Re: Sweetheart Scammer or did this really hot person pick me above all others?
Your spidery sense is probably correct, Ribshaw. They never post the real thing. There should be legal charges for using military profiles though, that is really cruel. Of course, some of the fools use celebrities that anyone can recognize!!
Re: Sweetheart Scammer or did this really hot person pick me above all others?
Originally Posted by scratchycat
Your spidery sense is probably correct, Ribshaw. They never post the real thing. There should be legal charges for using military profiles though, that is really cruel. Of course, some of the fools use celebrities that anyone can recognize!!
I would hope so, some of these scammers are really disgusting people. I picked up a few photos presumably from scambaiters, one really broke my broke my heart.
On the issue of sending folks money, I could see it happening in a lot of ways. Not too long ago you had to leave your house for just about anything from work to shopping. Now I can't really think of a single thing you really have to leave for. And cyber friends for a lack of a better term are a very real thing, there are people whether I am chatting politics, fiance or scams I really enjoy logging in and bantering with for a few minutes a day. Who are they really, some I have chatted with for years. Could all be the same guy in a Jersey basement for all I know. The other thing I have found is there are a lot folks out of the country that ask for all kinds of things that seem "reasonable". One Facebook friend asked for books, another to talk on Skype to practice English, another a passport, told that one I would need a Western Union Wire. In some sense it seems small relative to what we have, unless of course they are that guy in Jersey.
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Re: Sweetheart Scammer or did this really hot person pick me above all others?
One of my friends was almost taken by one of these romance scams. Something about a British girl about to come into some inheritance but needs to pay a solicitor. Ha-ha. He's not rich and he tried to ask me for a $1000. I told him bull****, it's a romance scam. He wasn't quite sure. A month later, he told me that SFPD's fraud division invited him down for a chat. Fortunately he hadn't given up any money.
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Re: Sweetheart Scammer or did this really hot person pick me above all others?
Why can't legal authorities do something about these 'scammers' using famous profiles. This is low scum that would use this lady's profile to entice 'lovers' from their money.
Re: Sweetheart Scammer or did this really hot person pick me above all others?
Originally Posted by scratchycat
Why can't legal authorities do something about these 'scammers' using famous profiles. This is low scum that would use this lady's profile to entice 'lovers' from their money.
I was thinking about trying to report some of her accounts as that of a Famous person to see if it elicits a different (Any) response from Facebook. I also was thinking about a way to reach out to the military community, I dropped a note in one page asking for help. Will see how the progresses.
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Fake Romeos are getting rich off women ages 50 and older, who are by far the biggest victims of online romance scams, federal authorities reported Tuesday in detailing an 8 percent rise in U.S. Internet crime last year.
Romance scams most often are operations in which the victim is sucked in by a fake profile on an online dating site and hands over cash or other gifts.
The most notorious recent incident involved Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o, whose "girlfriend" and her heart-tugging death to leukemia turned out to be an online hoax. But it's much more common for older women to be victimized, according to statistics released Tuesday by the Internet Crime Complaint Center, or IC3, a joint project of the FBI, the National White Collar Crime Center and the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
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More than 10 percent of all reported online financial losses last year about $56 million out of $525 million overall involved romance scams, the center reported in its 2012 crime roundup.
The IC3 report tabulated that 29 percent of those specifically targeted in such scams last year were women 50 and older:
Internet Crime Complaint Center
But they got taken for more than $34 million 61 percent of all losses to such cons:
Internet Crime Complaint Center
By comparison, everybody else younger women and all male victims reported only $22 million in losses, according to the report.
"Middle-aged or older women are what I see being susceptible to another man who manipulates them for either money or sex," Justin D'Arienzo, a psychologist and dating coach in Jacksonville, Fla., told NBC station WTLV after a 60-year-old Jacksonville woman was victimized earlier this year.
Overall, losses to Internet crime rose by 8.3 percent in 2012, breaking the half-billion-dollar mark for the first time further establishing that "criminals are increasingly migrating their fraudulent activities from the physical world to the Internet," said Richard McFeely, executive assistant director of the FBI's Criminal, Cyber, Response and Services Branch.
In response, IC3 said in a statement that it has expanded its education programs to alert the Americans to online scams.
"As technology continues to advance, so will our efforts to stay one step ahead of cyber criminals," said Don Brackman, director of the National White Collar Crime Center.
The breadth of romance trolling is further illustrated by a startling statistic: Only one other type of online scam auto fraud made more money last year, accounting for $65 million in reported losses.
Men who made up a slight 52 percent-to-49 percent majority of all online victims were the target of choice for bad guys using cars as lures, accounting for 60 percent of such scams last year.
Historically, online auto fraud has involved scammers who try to sell cars they don't own. But the IC3 noted a new flimflam in 2012: criminals who "pose as dealers instead of individuals selling a single car."
"This allows them to advertise multiple vehicles for sale at one time on certain platforms, potentially exposing more victims to the scam," it said.
The figures in the report are likely to be significantly underreported; security experts have warned for years that computer crimes often aren't reported, either because the victim doesn't know whom to call or is too embarrassed to admit having been taken in. And the report almost exclusively tabulates complaints registered in the U.S., meaning it's not a good picture of the entire world of Internet fraud.
But it does provide an interesting snapshot of what the bad guys are doing and how.
Other schemes that accounted for statistically significant losses were:
Real estate fraud rental scams, fake time-share marketing, bogus loan modifications and the like cost a reported $15.4 million.
General intimidation or extortion $10.6 million.
Impersonation of an FBI agent to trick computers into revealing sensitive financial or personal data $2.3 million.
The tried and true "hit man" protection scheme, in which the victim is told that he or she has been targeted by a hit man, who'll call off the hit in return for a large sum of money $1.2 million.
How to stay safe online
Security specialists offer these tips if you suspect you might be dealing with a scam artist:
Be suspicious if your correspondent accepts only wire transfers or cash.
If you're buying merchandise, make sure it's from a reputable source. Be wary, for example, of businesses that operate from post office boxes or mail drops.
Never click on an unsolicited e-mail; instead, go directly to the organization's official website.
Never give out your credit card number unless you're certain the site is secure and reputable.
The FBI offers an extensive list of warning signs and tips here.
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You can file an online fraud complaint here.
Follow M. Alex Johnson on Twitter and Facebook.
Related:
Read the entire IC3 2012 report (.pdf)
Red Tape Chronicles: Net users fall for fake online lovers all the time
Watch US News crime videos on NBCNews.com
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Explore related topics: fbi, romance, crime, computers, dating, scams, featured, cybercrime
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Re: Sweetheart Scammer or did this really hot person pick me above all others?
I was hoping to get permission to use some emails from a person who had contact with whoever is the scammer is behind these photos. Quite telling, but in a matter of a few minutes they went from lovely dovey to rather threatening. This photo series seems to be used all over the world. I also find it funny that I now get a warning message that Facebook takes reports of member accounts very seriously, yet they seem to not have the access to the same interwebs as everyone in the scam community.
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Re: Sweetheart Scammer or did this really hot person pick me above all others?
The problem is what we're dealing with is a "composite personality" made up from some real bits and some imaginary bits. Photos are likely real, but mislabeled. It's almost like those internet hoax memes. Any sites that attempt to index them will invariably end up fingering the wrong person.
There was a certain girl on Skout.com that invariably shows up on some searches, sometimes under 2 names, and looks so much like a porn actress I did a double take. ;)
Re: Sweetheart Scammer or did this really hot person pick me above all others?
Originally Posted by kschang
The problem is what we're dealing with is a "composite personality" made up from some real bits and some imaginary bits. Photos are likely real, but mislabeled. It's almost like those internet hoax memes. Any sites that attempt to index them will invariably end up fingering the wrong person.
There was a certain girl on Skout.com that invariably shows up on some searches, sometimes under 2 names, and looks so much like a porn actress I did a double take. ;)
Yes, there are quite a few "actresses" who get their photos used. I do enjoy my work on those days, but I try to balance it out here at RealScam. Other than Facebook just being a cesspool of scammers there is some real curious infighting and turf wars over on the Romance/Sweetheart Scam side of things. I joined two groups and have reached out to several others in that community and all I can say is WOW. I told Ms. Ribshaw yesterday some of them are lucky there are boys in Nigeria that want to talk sweet to them for a few bucks, cause no one else would want them.
You are right, the only real use is if someone happens on a stolen picture, or is involved in a similar discussion with an online love and sees some of the telltale signs. Over on FB, I have chatted with a few that were either burned or know someone who is in the process of being burned and looking for guidance. It is sort of a refreshing change they are not looking for their next online love they way many look for the next big Ponzi to make it all up.
I must admit, with the pissing an moaning of some in the community it makes it less fun than some of the capers I have run with people I met here on other scammers. However, one goal I do have in this is seeing if I can get Facebook to take a hard look at their policies for allowing pictures of service men and women to be posted and used in cons. Some of this fraud is so blatant that only an idiot would not see it. If I fail that's OK, but I feel it is a worthy goal to aim for.
Last edited by ribshaw; 05-19-2013 at 01:12 PM.
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Re: Sweetheart Scammer or did this really hot person pick me above all others?
Short touching video of one soldier who has had his image used many times by scammers. I like to think that if everyone reading this takes 5 minutes to contact Mark Zuckerberg with a personal letter then Facebook can not only slow scammers, but protect the images of the members of our armed forces.
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Re: Sweetheart Scammer or did this really hot person pick me above all others?
Wanted to have a little fun with today's post. One of our fellow scambusters on Facebook runs this page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scamm...ocation=stream. It part educational, part humor. First the dating bloopers, maybe scammers, maybe poor judgement.
And some sound advice. As many scammers speak English as a second language they often repeat similar phrases and or used canned emails to make contact.
Some observations she made of typical themes used by scammers. Educational13.JPG
Fake medical document and other bad form, like glassing right over the kangaroo comment.
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Re: Sweetheart Scammer or did this really hot person pick me above all others?
Someone who runs one of the groups I follow posted this video of another soldier having their images used in dating scams. One thing I found interesting as with yesterday's video was I was unable to pull up any current images on Facebook. This leads me to believe that enough attention will get Facebook to do a better job of slowing scammers on their pages using stolen images. Not that soldiers, their family, or friends should have to shoot a video every time they want attention.
Please take a minute to write to Facebook and ask them to do a better job of protecting the images of our soldiers.
Facebook, Inc.
C/O Mark Zuckerberg CEO.
1601 Willow Road
Menlo Park, CA 94025
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Re: Sweetheart Scammer or did this really hot person pick me above all others?
This pretty girl showed up on yesterdays news feed, seems to be a scammers favorite. Her "real name" appears to be Lana Brooke, and has a very small to non-existing clothing budget.
I do love that four open profiles exist using the same stolen photo and this is the message Facebook throws up Capture1.JPG. It's almost like they want to be scam central.
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Re: Sweetheart Scammer or did this really hot person pick me above all others?
Medical report is an Asian thing. Apparently some Asian countries, when they talk about marriage, require you to produce a medical report that you are of decent health, and a police report that you are free of major criminal offenses. When they try to transplant the stories onto Western faces they don't have experience in Western culture that we don't use such conventions.
(Let's just say I looked into marrying a girl in China, legit and introduced through friends, actually went and met her and her family, and went through about half of the paperwork before realizing she just wants me for a visa to the US. After I broke it off she married someone in LA less than a year later)
Re: Sweetheart Scammer or did this really hot person pick me above all others?
What really scares me about those sites is how serious some people take these scammers. They want to hear all those things but know in their heads it is not right. Maybe the air clears a little when they start asking for money after their million-dollar job has not taken off yet or they need money for their sick daughter. Maybe a light bulb does go off but sometimes they just won't pay attention and run with their hearts right into either a heartbreak or both hb and financial losses. I try to feel sympathy but really I just want to scream WAKE UP FOLKS!! Meet the real people and see them face-to-face before FALLING off the log. It is bad enough when you actually know and trust someone and they take you for a ride into heart and purse ache.
Re: Sweetheart Scammer or did this really hot person pick me above all others?
Originally Posted by scratchycat
Are we all so starved for LOVE!!??
Not enough good women like you scratchy. And Ms. Ribshaw of course, don't leave that out if I want to eat tonight.
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Re: Sweetheart Scammer or did this really hot person pick me above all others?
Originally Posted by kschang
(Let's just say I looked into marrying a girl in China, legit and introduced through friends, actually went and met her and her family, and went through about half of the paperwork before realizing she just wants me for a visa to the US. After I broke it off she married someone in LA less than a year later)
So I was going to comment on some of the reading I had been doing on marriage for citizenship, which is an interesting topic on several fronts. But then this popped up, and like a monkey with a shiny object I got distracted.
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Re: Sweetheart Scammer or did this really hot person pick me above all others?
Police rescue woman from flying to Africa to meet online scammer
POLICE have twice stopped a woman, 73, from boarding a plane to Africa to meet an online romance scammer who fleeced her of $75,000.
Isabell's daughter, Ann, 48, said she feared if her mother had not been stopped from boarding yesterday's flight to Ghana, she might have been kidnapped and ransomed - or worse.
Pensioner Jette Jacobs, 67, from Western Australia, was found dead in Johannesburg, South Africa, in February after meeting an online scammer.
Victoria Police first tried to discourage Isabell from boarding a flight earlier this year. Ann and WA fraud squad detective Rob Martin finally convinced her to cancel the trip during a stopover in Perth.
After falling for the loving promises of an African fraud, pretending to be a wealthy American proposing marriage, the Western Districts woman is now reduced to cleaning houses and working on a farm to make ends meet.
Victorians lost $8.5 million to online romance scams last year, and $53 million was stripped from the bank accounts of Australian lonely hearts in 2012 alone.
The widowed "American" who scammed Isabell claimed to run a business and said he wanted money to set up an orphanage
Ann said calls and online exchanges were daily and relentless, telling Isabell he loved her and wanted marriage. But the scammer turned out to be a 26-year-old African man.
Ann said there was almost no hope of recovering the money her mother had sent.
"The man knew she had property. He was trying to get her to take out a second mortgage," Ann said.
"It has been so scary for us. I said, 'how could my mother have fallen for this?' She (Isabell) said, 'I've never felt anyone has ever loved me as much as this person'."
WA police have identified 22 other fraud victims in six countries outside Australia who were sending money, via Western Union, to Jette Jacobs' love interest, "Jesse Omokoh".
She sent up to $200,000 to Omokoh, and maybe others.
Omokoh has used a social networking site to deny any wrongdoing in the case.
"We are continuing to work with the Major Crime Squad in Johannesburg, where Mrs Jacobs' body was found, as well as authorities in Nigeria, where 'Jesse Omokoh' is apparently based," Det. Sen-Sgt Dom Blackshaw said.
Re: Sweetheart Scammer or did this really hot person pick me above all others?
I just don't get it. Even if I had the money, I think I would just pick up some handsome young man here in the States and lavish him (they are out there!!) rather than travel somewhere to get killed. How sad and futile to send money to an unknown for "love".
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
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