Romance scams

ophiuchus

99bottles wrote: »

A Nigerian Prince would take 3 emails to ask for money

Apropos, if you ever want a hilariously good read, I can recommend this spam-baiter extraordinaire:



https://www.waterstones.com/book/delete-this-at-your-peril/bob-servant/neil-forsyth/9781841589190

Dodgy Nigerian Royalty, Russian brides.. he strings them along, feigning interest until they finally realise he's having them on.

trailingspouse

My husband worked with a guy who fell for one of these scams. Despite being good at his job, he was socially inept, struggled to look after himself properly, and was desperate for love. In fact, another colleague felt a bit sorry for him, and went out of her way to say hello and include him in office-related socialising (drinks after work and so on), just normal stuff. He wasn't used to being treated normally, and thought she actually fancied him. Very difficult all round.
He found a woman on line, and she asked him to buy her a mobile phone, which he did. But she seemed to be terribly absent minded and was forever losing her phone and needing him to buy her another one... He just couldn't/wouldn't be told that it was a scam. Last we heard he was sending her some money so she could fly to the UK from Bulgaria.

dondo

ophiuchus wrote: »

Apropos, if you ever want a hilariously good read, I can recommend this spam-baiter extraordinaire:



https://www.waterstones.com/book/delete-this-at-your-peril/bob-servant/neil-forsyth/9781841589190

Dodgy Nigerian Royalty, Russian brides.. he strings them along, feigning interest until they finally realise he's having them on.

Funnily enough I was thinking of this exact book when I read this thread.

Very funny read. Especially as I loved in Dundee for many years and loved some of the references

zagfles

dondo wrote: »

Funnily enough I was thinking of this exact book when I read this thread.

Very funny read. Especially as I loved in Dundee for many years and loved some of the references

The 419eater site is good as well https://www.419eater.com

Ergates

AubreyMac wrote: »

Anyone else see the panorama programme?

How on earth do people send money to an online lover they've never actually met?

Honestly, some people are so stupid. You could actually applaud the scammers really.

It's easy to look down on people who fall fo these scams. I suggest you take a step back and think about *why* it is that some people are vulnerable to such things.

Loneliness is a hell of a kicker. It's miserable. It kills people. We are social creatures, and when you take that aspect away from peoples lives it affects their minds.

donnac2558

The only person I Skype with is my big brother in Canada.


Over quite a period I kept getting requests from US Army Personel with a set photo taken what looked like the desert. Every single one was a higher rank upwards never an ordinary soldier. I began to wonder why about the navy and then one day a navy lieutenant appeared.:D


I just used to block them, but so wished I could have sent a message as well.


!!!! off and die you !!!!!!:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Out,_Vile_Jelly

The one I don't get is women who marry convicted serial killers in jail.

moneyistooshorttomention

donnac2558 wrote: »

The only person I Skype with is my big brother in Canada.


Over quite a period I kept getting requests from US Army Personel with a set photo taken what looked like the desert. Every single one was a higher rank upwards never an ordinary soldier. I began to wonder why about the navy and then one day a navy lieutenant appeared.:D


I just used to block them, but so wished I could have sent a message as well.


!!!! off and die you !!!!!!:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Well I suppose that's one relief to me to know anyone like that would fall at first base with me. The second I saw them describing themselves as in the military anyway - I'd click "delete" instantly (as I'd be so sure they wouldn't be my type anyway:rotfl:).

I wouldn't even get to the stage of thinking "Why don't they speak perfect English (or American)?"

AubreyMac

candygirl wrote: »

I watched it , n felt so sorry for the old man who'd been swindled out of £100k plus:( He was so desperate n lonely

Even when he realised he was scammed, he went and got a 2nd online girlfriend and was sending her money too even though 'she' was using the same kind of language and format as the previous one.

K80_Black

AubreyMac wrote: »

Anyone else see the panorama programme?


How on earth do people send money to an online lover they've never actually met?


Honestly, some people are so stupid. You could actually applaud the scammers really.

I didn't see it, though I'm familiar with the scam.

I have however sent money or gifts to at least 5 different people I've only met online - none were romantic interests, all were friends. Small amounts that I'd give to a mate down the pub, usually because it was their birthday. It's fun to paypal someone a fiver and say 'Happy Birthday, have a pint on me today!'

I do it because I've known them for years, and just because they're geographically far away doesn't mean they're not real people I care deeply about. I've received cards and gifts from them too. People make all sorts of connections online - I've been chatting with some of my online buddies for over 5 years now. They're as much a part of my life as friends who've moved overseas or similar.

People aren't stupid, they're human. We all want love and affection, friendship and connections. While I agree some of these scams are absolutely blatant, I wouldn't say that caring about people you've never physically met is stupid. I think the opposite is true - ignoring the possibility of friendship with the billions of people who don't happen to live in the same postcode as you is just plain silly in this day and age.