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Looking to start a new relationship? For some, that may mean meeting a new love interest online. Word to the wise: sometimes it’s best to lead with your head and not your heart.

Millions of Americans use dating sites, social networking sites, and chat rooms to meet people. And many forge successful relationships. But scammers also use these sites to meet potential victims. They create fake profiles to build online relationships, and eventually convince people to send money in the name of love.

The Federal Trade Commission receives thousands of reports each year about romance scammers who create fake online relationships only to steal their victims’ money.

Unfortunately, an online love interest who asks for money is almost certainly a scam artist.

The FTC’s new infographic, developed with the American Bankers Association Foundation, lists common signs of online dating scams and what to do if someone you meet online asks you for money.

Below are some tips to identify a real romance versus a scammer cruising for a target.

Online Dating Scams. Has an online love interest asked you for money? That's a scam. Scammers know millions of people use online dating sites. They are there, too, hiding behind fake profiles. Signs of a scam: Professes love quickly. Claims to be from the U.S., but is overseas for business or military service. Asks for money, and lures you off the dating site. Claims to need money — for emergencies, hospital bills, or travel. Plans to visit, but can’t because of an emergency. $220 million lost in 2016. $56 million lost in 2012. Reports to the FBI tripled over 5 years (4,476 reports in 2012; 14,546 reports in 2016) What to do: Slow down — and talk to someone you trust. Don’t let a scammer rush you. Never wire money, put money on a gift or cash reload card, or send cash to an online love interest. You won’t get it back. Contact your bank right away if you think you’ve sent money to a scammer. Report your experience to: • The online dating site • Federal Trade Commission: ftc.gov/complaint • Federal Bureau of Investigation: ic3.gov. Learn more at ftc.gov/imposters and aba.com/engagement

Please share this information with others. Victims may be embarrassed to talk about their experiences, but you can help. A simple phone call, email or text, saying “Look what I just found” and sharing this information may make a difference in someone else’s life.

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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.

Maria
August 06, 2020
Currently I’m talking to a guy that found me on Instagram, he says he is German ( that doesn’t speak German) that lives in Atlanta but right now he is in a contract in Dubai (he is a “pilot”, giving training). He can’t do video calls because of security reasons, and right now he just ask me for a phone card of $50 (is being 2 weeks of texting on WhatsApp). And he says that in Atlanta he lives in a air base. His goes by David Mark Nelson (Phillip Herrera, Owen Herrera) I have search him a lot and the pics he sends me are from an actual Pilot but I happen to have friends in common with the actual pilot.
Nurse Ethel
August 07, 2020
So I have been a target of two attempted romance scams even though I am married. They both claim to be working on oil rigs, one in Brazil and the other in Dublin, Ireland. The one in Brazil goes by the name of Julius Donald. His profile states that he is originally from the Netherlands, lives in Merritt Island, Florida, divorced with two daughters who live in the UK. The picture looks like he is in his 60's. His profile has been taken down. The one in Dublin still has a profile up and goes by the name Mark Raynes Roberts. He claims to be widowed with a 7 year old daughter and 59 years old. He has no siblings and of course both of his parents have died. His English was awful! He said that he was a "marine engine" on the oil rig! He also tried to tell me that he grew up in LA! Yeah right! He also got really mad at me and even tried to video call me several times after I called him out! I know these scammers are a moving target but it was funny to see his awkward English response! I quote, "You have to be-carefully on how you call people name that doesn't belong to they." Oh dude you're not even trying!
Michele
August 23, 2020

In reply to by Nurse Ethel

Sounds like my guy too. Benjamin Walker. Using Instagram pictures of a real person. Took me a lot of work to finally figure out where all these pics were coming from. And almost had me fooled by a few selfies he "snuck" me from an oil rig first in Ocean City, MD and now in the Netherlands. An 11 yr old son back in the states in a boarding school & a nanny. BEWARE...he is posing on numerous sites. Check out Facebook FAKES & SCAMMERS
Confused lady
September 20, 2020

In reply to by Michele

Omg I need to check this FB account. Do I just search that term and hopefully see his photo on there
Marie nowak
August 07, 2020
Has any one talked with Antony Walter. He claims he is a petreolum oil engineer living on a rig in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Wife deceased parents deceased brother deceased. Daughter in a bourding school in Georgia. He can only talk through hangout. Can’t send pics against rules and regulations. Can’t video chat. Confessed is love very quickly. Making arrangements to move to the us with me. Wants to start a family business. He has this money and wanted a diplomat to meet me to deliver it. Then Niw is asking me to get him a $200 gift card and to send the code. He’s getting agitated Bc I won’t. It’s called a google play card. Please help!!!!
pheona
August 18, 2020

In reply to by Marie nowak

Anyone ever hear of Mark Haugden? Off shore on a oil rig near Canada, 12 year old daughter, widowed wife killed in a car wreck.
Confused lady
September 20, 2020

In reply to by pheona

The one I'm talking to is Federico Alonso, wife killed in car crash and has a 6 yr old daughter. I fell for him hook like and sinker, I feel so stupid and heart broken
TakenForARide
August 08, 2020
Don't fall for anyone claiming to be Shemar Moore. It is a scam to get money from you. He claims to need you to help him get his money from a security company before they shutdown. It is all lied & the person or people doing the scam are very good & tricky. Do NOT give money to anyone you meet online no matter what.
Rendoor
August 15, 2020

In reply to by TakenForARide

I am talking to a guy who is now asking me to pay for a parcel of his money from a security company that is shutting down very soon.
Mimi3241
August 09, 2020
Met man born in Zurich but lives in Dallas now. Lost wife in car accident 8 years ago. Teenage daughter lives with her aunt. He goes by name William Nixon. He says he owns large construction company and just traveled to Dubai to build a covid hospital there. He mysteriously had run out of money to pay his workers and needs money to finish the project and he’ll get paid 30 million dollars and will pay me back. He says he loves me wants to marry me, calls me his wife asks if I’ll marry him. He’s sent me tons of pictures but says he doesn’t know how to video chat.
Hinger
August 10, 2020
Met a guy on Hinge dating site. We started texting. He says he works in Turkey. Randomly asked me for gift card. Staring at 500. Huge fight. He got irate almost, sent me a video. It is def him, he’s real and American. But still wondering if it’s a scam, no matter how small... I ended up sending 100 gift card. He asked to maybe reload again next day cause it wasn’t working... I said no. He left it at that and said he understood. But my antenas are up and I just can’t not be skeptical. I used a cc and won’t send any more. I almost did it, so I could find out one way or another... He supposedly can’t call or send pics and got in trouble for even sending me the “verification” video of himself. If anyone as experienced please leave comment so we can compare notes! He’s in his 30s, very good looking and built!!
Desiree
August 11, 2020
3 years ago a man on Facebook sent me a message on messenger. He said his name was Scot. I always thought that was weird because its normally spelled with 2 l's. We talked for a total of 4 months. He claimed to be in the army stationed in IRAQ. He didn't ask for money for a while. Eventually he asked for a $200. He said that he could not get to his money where he was stationed. Like a dummy I sent it to him. It happend a few more times. The last time he said that he was flying into see me but he didn't have a debit card anymore so when he landed he would need clothes and a taxi. Deep down I knew but I thought I loved him. He was very attractive. He sent me pictures and videos of himself. Finally one of my guy friends that was in the Army confronted him. He threatened me with some pictures that I I had sent him. My friend threatened him and told him that he was gonna call the cops if he bothered me again. He never tried to reach out again. I saw him later on kik trying to do the same thing to another girl. Commenting on her pictures and having conversationsin the comments. I told her what he did to me and she blocked me. A few days ago I downloaded a game kind of like scrabble but you play with other people. I've had so many guys feed me all these same lies. This time I know how to read them. I called them out.
SCWoman
August 12, 2020
My scammer's name is Kevin Russell MacKenzie from NY, working on an oil rig in the North Sea...sweet talker!! Gorgeous man, wants marry me, buy me my dream car and live so happy. He had equipment issues on his rig and since all of his money is tied up in this contract he has no money to have the mechanics to fly in to fix them. Ask me for $11,000 so he can get them fixed so he can come home to me. I told him NO and he stills says he loves me. His wife died 3 years ago, he has a daughter who is engaged and son. He has a Mother, Father died 2 years ago and he inherited the house. And, today he cut his hand very bad on the rig.... I am not a fool, did not and will not send money to him. Im trying to figure out how to do the reverse image. Beware!!
Mousey
August 12, 2020
Anyone know about David Chuck works on oil rig. Son named Gabriel wife Karin died. Met on Instagram asked for WiFi cards. Sent 2 now is having issues getting back to Florida. Wants thousands.
Trust issues 1220
August 14, 2020
My online love interest has been trying to get me to set up a cash app so that he can send me money but I refuse to. He says that once he sends me the money he wants me to send it to him by Bitcoin. What should I do. I live in a small town and the police here have no interest in a situation like this.
Reba Elle
August 20, 2020

In reply to by Trust issues 1220

Yes I have had the same thing happen to me and I actually did it like an idiot. Cut this Guy off NOW before you get too deep like I did. I am not being investigated by my Bank and the Federal Government I was told by the bank fraud department. RUN!!!
Rendoor
August 15, 2020
All these stories are so similar. Mine is too, was approached on Words with Friends, and chatted, then asked to talk on Hangouts, he lives in Canada but is working on the oil rigs with a big contract, I was careful about information that I gave out but didn’t get much back, the usual nice guy, says all the nice things etc, took three months then he loves me and will move to Australia to be with me when the contract ends and he retires and has money to buy a house and start a business, alarm bells were ringing then the big one - BUT now he has a parcel that he can’t pick up and could I be his agent and accept the parcel for him BUT I will have to pay 5,000 usd to have it delivered, ha, scam, he says no scam, believe me I am real, just help me out and I will pay you back, then gets very upset and distressed and tries to make me feel bad for not helping him, he says please I need your help, he invested all his money on this big contract. I know what you all will say DO NOT SEND ANY MONEY, which I haven’t and will not, but boy he does try to make me feel bad. He is Hungarian but lives in Canada, a very strong accent, and works on the rigs in Trinidad and is 62, had a birthday on 8th August and was surprised when I said Happy Birthday, so I guess it was all a lie, and his name is Payne Packar.
Francelia
August 15, 2020
Has anyone heard of Beno Miah or Frank Miller?? US military Surgeon in Syria who can't get his fund s to his daughter who is in boarding school in Texas. He lost his wife 6 years ago. Says he loves me and wants to spend the rest of his life with me. Only been talking for a month. How can I find out if he's for real??????
Lexa
August 18, 2020
How about the name mason davies.. Hahaha sending sweet messages.. Hes msf surgeon base in yemen.. He said hes from nj.. Always sending message.. I asked him why dont we use skype. He said ok. I asked him to take selfies he said hes phone gt broken. Bad signal blah. Blah. Then he tried to call through skype but the video froze and he said because of signal.. Sending pictures of his son and mom. But i doubted he said its old pictures. Her wife died 2 yrs ago because of giving birth and her mom suffered from cancer then lately he asked if im trusted i said yes. Then he told me he owed money asking my permission if its ok to send his account so that i can use it to transfer money.. I just said no. I told him dont trust anyone even me when money involves. How come you trust stranger to use his account because of poor connection??? He wears gray suits, scrub suits.. And holding a baby with stripe shirt.
Susiewontdo
August 19, 2020
What if you have FaceTime the scammer many times before falling for the scam?
Tinkerbell
August 20, 2020
I’ve been asked for a steam card as it’s needed for better internet service in Brazil as they have terrible service so we can chat live???
Reba Elle
August 20, 2020
Has Anyone been contacted by a Joshua V Valentin or Joshua Valdez Valentin? I am thinking he is scamming me but I'm completely in love with this Man and it's killing me... He is here on a work Visa from France staying in Houston Tx for the past 3 years, Canada before that.
Stance
August 22, 2020
I would have to write a book with all the scams I’ve encountered all on various dating sites. Very elaborate, very detailed bios. You just can’t help but believe
Scotland lass
August 22, 2020
I chatted to someone who claimed to be a Swedish architect living in Glasgow, John Kamprad. All sounded feasible until he asked me to buy an Amazon voucher for him. Delete.......
Flush them OUT
August 22, 2020
45 pages of this it is out of control - again the photo and names are all fake, STEAM cards and gift cards they do not have to ID. So lets use Tech and just Video Chat when they profess LOVE. They are all cowards and have an allergic reaction to showing their real FACE. Just having them take a photo with holding a piece of paper stating they are NUTTY or Head over HEALs for insert your Name, all of a sudden their camera does not work. Or send you a 10 second video professing their LOVE for you. Its Quick and Easy and you can move on and find your real LOVE. They suck up your time and energy and break your heart and bank account. This is the Kung Fu to defend your self and take control of the situation. You demand a simple request in contrast to even asking for $50 vs $5,000. Thats why they hang on for 3 weeks to create that habit you do not want to let go of. If you have 2 or 3 on the line and get 1 a week it can corrupt a soul pretty fast. Obviously there a hundreds of people if not 1000s doing it so it is organized. It is not one guy that all you folks are running into. So comparing notes or photos means nothing. Uncover the Face of the criminal. That is their most guarded and will avoid at all cost and just like your money guard it and your heart even more. Make them reveal their face. You get friction say do the video or do not contact me again.
Virgo
August 23, 2020
On FB received a ‘Like’ on one of my comments. It was from Keanu Reeves Official page. You commented back and the conversation started on Messaging. It advanced to Google gm mail which I didn’t know much about. Also was requested to use WhatsAp which I have not done. I did give my email address and we conversed there. I have that email address that is still open. I have a telephone number that was just disconnected. I have a BofA name Acct number and address in Tx because I was requested to send a deposit for an orphanage. Also requested to purchase Apple Card, ITunes card in an amount between $50 and $500 , take photo and email to him. Of course by this time I realized it was a scam. I never Sent any money but they have my address obviously. I played along with them because this is a crime against the character of Keanu Reeves and it is a crime against my privacy and safety. I have all bank account numbers, email number, google account number and a phone number that was disconnected yesterday.
Michele
August 23, 2020
Can these people be found and prosecuted? When they are using other people's identities? And fake profiles, stealing real people's pictures etc. ????
Lakes50
September 04, 2020

In reply to by Michele

I've just been taken in by someone asking to transfer money to me...
Staystrongon't…
March 29, 2021

In reply to by Michele

It amazes me that this is such a huge international/ global criminal enterprise! I want to know with all the laws that are broken why there aren't more arrests? Wouldn't that at least be a deterent?
Mona Luma
August 25, 2020
My mom is being scammed by man named Leonid Andrei. He claims to be from Russia and a well off business man that is divorced with a daughter. He is working on an oil rig in Australia currently and just last night the oil rig had an explosion and his daughter was hurt. Has anyone spoken to a man like this?
Kk
August 27, 2020
Is anyone in contact with a man using this number (213) 587-6016
Escherfan
January 30, 2021

In reply to by Kk

Hi Kk, yes, I just met a man online using that number. He says he just moved to Newtown, PA, from California. What do you know about him?
Escherfan
January 30, 2021

In reply to by Kk

I am in touch with a new man in the Newtown, PA area who uses the 213-587-6016 phone number. I have my suspicions about him. What can Kk or anyone else tell me about a man who uses this phon number?
Niki
August 27, 2020
Facebook dating 2 men same time claim to work offshore oil rig they fill in love and constantly send poems and claims of being head over heals.One ashed for Amazon gift cards for his daughters project...no I didn't send but still evan though I delete him he's persistent find another way to communicate with me how can I know if they are real thank you
Don't use your…
August 27, 2020
How do you find out a scammers real name. Obviously Stephen Johnson is using stolen photos. Do scammers use the same photos with different names? I need help convincing my aunt to stop communicating with him online. any help.. I have showed her the pictures that say Photos stolen on them
Distressed
August 27, 2020
I've met 2 different men. 1 on POF & the other 1 on Twitter. Both claim to b in the Army. Both Sargents. 1 now claims to b in UN Peace Mission in Dumascus as a Weapons Engineer. His name is Roland Derek from San Diego, Ca & Evanston IL. The other 1 is Andy Kelvin Raymond from Miami Fla. Also in Syria .
Scruffy
August 27, 2020
I think my sister is being scammed from a man in Germany . She has been video chatting with him for one week. He claims to be a doctor working in Yemen for one month to help out with the virus. He asked to borrow 2,000 dollars . She just wired him the money. Im so worried about her. She wont listen to me !
kati
August 28, 2020
does,ghazi mojahid ring abell to anyone
Scam 101
August 28, 2020
I met this guy on BLK dating site, deployed in the military somewhere in the Middle East. He goes by the name Andre Nicholson. Andre confessed his love after 2 days of chatting online. It was my love this, my love that and would call me all times throughout the day. Would tell me everything he was doing while deployed. He started sending me videos & pictures of him then of his 10 year old daughter that lives in California with her granny and maid. The first thing Andre ask for was for a $50 game card which I sent, after that he needed $200 to send to his family and to buy underwear which I sent. Now he needs more because he states his mom is in the hospital fighting cancer and need money for her surgery which I thought was odd. He now has his 10 year old daughter in on it that calls me almost everyday and now calling me mommy and she never met me. She now calls me for money to help out with her granny surgery. Andre has blocked me on Viber a app we communicate on since I wouldn’t send the money but daughter still calls. Is this a scam?
Tman243
August 30, 2020
I just want people to know. Never send money to anyone you have never seen in person. I have not been scammed but ppl try since my business is listed on social media sites. No matter how convincing they sound they want to steal from you!!! You are the only one who can stop them.
Jenlk
August 31, 2020
Stanley Cromwell from SD. Scammed me out of $1350 ! Beware ladies! Started with a $100 Itune card . I feel so stupid for falling for that , he was so sweet , at least I thought!
Stanley/notStanley
September 25, 2020

In reply to by Jenlk

Dear Jenlk, He is contacting me. No money sent. Figured it out. He hasn't asked yet.
Nene
September 01, 2020
I was contact by a young lady she said she in the military and few days later ask me for money for a military calling card. For she couldn't get the money from her account and said she will pay me back. Make a long story short she asks me to send 6 thousand dollars for an emergency leave.
Worried about mom
September 01, 2020
My mom has been talking to a guy named Mark Steve Daniels who supposedly works on oil rig in the gulf. Right away he said he loved her, wants to marry her. He's supposedly a widow, granddaughter living with other relatives. I got in touch with him on Hangouts to talk to him and now he won't answer my questions. I keep telling her it's a scam but she's so infatuated because she's a lonely widow herself. sometimes I think she knows it's a scam but shes so desperate for someone to love her again she doesn't care. I'm trying to catch him in a lie...
Jaja
September 01, 2020
I met a guy on online dating service. His name is Ariff 49 yrs old, widowed for 3 yrs and has a daughter 15 years old in a boarding school. He was a very pleasant to look at, gray hair, clean face, smiley eyes, very metrosexual type of guy. Wife died of heart problem. His mother, single, aged 72 yrs old living in Chicago. And he is in Abu Dhabi working as a contractor. He said his father is a Singaporean and his mother is a Malaysian. No siblings. He claimed that his father cheated on his mother and made his mother ran away to USA along with his aunt. His father passed away 5 yrs ago. He was such a sweet talker, polite and we talked everyday via WA calls. I was so naive then that I didn't know UAE prohibited WA calls! He kept saying that he need to pay extra money for the equipments he needed since his regular suppliers closed for Eid and COVID-19. And bank also was closed. Until one day he WA me to call urgently. When i called, he said his bank unable to loan money to him or he cannot withdraw his money which i find it ridiculous! He asked me to lend him some money and he was willing to pay extra for that. I just told him i had to decline that request and he just got mad (from his WA reply) and refused to answer my calls. And suddenly his WA profile picture went missing and to my surprise, all of our conversations and pictures went missing too!Deleted! After that, i traced his hp number and it was registered in Dubai. I am lucky i didn't transfer any money to him. But my heart broken into pieces and i felt depressed.
LG
September 03, 2020
Has anyone out there come across a scammer posing as Jim Acosta of CNN? Serious responses only.
christinestuli…
May 12, 2021

In reply to by LG

Yes I have seriously. I made a comment on his Instagram account. "He" sent a DM back asking if I had bought his book. Asked me to "chat further" on WhatsApp. Conversation continued for a long time. I started to suspect of course that it was not for real. Was stunned to find your comment and would like more information on your experience.
christinestuli…
May 13, 2021

In reply to by LG

Yes, Please respond. I was having a two and a half month conversation with "Jim Acosta." He professed his love about a month in ! ........................Asked me to chat with him on WhatsApp, after a DM he sent me when I commented on one of his posts.
CMSinthewoods
May 14, 2021

In reply to by LG

YES! For two months "Jim Acosta" wrote to me after I made a comment on his Instagram, he sent a DM saying I was interesting and then asked me to chat further on WhatsApp. Got romantic toward the end and I called him out. He immediately sent a passport photo and two selfies which looked very authentic. I have deleted WhatsApp. I'm tortured to think it might have really been him but then I can't believe I fell for that !! No money changed hands as he had not engaged me long enough for real trust !
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