**** Romance Scams Reporting Forms
DATING SCAM!! Match.com eharmony tinder bumble Targeting middle aged women ... Thanx to John Doe
This posting will be for the "Love Is In The Air" and "Last Call To Rob Ya'll" series of this journal/ blog. What inspires the posting is a news clip I caught on local tele last week about a guy in Houston that got scammed out of nearly $80K using an online dating service. After following up on his story ... I actually didnt believe him, I'll admit ... I mean, I just said to myself ... "no bloody damn way, there's more to this". When looking into this online though, I was actually surprised on how much this goes on and been going on for several years. I was equally surprised to find out most scammed are women in these type scores. This posting is not to discredit online dating services either, I realize the importance of them, and am sure that thousands of great matches are made with them ... so the posting is only awareness. I knew very little about online dating services, besides seeing them alwayz advertised on the tele commercials or online. I never used online dating services ... or can even recall off hand anyone I know telling me that they used them, so I was totally blown away hearing these cases, wondering "how in Hell can these folks buy this?". I did not have any postings in this journal focused on this, so I wanted to do a posting on it. I opened with a video above from Ken Childs (CALI), a licensed private investigator who worx the LA area, he gives some tips on how this worx, hear the guy out. A couple news videos below from Greg (Houston victim) and Rachelle ... and a couple links in between them that I chose out of several, and hopefully they are of use to the reader. Afterwards below that, I will add some input of my own.
Scam victims left broke and brokenhearted ... Thanx to KHOU 11
***** Romance Scams - FBI ... (newread/ video)
***** FORBES | Diana Hembree: Online Romance Scams Are Fleecing More Americans ... (newsread)
Online Dating Scam report- Match.com ... Thanx to Jeff Joslin
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***** PD/ RCJ: "LOVE IS IN THE AIR" PART'S 6 THRU 1
***** PD/ RCJ: "LAST CALL TO ROB YA'LL" PART'S 5 THRU 1
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Thomas Hudson Pickering/ Ranch Chimp
Dont feel invincible if you are working class or a lower income/ assets level than some ... you may see many of these that get burned for 10's or 100's of thousands and think if you dont have that much, you have nothing to worry about, etc ... but you should alwayz be alert and sharp. Here's the bottom line ... if you're online searching through folks, trusting them simply on a profile and photo, a few online chats or emails ... you're vulnerable. The importante pointer mentioned above, is to get to meet the person ... and the sooner, the better. The reason I say sooner better, is because you may be online like Greg in the above video, saying that you are working and busy and dont have time to go out to social clubs or whatever ... meaning you're pressed for time too. You may also have time to be online and figure you can like go through alot more applicants/ prospects in your time. Either way, if you have ANY time to be on a PC or phone searching for possible dates ... this means you also have that time to meet someone besides online. Of course, the online way is more choices and straight connects/ contacts, easier, etc ... folks you figure are like you, and eager to meet someone. Another thing, dont get TOO eager, whether you are shopping for a date, or shopping for a car or anything else ... bottom line lesson ... too eager can burn you too, take it easy before you jump head over heels. For many of these folks that do this for convenience, saving time, or more choices ... look at some of these, and the amount of time they're spending in these online chats. Limit the time you are going to devote to a person, I dont care how much they attract you ... remember, you're banking on a photo and some chat that is in the open through a computer network, regardless of how personal and intimate you think it is or may feel at the time. Be careful of what you accept from a person too ... as you can see above, you can be sent gifts, and they may get it back 10 fold later on the bite/ scam ... like in any hustle.
Be straight up when you do this too as far as yourself ... I notice that many folks are trying to make themselves out to be more than what they are to impress. If a person cant accept you for what you are as your real self ... and you have to pretend to attract them ... you should walk right there ... it's a "no go". Some may think "well they're so good looking, and sound so nice" and thinking this is the "catch" of their life. If you lose a catch, especially in cyberspace of someone that you never even met face to face and you feel pressured ... WALK ... look at it like catching a bus ... you missed one, you'll catch another later. There is no reason to continue for months or years online hearing tearjerker stories and being asked for money one time after another, and any time someone offers to send you money orders, cashier checks or whatever to put in your account for them ... you WALK. I can understand a one time deal and showing your generosity and love ... but this over and over thing of asking for money transfers of any kind should put up a red flag. Even if they try to present you with some kind of photos or documentation online ... if it isnt in your hand, you have to question ... so discipline of yourself is a strong asset. If things dont work online ... dont keep wasting your time, look for other wayz to put yourself in a position to where you may meet someone. You know ... when I was younger and dating, we didnt have online dating, they did have contacts through publications/ magazines, etc ... that was it. I cant even recall actually "looking" for a date ... it alwayz came unexpectedly, at a music club/ venue, public transit, park, library, store, bumping into someone on the street in small chat, etc. I actually met my wife on a bus in small chat while up north visiting familia, she was living in New Jersey, I gave her my number and told her I live in Dallas and would like to talk to her further if and when she had time ... simple. Millions of folks met others that simple way, and many not expecting to meet someone ... there is alwayz someone out there for you ... it just may not be as quick as a click.
Word Out ....
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***** RANCH CHIMP JOURNAL "WELCOME" POST
***** RCJ MUSIC/ ART'S HONOUR ROLL SOCIETY (my hand- selected music/ arts picks)
***** "THE RESISTANCE | PERILS OF THE POWER POSSE" ... ( a 2 part futuristic Ranch Chimp Journal dream to dream on )
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This was tried on me a couple of times, many years ago. They never got any money out of me, though. I knew about the rule -- never give money to someone you aren't even in an established relationship with yet, and if they even ask, it's almost certainly a scam.
ReplyDeleteIt exploits one of the oldest human weaknesses, though -- people will themselves to believe that which they want to be true.
Yeah, I see your point as far as what folks want to "believe" is "true", guess no different with dating ... some folks will believe just about anything, at least as you say "they want to". I may have known folks that used it, just never anyone told me about it that I recall. So you simply followed the precautionary rules too, which saved you a few bucks. Thanx for your input on this Infidel
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