Victim of online dating scam: 'My whole life savings is gone'

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Online dating scams have been in the news for many years. I've seen lots of stories on Dateline, Dr. Phil, etc. One woman in her 50s lost her entire inheritance $400,000 to an online "lover" but I found it hard to feel sorry for her. When the other person starts asking for loans/money anyone with an ounce of common sense will shut them down, cease contact, and run in the opposite direction.

I agree, I've heard about some of them on Dr. Phil and have posted about them in the past. I can't feel sorry for them either, especially the ones who are older and should know better just through life experience. One woman was sending hard cash to another country in cereal boxes to a man, because he 'needed' cash only.
 

I agree, I've heard about some of them on Dr. Phil and have posted about them in the past. I can't feel sorry for them either, especially the ones who are older and should know better just through life experience. One woman was sending hard cash to another country in cereal boxes to a man, because he 'needed' cash only.

I don't know anymore, sometimes I have to step back and realize some people weren't born with or raised to have common sense and I guess at times I do feel pity, unless it's a repeated behavior. I do know a woman who had a pattern of being taken, now her, I can no longer muster up any sympathy for. It's really sad to witness when it happens to others even more so when it's someone close to you. You really want to just slap some sense into them.
 
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One wonders how those silly women were able to have money to burn in the first place.

Of course, men have fallen into the same trap. I remember seeing an ID/DISCOVERY true crime drama about a guy who fell in love over the internet with a woman in South America. He sent her money and continued to send her money. Then he visited her. I think it was his second visit that he never returned back to the states, he just disappeared... until the local authorities investigated to find out she had murdered him.
 

Advice #1: If scammers appeared to be scammers there would not be any scammers. We always hear "But he looked so honest". What should he/she look like, a person with a hoody and mask?
 
Advice #1: If scammers appeared to be scammers there would not be any scammers. We always hear "But he looked so honest". What should he/she look like, a person with a hoody and mask?


Many years ago I had an email exchange with a priest in Russia. At the time I realized he may or may not be a real priest. He never asked for anything. But he did say he had a new baby. So, unsolicited I sent him a few baby clothes with a little money stuffed in. The interesting thing is, after I sent it, our correspondence waned and ended. I'm not exactly sure why. But at the time I was also posting on a Russian political/culture forum, so maybe he was one of the posters, or Russian intel, or maybe US intel traveling incognito.
 
I joined a few online dating sites when I became a widower. It didn't take long before three younger ladies in their 20's and 30's became friendly and very open about their situations. Their pictures were photo shopped but I didn't know that at first. One was supposedly in Asia purchasing women's fashions and asked me if she could visit me on her return to the states. Another one wanted to leave Wyoming and come and live with me. A third one lived only 30 miles away from me...she told me she was living with her ex-husband and his girlfriend. He made her sleep on their couch and she was never allowed to touch his computer or he would kick her out. So naturally she couldn't wait to come to my town to meet me. Lucky for me I caught her in a lie about her job and blocked her.

One of these woman I tracked and discovered that she worked in a scammer sweatshop in Oakland. She must use a system to prey on older men (note that I wrote older and not old ;)) who sign up on various dating services. I guess the goal is to get men like me to wire travel money to them? How do you sleep at night after you took a grand from some lonely stranger you never met?
 
I think the online dating niche has become "easy pickings" for the scammers...
Which is unfortunate,it's very difficult to find ourselves suddenly alone after being removed from the dating world for such a long time.
 
I think the online dating niche has become "easy pickings" for the scammers...
Which is unfortunate,it's very difficult to find ourselves suddenly alone after being removed from the dating world for such a long time.

Probably for some, but many of the older women I know are more content after removing themselves from the dating scene, myself included. As far as scammers, it's definitely not just in dating, you have to be careful even on sites like this, people will see someone say they're lonely or just interested in friendships and these trolling types try to ease their way into your life with vile intentions. To me these folks are just as scary and trickier.
 
The first man I had a serious relationship with after I started dating again turned out to be a leech, a genuine moocher. The relationship didn't last long.

I was very gullible and really didn't know what I was doing or what to look for in a mate. I married fairly young and was really out of it in the dating world.
 
If you are not watching American Greed" on CNBC you should tune in from time to time to see how very intelligent, successful people are conned out of their life savings by lazy bums. Trusting someone with your lawn mower is one thing. Trusting them with you money is another.
 


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