Dating Scams
@sprite1950 (30453)
Corsham, England
April 13, 2018 2:58am CST
Last night I watched a programme which showed how a UK woman was conned out of £1.7 million through a dating scam. She believed she was talking to a man from another country who repeatedly asked her for large sums of money.
She was not a stupid woman and owned her own business so I ask myself, how could she possibly not have seen this coming after he asked for the first amount of money as alarm bells would have been ringing for me.
When she had no more money to give the calls and emails from the so called "suitor" stopped and it was then she contacted the police who discovered that two men had set up an elaborate scam from an address in the UK. They were jailed for around 3 years but she didn't get a penny back.
How can a supposedly intelligent woman be conned this way?
15 people like this
23 responses
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
13 Apr 18
She was fooled and she gave in to the feeling that she is being loved. Manipulated. I feel sad for her. 
3 people like this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
13 Apr 18
I couldn't understand that she didn't realise the first time he asked her for money. Love really is blind!
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
14 Apr 18
@mlgen1037 It happened to you? What dating site was that?
1 person likes this
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
13 Apr 18
@sprite1950 Well, that is true. Happened to me once but at least I got a retribution. 
But I really feel sad for her as she loss millions in exchange for real love.
But I really feel sad for her as she loss millions in exchange for real love.2 people like this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
13 Apr 18
It's quite sad that women and men and willing to risk everything in pursuit of love.
1 person likes this
@mayka123 (16584)
• India
13 Apr 18
@sprite1950 Yea. When in love people often forget to use their brains.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
14 Apr 18
@mayka123 I suppose we all lose our heads a little when we are in love but I don't think I could love someone I hadn't met.
1 person likes this
@caopaopao (12395)
• China
13 Apr 18
Though most people are kind, but still there are some bad people. We should be more careful to avoid these kinds of things.
2 people like this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
13 Apr 18
There are people all over the world trying to get our money,
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
13 Apr 18
Love seems to completely blind the most sensible people.
2 people like this
@gilggg (2538)
• Israel
13 Apr 18
@sprite1950 I hope that the lesson from your post will be learned by everyone, to beware of online scammers.
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
13 Apr 18
It seems that some people can't
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
20 Apr 18
Well I think the most obvious sign that it is a scam is when the scammer starts to ask for money,
@Manasha (2727)
• Pondicherry, India
20 Apr 18
@sprite1950 anyhow take care in futur
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
14 Apr 18
When the police caught the men involved they couldn't trace the money. They both got around 18 months in prison. I think there was a third man but he was never found. I know what it feels like to be in love but I would never send money to someone I hadn't met and with all the information out there on dating scams I can't believe she fell for it.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
14 Apr 18
@LadyDuck I bet they got it out of the country but yes they should have a rule like that. I think the police are of the opinion that if a person is stupid enough to hand all that money over then they deserve to lose it. I felt sorry for her though,
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458006)
• Switzerland
14 Apr 18
@sprite1950 They should set a rule for Justice, you do not get out of jail until you say where to money is.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
14 Apr 18
It wasn't all in one go but over time the largest amount being £45,000. She also used the money from her mum's business too. What a plonker!
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
15 Apr 18
@WorDazza That's what I don't understand. Anyone with half a brain would have realised the first time he asked. It's a well known fact they always ask for the air fare over .. and that's how it started. Then there were various other excuses. It's just beyond stupid.
1 person likes this
@WorDazza (15833)
• Manchester, England
15 Apr 18
@sprite1950 Thats even worse. A one off sting is fair enough but you think she'd have sussed something was wrong over a period of time!
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
14 Apr 18
@rheicel No she thought she was in love and that she would marry him.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
14 Apr 18
That's what I wondered. She used all the funds from her own business and also the money from her mum's business and lost it all.
1 person likes this
@rheicel (7068)
• Philippines
14 Apr 18
@sprite1950 That's kind of funny. Maybe she has been blackmail by that guy owns a video scandal or something.
1 person likes this
@anikoonline (3250)
• Hungary
14 Apr 18
I think these men are very good at psychology. I read some similar stories and these men give exactly what a woman needs emotionally, they are very emphatic, polite. And I think they pick their victims very carefully.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
14 Apr 18
I think they must do a lot research on their victims. They obviously knew that this woman had money.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
15 Apr 18
@anikoonline Yes and this woman was obviously taken in by him.
1 person likes this
@anikoonline (3250)
• Hungary
15 Apr 18
@sprite1950 I think so. And they need to know some basic information about to woman to make a good first impression.
1 person likes this
@Jessabuma (31700)
• Baguio, Philippines
13 Apr 18
We need to be extra careful at these days..
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
14 Apr 18
We certainly do but I have always gone for men that I can meet and get to know properly and even some of those didn't work out!
1 person likes this
@morgoodie (2645)
• United States
13 Apr 18
It happens more than you realize. I know someone who was scammed two different times. The first time it was a man who was supposedly a contractor and he was in the middle east or somewhere. He needed money to get back here to the states. Then he needed money for something else. After sending him money, he never showed up and he finally stopped contacting her. Then she meets someone else (personally I think it was the same man) and the whole scenario starts again. Of course she didn't lose as much as the woman you talk about, but still the principle is the same. I can understand a few hundred dollars but millions. 
I just don't get how the person I know fell for it a second time.
I just don't get how the person I know fell for it a second time.1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
14 Apr 18
Some people are so lonely that when a person takes an interest they lose their head and reason goes out the window but I wouldn't pay any money to a person to come and visit me. If he wanted to see me he would save up and fund the trip himself.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
15 Apr 18
@morgoodie Me neither. I like spending time on my own but with some people it's all they want in life, to be happy with someone they love.
1 person likes this
@morgoodie (2645)
• United States
14 Apr 18
@sprite1950 Exactly what I say!! You do it once and they think you will do it again and again. It's the same with someone who you are dating or living with already. You support them and they will take advantage of you. I don't need a man that bad to pay send him money to come see me.
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69413)
• Germany
13 Apr 18
The word 'supposedly' is the most important one in your post. The woman may be good in her job but dumb as a doornail when it comes to common sense.
There's a very good novel written by a Nigerian author who describes the money scam business from the inside. She got a prize for the novel.
I Do Not Come to You by Chance eBook: Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
13 Apr 18
You are absolutely right. I think it's a combination of loneliness and lack of common sense that draws these women (or men) in.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
14 Apr 18
@WorDazza That must be true because so many get scammed but do you honestly think you would be taken in by a person who was asking for large amounts of money on a regular basis because I know I wouldn't.
@JESSY3236 (18923)
• United States
13 Apr 18
that's terrible. Yeah asking for money is a big red flag.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
14 Apr 18
I think most of us can see that. I wouldn't want such a long distance relationship anyway. I prefer someone I can see regularly, someone I actually know.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
14 Apr 18
She was a successful business woman. She used the funds from her own business and that of her mum's business. I don't think it was all in one go but over time.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
14 Apr 18
@JudyEv Yes, apparently he came up with lots of feasible excuses .. but really £1.7 million 
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Apr 18
@sprite1950 It's still a huge amount of money.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
14 Apr 18
I think most of us think like that!
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
15 Apr 18
Well I can sympathise up to a point but to give that much money to someone she had never met is beyond foolish.
1 person likes this
