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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.

Search Terms
bank account
fraud
military
money transfer
online dating
scam
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.
  • 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.

jessii0719
February 08, 2017

In reply to by Stormy

Hey do you happen to have pictures still??My cousin is talking to a man almost sounds the same details.
Louis
January 17, 2018

In reply to by Stormy

Gun...captain Samson right Had lot of them but I've never fall into there naught traps

Jackie
April 15, 2017

In reply to by FTC Staff

I been dating a man on facebook and we star talk on facebook and he ask me out and we star talk in hangout then he ask me of i could send him money i say yes i will so i send him money though Western union then he ask some more so i dd but this was brfore i knew he was on mititary scammers so i stop send him money 2month ago of jan 2017 and i was send him money from 2015 i take off my hangout and i delelate him off everything i have not text him over 1 month it hurt me alot but i get over him
chris topher
June 29, 2017

In reply to by Jackie

human beings have lost their sanity... God help us. i cut someone using my pictures today.. i was so disappointed that i had to delete all the pictures in my fb profile
Jean
July 09, 2017

In reply to by Jackie

I had a similar issue. I met a man on FB. Only thur FB not in person. We talked for maybe 20 minutes before he asked me for my bank account number because he wants to send me money because he says he wants to care for me. He lives in Texas I live in California. I tolld him he does not neec to send me money. He wanted me to be his girlfriend when we didn't even mnow each other. His FB profile showed he was in the US Army. But I iust felt I could not trust him. He kept telling me hos much he loved me and wanted me to love him the same way. I told him it was too soon. His grammer was also not all the good. He would say I"am going patrolling for 4 hours. I'll talk with you later. On the 4th day he told me he felt he was wasting his time with me. I told him sorry if you feel that way. After only 6 days I just blocked him on FB messenger and kik. He made me very uncomfortable.
Karen
August 04, 2017

In reply to by Jean

Hi Jean, this guy sound like my scammer, he was on FB too, and he mention he gone for a patrol too, we talk on hangout,I blocked him in the end, now i still get a few unknown request on FB, i just block and delete. good luck, Thao from UK.
Louis
January 16, 2018

In reply to by Karen

Huh...people are this suck and heartsless tho The bad morals has spoilt the good morals
Female from wi…
February 07, 2018

In reply to by Louis

Im in need to find out if this person is real his name is Sgt Richard Helseth. Has any one spoke to a gentleman with that name and if so how did u find out hes not real
Oldy
March 11, 2018

In reply to by Karen

What’s is name of that man ,because that’s sounds to me so familiar
Snafubaby
February 14, 2018

In reply to by FTC Staff

Yep. The old "please buy me an itunes card" game. A lady online tried to scam me. Lots of her contacts are black guys with foreign names, so I am thinking Nigerian scam going on... no way am I going to buy anyone an itunes card...
Undercover
June 17, 2016

In reply to by Adaughter

Wow your moms story sounds identical to mine, the only difference he told me he had no family his wife passed away in a car accident and had a son in boarding school in the UK . And he was an engineer in Dubai LOL.I picked up on what he was up too from the very beginning but I played along with him. He would tell me how much he loved me and hoods God brought us together blah blah blah. just two days ago he tomb me her had received an email from Stanley's teacher telling him he was very sick and needed medical attention and he couldn't leave the ship of course so he needed to borrow money and not to worry he would pay me back as soon as he got off that ship I think he said he had 5 wks left. Ha I asked for the name of the school -no response then he told me he would send me his phone # that never happened,we were chatting on messenger so if he was in Dubai his time would be different then mine of course he didn't know maybe it's in the settings same BS I asked huge much it is that he needed the amount was $1625.00 I simply said I'm sorry I don't work I can't help you out wish I could by the way the name was Ken Ovoke sharp looking man if indeed it was him.I would try to call him on messenger but he couldn't answer the phone was not allowed to ha ha ha we spoke a few more times once again asked if I can help I said no and that was the end of Mr.Ovoke
Andreab
June 23, 2016

In reply to by Undercover

Omg Is the same guy I'm talking to him he said the same except he is a Dr and work for the UN omg and his son in bording school is Kely and his birthday is soon and he is upset because daddy is not with him he ask me for pictures of me and my son I send him fake one
pogi wowo
June 23, 2016

In reply to by Andreab

I think we have the same guy! Heis a doctor that works in the huminatarian service in United nation base in Syria He scammed me thousands of dollars. What is his name? did you use viber with him He is a liar and to not talk to him. I am a nurse and he even does not know terms in medical vocabulary . He told me about his son"s birthday and I have to sent his son 2 i phones in Uk and i have to pay even Uk taxes to pay for his sons i phone . I reported him to FBI today.I hope they catch him.His mame is Wilhelm gerhard Krumwiede do not talk to this guy!
CAPTCHA
July 24, 2016

In reply to by pogi wowo

I think we have the same guy.He claimed he is a doctor working for the UN. He was in Syria the first 2 months we corresponded and now he is in Belgium.He Asked me to opened a chase account for him using my name.He told me his son who is in UK boarding school lost his phone and inhaler and need to get a new one.
lovetotan
September 15, 2016

In reply to by CAPTCHA

do you have a picture of him Im talking to a man in Syria with a son in boarding school and he is a doctor
pogi wowo
September 24, 2016

In reply to by lovetotan

Yes I have a picture of him. To you have one? Let us exchange pictures
Hunter
September 26, 2017

In reply to by pogi wowo

Was approached by Harry Mathew on Twitter. His profile said he was from NY. We said hello a few times. Said he was a single father and worked in oil industry as an expat, a good paying job. Got curious about his work. Googled his name and "oil" and this website popped out. Asked me if I'd like to work the oil company that contracted him. By now, could tell his broken English. Said his kid lived in Texas and that he was widowed. Also started with the "you pretty". At that point I knew he was a scammer and told him. Persistently denied until he knew I knew. Googled his image and it was from a British public figure's pics (on Twitter). Notified the guy. The guy must have quickly reported it because within hours the profile showed as suspended.
Lilly
November 04, 2017

In reply to by pogi wowo

Can we please exchange pictures and see if we have the same person?
SickofScammers
November 28, 2017

In reply to by Lilly

I believe we are talking about the same person, I have pictures I am willing to exchange.
Foolish woman
December 08, 2017

In reply to by SickofScammers

This van started using the name James Banks didn’t want to serve banks, and then finally it was Thomas Banks Clark I have pictures of freshly three different people because his uncle so-called was also involved and of his is David Jones and his wife died in a car accident and her speeding today and he asked me to help them because they were going Him an American citizenship from BrazilFor the cost of $400 and then he could leave and come to me and he wants to be married before Christmas supposedly he has two good bank accounts and they both been blocked. I have photos of them all
Kat
January 26, 2018

In reply to by Foolish woman

Do you happen to have a picture of this man?..I have a friend who I know is being scammed but can't get her to understand..thought if picture happens to be same man she might finally see him for what he is
greenk
February 12, 2018

In reply to by Kat

My mother’s scammer is named John Truman, 62 yo in the Army. Has just been pulled out of retirement to a top secret mission to Cairo. He hasn’t started to ask for money yet. She is already head over heels for this guy. How do intelligent, grown women fall for these things?!
Nene_
February 16, 2018

In reply to by Foolish woman

Can you give more details please? my brother's name is David Jones. These scammers just don't quit. I am furious
celebrity iden…
December 17, 2017

In reply to by SickofScammers

Someone with a celebrity pic approached me on FB messenger, 1st asked me for donation for sick child, wanted me to buy him Itune cards, he paid off my debt, but wanted me to get him credit card in return, then threatened me to send phones of Malaysia, professed love for me, really had me on emotional roller coster for alost 6 weeks, when he couldn't manipulate me to buy him Itune cards, he simply ignored me and called me gold digger, and wanted hos money back. BEWARE!!
Ugliestscam
October 01, 2018

In reply to by SickofScammers

I believe that I am dealing with the same guy. He has only asked for me to buy his daughter a dress for her birthday. To show her that I would definitely be a perfect mother. He wanted me to be her mother. Which she is in boarding school in California. I have pictures. Anyone care to help me out.
Foolish woman
February 16, 2018

In reply to by Lilly

Like to use Hangouts. I believe he is using certain banks at Gmail.com he was using James Thompson 1770 @ gmail.com I have all the photos birthdate I have science so much information on these people at symbol in both his suppose it real name is Thomas Banks Clark well I pulled that name up and found a gravestone from Well the child that died in 1940 and he told me that he thinks it was his uncle and he doesn’t understand how come but it was also in New Mexico but his wife died in Texas from speeding
Catfished
January 24, 2018

In reply to by pogi wowo

I believe this man is trying to scam me. Can we exchange pics of him?
Lanise77
November 25, 2016

In reply to by lovetotan

Wow this all sounds too familiar. Talked to a guy from Facebook stating that he a general in the armed forces. Said he is in Syria. Has a daughter in boarding school in New york. Sent me pictures and everything. Told me a story about his late wife getting killed in an accident four years ago. His supposedly daughter emailed says she needs $500 to go on a trip to Africa. Her dad can't get to funds because he is in Syria. Wow Says he was an orphan in the UK because his parents died, said he was raised by a priest.
Pqp.
February 16, 2018

In reply to by Lanise77

I think I know this guy too says he is an orthopedic surgeon working for military doctor so how do you get to find out who they really are pqp
Olivetupas
November 12, 2019

In reply to by Pqp.

How can i see the pictures of jeff anderson work in militarr us orthopedic doctor now im talking the same details.
Tim
March 03, 2018

In reply to by Lanise77

My mom met the same guy now going by Anderson haggard in the military. With daughter Sarah haggard. Looking for money for iTunes card. That didn't work now using daughter per say to get money
Anoid
June 08, 2020

In reply to by Tim

Contacted by a Andrew Haggard on Facebook, in Army working for UN in Damascus doing communications, widowed 6 years as wife died with "blood cancer"...has 15 yr old daughter Sarah in boarding school in Miami, then NY, originally claimed to be from Anderson SC...ready to retire from Army...claimed to be officer, then SFC...waiting on 3 week vacation to be approved, wants to do Stock Exchange, then property management where I live...claims to have been born in 1960...also then received multiple friend requests from Drew Haggard, Andy Hoggard, Haggard, Andrews Haggard, Anderson Haggart, one with 3 friends listed from the Congo, all with photos of same guy and his supposed daughter living with nanny in NY, has wedding ring on and Haggard on uniform shots...I have blocked all Andrew Haggard profiles on Facebook including the fake, empty ones as well as any profiles having his photo or the daughter photo...still get hit on Messenger from "blocked" persons but with new profile...Only talked a few weeks with him....BEWARE...he was working up to asking for money: "we can't use cash here in Syria because of bribes, don't think that the Army will provide transport back to the States, if I can get a group together to get plane tickets to where you live, but we will have to pay, I will have to pay for my daughter to fly to your place, I don't have any friends, I don't have any family"...all while I am saying that I don't know him and he doesn't know me!! BEWARE
amanda
March 31, 2018

In reply to by Lanise77

I had same guy saying widowed in car accident and had daughter in boarding school in NY. She is Sandy 15.got this thru messenger Facebook. I said I’m married.
bobby.s
April 16, 2018

In reply to by Lanise77

Omg....same guy who clamed to be jacob Adams a father of14 yrar old daughter. Wife died in cancer. Daughter in bording school and need ituen cards for some bs subscription and $7000 for his bs project. I have his pics but his englisg acent don't match his personality. Once he called and dogs wore barking in the back ground.

Pink
August 17, 2021

In reply to by bobby.s

Ok this same this guy told me his daughter in birding school and wife die of cancer Now his work is in Alaskan a oil rig as for Apple Card of 100.00 and ask for 500 .00 told him no .I have pictures This guy go by Adam Kovacs
jazzyb
June 27, 2018

In reply to by Lanise77

Think I have the same man in my messages can we exchange pics
Era
November 19, 2017

In reply to by lovetotan

Hi , seems that we have met the same guy. Did he send you his photos with his son? And do you have the photos of him?
Sean
December 21, 2017

In reply to by lovetotan

Talking to guy in Syria. Says a Dr with un. Son in boarding school. Needs money for tickets home. Fake name is Christian or Mark or Ray boi
Gooden K
January 19, 2018

In reply to by Sean

This guy named Jordan walker Robinson messaged me on messenger at first he didn't start off talking about money now he's telling me that he needs 500 dollars to take leave he said his commander want let him leave without paying he was trying to get me to get a loan I told him that I don't have a job and they were getting ready to turn my gas off but he never said anything about that, he told me that his money is in the United States.
Margheritaelisha67
March 05, 2018

In reply to by Sean

Hi I think we might have the same guy. Bc I have a picture with a guy and his son. He said his wife died 3 years ago. He has a 6 year old son. He's a contractor engineer.

Margheritaelisha67
March 05, 2018

In reply to by Margheritaelisha67

Really? WOW Good to know that? Did he tell you what his name was and his son?

Margheritaelisha67
March 05, 2018

In reply to by Margheritaelisha67

What is your name? If you don't mind me asking?
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