Recent Articles of Interest

You may or may not have heard of internet dating scams, but if you do any socializing online, you should know what they are. First of all, they are terrible. Not only does the victim end up losing money with most of these scams, but they end up with a broken heart or at the very least a bruised ego. The scams usually take place on internet dating sites. It usually begins when a man or woman start talking to someone they met on one of these sits.

The scammer patiently lulls the victim into a false sense of security. They will communicate with each other long enough for the victim to develop strong feelings for the scammer. Then, with most internet dating scams, the scammer will begin telling the victim about how they are having hard times. The scammer will probably make up a sad story about how they will be losing their internet connection soon because they can't pay the bills. Or, they might talk about how a family member needs medical help that they can't afford. The victim, who cares for the scammer, will rush out to try and help in any way they can.

Of course, that usually means forking over some money. Usually the victim wires the money over through Western Union or a similar service. Although the victim thinks they are helping out a friend in need, it isn't long before they realize that they've been scammed. Most of the time they never hear back from the scammer again. Sometimes there will be a 'thank you' letter and possibly a few more, but usually there isn't. Internet dating scams are a disgusting and terrible to pull on someone, but they are still widespread. So watch out. If you're using an internet dating service, be alert and don't get taken in by 'friends' who need money or drop hints about needing help. The best thing is to simply never send money to anyone you haven't met. Don't become a victim.