Author	Thread: Warning
Admin	Warning Posted : 18 Jan, 2014 12:04 PM One 66-year-old divorc�e turned to online dating to find love, but instead lost $300,000 to a scam artist from Nigeria pretending to be the perfect man. The woman, who wished to remain anoynmous, recently told a local ABC affiliate in San Jose, Calif. that she met the crook on the dating website Christian Mingle. The man claimed to be an oil rig worker from the UK and showed his interest in the woman by sending her flowers and text messages. Then he asked her for money for his oil business, reports The San Antonio Mercury News. The woman agreed, dipping into her retirement fund to send the man $300,000. The woman wired an additional $200,000 at his request, but someone in her life intervened and reported the incident to authorities. Upon an investigation by the Santa Clara County District Attorney's office, authorities realized it was a scam and traced the transactions back to an email address in Nigeria. They were able to recover the woman's $200,000, but they say the odds of the woman getting the rest of her money back are slim. So-called "sweetheart scams" like this are becoming increasingly common on dating websites. Back in November a man in Utah named Carl Estep was sent to prison after scamming two women out of $300,000 using what the authorities called a "romance scam." Keep in touch! Check out HuffPost Divorce on Facebook and Twitter. Post Reply
Hisjoymypeace View Profile History	Warning Posted : 18 Jan, 2014 01:01 PM Thanks Bjbluz for the warning and alert! Isn't it sad that for someone who desires to just simply have the pain of loneliness and the desire to be loved, addressed, has then to be victimized and fleeced by low life? You do have to stay on guard and mindful that ALL dating sites run this risk....Christian or secular! Thanks again and stay blessed! Post Reply
CuriousGeorge View Profile History	Warning Posted : 19 Jan, 2014 10:07 AM who in their right mind would send $300,000 to a total stranger they've never met before?? That was a really smart thing to do on her part. Post Reply
Lukia^ View Profile History	Warning Posted : 20 Jan, 2014 03:42 AM Thanks Bjbluz for sharing this. Yes people have to be careful,just as the advisers on these dating sites say,don't send money to anyone you have met online. I also met a guy who claimed to come from UK and after chatting for six month,he was promising to come and meet me and i was so delighted.I had just joined the internet dating so didn't know much about it.The guy said that he was sending some gifts to me before he came and it was ok with me. Then after four days I recieved an email from the delivery company he had claimed to have used.The said that I was supposed to pay some charges for the package coz it had money,and without thinking I paid. I paid the first time 600 USD,then the second time.It all totaled to 1200 USD thats the time I realized there was something wrong.I talked to friends and they told me about scammers.It was very frustrating.After six months I thought I knew the guy. I thank God now I'm very wise,no one would cheat me.It also takes time to trust here. Thanks again for sharing. Post Reply
View Profile History	Warning Posted : 21 Jan, 2014 02:59 PM Never ever EVER pay to receive something you've not asked for. The amount of emails I get each day claiming I've won competitions and lotteries I know I've never entered, and all I need to do is pay them some processing fee... Call me a cynic, but do they think I were born yesterday? :dunce: Post Reply
View Profile History	Warning Posted : 22 Jan, 2014 04:25 PM I am really sorry that happened to you. Post Reply