to stop talking to him, but he says they're going to get married. He just started asking for iTunes cards. He goes by John Henry. Anyone dealing with the same guy? I'm trying to look out for her. Thanks!
Mom is being s…
April 04, 2019

In reply to by Mom's been catfished

My mom has been scammed for a year now. LARGE sums of money. I have contacted lawyers, her banks, her doctors, the local police. All tell me they can do nothing until she gives me power of attorney, which she refuses. What can families do to stop this scamming on elderly parents? Please help.
A BAD Dream th…
April 07, 2019

In reply to by Mom is being s…

My mother is being scammed too. We have been slowly gathering details as her lies are monumental in protecting and covering this imposter. He has managed to get her to leave my dad, move away from her entire family, steal from my parents retirement and I can only assume wire at the very least over 15k. We are trying so hard to help her but she is brainwashed. She is literally trying to burn her bridges with each of us and I know it’s because of him! I have an address in Nigeria that her bank gave me when she tried to send money from there but no name, email or picture. She uses a translation app and WhatsApp to communicate. We think too she may have 2 phones. I BEG all of you to please reply if you think you can help. My mom will cause her and my dad to lose everything and my worst fear is it will literally break my dad’s heart (he has a heart condition) when we tell him. He just thinks he failed my mom so she left him. We know we have to tell him but it will indeed break him. My siblings and I are taking care of him every day. Any detail and ALL advice welcome!!!
brainwashed
February 01, 2020

In reply to by A BAD Dream th…

We are going thru the same thing with my mom. He claims to be in the army in Afghanstan. Has a 14 yr old son in boarding school in NC. His wife died in 2008. He is in The army claims to be 55. Mom sent a lot of money keeps lying to us this man has some kind of hold over our Mom. She will be bank rust if we don't convince her this is a scam. He met her on words with friends and then switched her to hangouts. I also have gone to banks lawyer financial institutions but we are not on any acts so they can not help us. He claims his name is David Darren. Has anyone else been contacted by him. He has sent numerous photos to my mom in Army uniform.any advice would be helpful
Words with friends
December 05, 2020

In reply to by brainwashed

I have just started chatting with US Major David Darren. First one I’ve chatted to who actually can spell & write fluent English. Nearly had me fooled, still chatting with him to try to catch him out. I did a reverse image on his pic, can’t remember the scammers first name but surname is Morris. He’s been doing it for years. I’m disgusted how he portrays himself as a military major in Afghanistan. How dare he, they are heroes, brave & worthy of rank. Him, something I would stand on in a cow paddock. Beware, they are all over Words.
paulaT76
July 14, 2019

In reply to by Mom is being s…

Hi! My mom is also being scammed and I don’t know what to do. Is this still going on with your mom.
BMH
May 20, 2019

In reply to by Mom's been catfished

Yes . My friend also chatted with Henry John. He told my friend to call her sister name Linda to prove he is real . He asked for ITunes card then need 1200 for retirement fee. We searched his pic, those have been use since 2009 on Facebook and dating apps .
Bionic
November 12, 2019

In reply to by BMH

They are getting smarter. I've been talking to Sergeant Major Steven Smith on "peace keeping mission" to Afghanistan. The best part is, I am the one who contacted him. I was looking for a friend and ran across the name. I asked if he had ever been in Florida and he said no so said, sorry didn't mean to bother you etc. Had short conversation, him in military and so on. To make a long story shorter, he contacted me every day. 2nd chat, he asked how old I was. When I told him 72, he said that was cool. I figured that was that, laughed and hung up. That killed that. He wanted to chat after that and I decided to play along. He and his team had been given a $500,000 bonus from someone high up in the Afghanistan government each,but as luck would have it, the banks weren't working and they had been given cash. I basically told him it sounded like a scam. He wanted to send this cash to me, for me to hold, until he came home in 2 more months. Of course, could I please pay the COD charges and he would pay me back as soon as he came in. It would only be $1,800. Anyway, I ended up telling him, more than once, I thought he was a con man and scam artist. He was lying through his teeth and I knew it. We continued chatting for a couple of months, with him still trying to get me to pay hi fees. His story was he was 50, Sergeant Major in Army, widowed 4 years, with a 14 yo son at boarding school in the UK. I finally listed all the stupid mistakes he'd made in his stories and how blatant most of them were, said Goodbye and stopped chatting. I haven't heard from him since Oct 14th. Even knowing what a liar, cheat, swindler and scam artist he was, I have to admit he was charming.
fromEurope
November 16, 2019

In reply to by Bionic

OMG i think we had same person... later i even keep him as a scammer friend... i pushed him admit he scam... it was hard for him but soon after that he do not spend time on me... possible some others really pays them money.... :( ... as i understand most of them comes from Nigeria... it is like scammers business country...
CaliGal
December 06, 2019

In reply to by fromEurope

Mine is an alleged engineer who has been "stuck" in Turkey since March. He's trying to get me to pay for his airfare home to California. He's missed two flights home and magically everything is my fault. Don't send them money or iTunes cards! They're highly manipulative and will stoop to anything to get what they perceive as their money.
Silver
February 27, 2020

In reply to by Bionic

Have you a photo of this Guy as I have a friend talking to guy with same name
Scorpio
May 29, 2020

In reply to by Bionic

The 500k bonus part sounds familiar. He wanted me to pay $2600 to get a safe full of money delivered to me. Once I receive it I can exchange some USD to AUD in other words I will get it back within 10 days. Really we have to think with our heads, who would send you 500k usd to look after for a couple of months until the return from Lybia... I gave him nothing. The delivery companies web page was created in Nigeria but apparentky he works for Doctors without Borders and is originally from UTAH in US and coming to me in Australia in couple months...please..!
Tracy Hart
June 16, 2019

In reply to by MeToo2018_2019

I’ve been talking to a retired soldier. He contacted me off Instagram. We’ve been talking from day to night. Made me fall for him. He says he has two children and he’s divorced. She ran off to Florida. After reading about ITunes cards I wonder if everything I was building with this man is a complete lie. He’s 44 and goes by Chad Manis. Has anyone else been contacted by him. He also knows I’m a designated mother and have no money, yet he asks me for 50$ iTunes cards every once in a while. Im so torn especially with all these stories. Can someone help me find out if this guy from Texas is a fraud. My heart can’t take another heartbreak after the year I’ve had. Thanks
Blondie13
July 09, 2020

In reply to by Tracy Hart

It all started for me, one February 8th 2018, I met a man Chad Manis on Instagram, very charming and loving, fell head over hills for him, he told me he was in the military, and had one daughter named joyce, that now is 10, and divorced from his wife Jennifer, to make a long story short, he said he was going to retire from the military and needed some money to get home on, then I found out he is in Lagos Nigeria, on a secret mission, by this time I was so deeply in love with this man, I sent him money to get to the United states, he claims he has all this money sitting in a bank he can't access, sent me a picture of his atm receipt, I thought it was all real, I had found my dream man, and again he needed money to come to where I was at, going to transfer his money, buy a home and live happy ever after, that's not going to happen, he always came up with a excuse why he didn't show up, when I sent him money to come, this went on 4 different times and now 2 1/2 years later, hes still telling me he loves me and calls me his wife, I've talked to him on the phone, and his voice does not match the picture he's using ,the real Chad manis lives in Texas and is married with 2 daughters, these pictures are stolen
anonymous
August 07, 2019

In reply to by MeToo2018_2019

hello ladies, i would like to warn you for a guy that I met on dating site called dr breny, says his name is Brenel Cort, 38yrs, surgeon. I've been chatting with him for 5 months. He never called me as he told me that he was not allowed to call due to his confidential work at Canadian military hospital. just 3 weeks ago he announced that he was transferred to Syria to work as surgeon...he wanted to visit me and even sent me a screenshot of the approval of his vacation, which I found very strange. I blocked him immediately. After 5 months of chatting with him, I feel very stupid, but I'm glad that i realized that it was a scam before he starts harrassing me..
Abigfoolbutwasnot
September 11, 2019

In reply to by MeToo2018_2019

It happen with me to. The nicest man and then I know people in the US Army. The guy talked to me ALSO on hangouts then he ask me to buy him a iphone xs and the watch. Then I got a wake up call. I Google got pics of the soldier. Very handsuman. But this kelvin bradley is using this soldiers photos even with he's daughter. I did inform my friend sister as they are deployed and that I actually almost lost 2100 dollars that's 5 salaries in South africa
Needinfo
September 28, 2019

In reply to by Abigfoolbutwasnot

I'm currently chatting to a Kelvin Bradley on Hangout is there a way to see if it's perhaps the same guy?
Helper
September 16, 2020

In reply to by MeToo2018_2019

Had someone who said he was a doctor without borders and worked out of Syria. He said he was Steven someone just wouldn't go there.
Return to top