Internet Dating Site Scammers Robert Thompson,Robert Montano

Letter from Reader warning others about Robert Thompson and Robert Montano:

I just recently signed up on Christian Mingle and naively thought everyone on there is a Christian. Not so!! I did have some pleasant conversation with one man, but he decided he was looking for someone retired and I think he was honest and up front. I first received a smile from someone(Robert Thompson) in Florida (I live in Calif.), who was widowed, engineer, had 1 son, could move wherever if he found right woman, wrote a lot of philosophical flowery things. He evaded a lot of my questions so I decided to quit writing to him. Shortly after that, I get mail from another man,Robert Montano, same scenario, but he lived in LA. I finally confronted him and asked him if he was the same person who mailed me previously and he totally ignored the question. Red Flag! So I told him I wasn’t interested and wished him well. @ days go by and I get a new mail from another person, different name, lives in NY, widowed, engineer, 1 son, same style of writing, same profile. What a loser! Thank God I didn’t get in any deeper. People – look for the seeds of doubt, those little red flags that pop up! Steer clear!

Jose Hernandez -- Yet Another Nigerian Scammer

This story was sent in by a great lady and reader. She sends us all the scammers she encounters. This latest scammer, Jose, talked to her for a long time through email and instant messages. Then came the money request. He needed it to store his heavy machinery. He needed 625 dollars to store them OVERNIGHT. When questioned, he sent her a photo of bulldozers. Not of him in front of the bulldozers, just a random picture of bulldozers. I guess he thought that was going to prove to her that the heavy machinery actually existed. WRONG!!! Here is Jose Hernandez's initial email, and boy is it a long one.........my commentary is in purple.


Message from Jose
Monday, July 18, 2011 4:39 AM
From:
"MJD" View contact details
To:

Hi XXX,

Good Morning from Lagos.. How are you doing today? It feels so good to hear from you.. I get really busy with work and I hope you'll understand that in future if my response arrives late, LOL.. Thanks for the note and your comments. I want to assume you are aware that Kathy is my only daughter. I would like to ask before writing anything that would make me forget. Hope its not a problem that I have a child? And I am also hoping you wont have a problem accepting us as a package, if we ever end up being together. We all want the best for our kids and all I want is for her to have a happy life and healthy relationship with my special woman. I am delighted about how expressive and straight you were in your previous note. I want a serious relationship.. I am not getting any younger and more importantly, I am tired of being lonely. I have missed so many things you cant get unless you are with a partner and I want to make up with time... I am looking for that special woman I can spend the rest of my life, loving and adoring!

Opening my mail to find a mail waiting to be read from you, brought a smile to my face. I am so glad you wrote and I must apologize for the inadequate information in my previous notes. Reading from you makes me so confident about telling you more and more about myself, my life, my wants, my past and my hopes. (He could have stopped that sentence after the word "myself") Sorry I didn't send this mail before now. I got your mail last night but I was ready to sleep and couldn't respond right away. I am taking my time to write this letter before starting my day, after reading your profile again. Kindly take the time to read through. First and foremost, how long have you been looking online? Any good experience? I havent been on the site till lately when I contacted you. I have made up my mind to take the time necessary, to write a detailed email to you, that's why I am writing this email NOW, making sure nothing will disturb or distract me.. (Is this really necessary? To go on and on about basically nothing?)

I have realized so many things about life and I am looking for that special woman to share these experiences and all that life has to offer. (He kinda said that already several times)In my previous marriage, one thing I learned is keeping relationship matters within ourselves and not seeking other people's (who doesn't feel what the couple feels) advice. (Read: Don't tell anyone about me, especially when I ask you for money) I also believe in openness and honesty. (He may believe in it, he just doesn't practice it) With secrets, no relationship will last. OK. A little about me, I am José Hernandez - Douglas, 6ft 2", blue/green eyes, dark brown hair.. I am a Civil Engineer (Construction). I turned 46yrs young on the 31st day of January, LOL! (Jan 31st, 1965). Your turn, tell me some basics about you. More about your job, personality, etc.. Just random stuffs about you. ("Stuffs" huh? And here you were trying to sound so educated.)

Also, what do you think about our age differences. I am divorced. My EX who happened to be my daughter's mom re-married after our divorce and was involved in an accident which took her life and that of her husband. It was a shocker on me and my daughter. Even though we are divorced, she WAS once the love of my life and will forever remain the mother of my daughter. (Of course she will remain the mother of your daughter you idiot)I was born in Majorca, Spain on the 31st day of January 1965, (thanks for including the birthdate again, we may have forgotten it since 6 sentences have gone by) moved with my family to Duluth, GA immediately after my birth. I later moved in with my Uncle in Jamaica, NY when I was 7 years old; after the death of both parents. I lost my dad when I was 6 years old; he had a heart attack when he was in a surgery. I lived with my mom in Duluth for another year and later moved to NY when she died. I guess because of the undying love between them, she forgot she has an only son and left me in the world as an orphan. She just didn't stay long after his death before she died.

More about me; (Thanks for letting us know Jose, we thought you were going to start talking about someone else. *idiot*) I am a very kind-hearted man and I have learnt (obviously Jose you have not learned how to spell) that in life, the only things I can count on is my creator, my instincts and my woman. (And you learned you can count on women by the mother and wife you obviously couldn't count on?) I have been hurt a lot and hope that I will find the right woman for me. I am very serious about meeting my significant partner and I am not ready for games at all. I hope to meet this special woman I can show love to and spend the rest of my life with. I adore children and care about my daughter a lot. I attended the University of Glasgow, in Scotland where I had my B.Sc Civil Engineering. I am very laid-down (don't you mean laid back Jose? What did they teach you at that University anyway?) and down-to-earth. I am also very old-fashioned when it comes to my respect and treatment for women. I am a social wine drinker but a non-smoker, have a great sense of humor and like to spend time with people and make them laugh. (wow, how unique, someone who likes to spend time with people and make them laugh) I have always memorized this quote and it has happened to be my favorite quote + I believe in it strongly: A man can love a thousand different women, but it takes a REAL MAN to love a woman a thousand different ways. (Yeah Jose, just change it to: A scammer can write to a thousand different women, but it take a REAL SCUMBAG to scam a woman a thousand different ways)

I have lived in Anchorage, Alaska. I have lived in St. Albans NY. I was living in Houston, TX before I had to leave for work in March '08. I have been in Africa since that time for a Special Project. (And it must be special since Jose felt the need to capitalize it.) The Construction of New Homes and Renovating the Old ones for Orphans and Less Privileged. Its an innovation of UNICEF and the Peace Corps for the West African States and financed by the Nigerian Government. The project covers five (5) different countries in West Africa; Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Ivory Coast and Benin Republic. Funding and appraisal is being taken care of by the Nigerian Government. I should be out of here in less than a month, the project shouldn't take this long but because of some unforeseen circumstances, the whole process has been delayed and its taking longer than anticipated. We are at the last country now, which is Nigeria, and the entire project should be concluded between now and the next two weeks.. (and in two weeks he will send a request for funds)

I am divorced (you said that already Jose) and completely unattached and would be glad if I encounter a woman of high caliber, good attitude, self respect and ambition. (and that will send him money) A woman who knows what she wants and is determined to get it. She has to be understanding and sincere that way a relationship would be smoother. Well, at a point in my last marriage I started suspecting my ex's dishonesty and later caught her in bed with my best friend. (and this is how Jose learned from his experiences he can count on women?)Ever since, I have vowed never to get married again, I did try after our divorce but got burnt (long story). I have been hurt badly and that leaves me with a negative impression about women in general. But my daughter has made me understand that all women are not the same. So, I am all out of my cave now to meet that special woman that is just for me. I do believe in soul-mates. More so, this life is very short and I do want to be happy the little time, I have left to live on this planet earth (as opposed to Mars).. I am afraid of growing old alone when Kathy is all grown and out of the home.. I know for sure, that God has the right woman for me when the time comes.

Kathy happens to be my ONLY daughter now (I thought she was his only daughter the whole time? wtf is he talking about?), I love her so much and I am trying to raise her to be one of the rare breed out there: a humble lady who stands by her words, reliable, reputable, independent, self-confident, knows her worth, loves God, treats people (more especially older people) with respect, focused, disciplined, be playful, be fun, great sense of humor always and be a warrior with a tender heart. As for fun: I like mentally stimulating activities and also I like fun. (He did NOT just write he likes "fun"! Is there someone who doesn't like fun?)I adore adventure-traveling, to feel and research the culture of the countries and learn new things. To just hop in the car someday with my family and drive across the States. I enjoy reading, watching movies, swimming, dancing. I like nature: trees, forest, ocean, mountains, beach, zoo. (Jose felt the need to elaborate on what kind of nature he likes. ugh.) I am passionate about flowers, basically nature! (Enough with the nature already!) I like camping, fishing, cycling, biking, golf, all kinds of sports - like the indoors too, I also like the city life. I take a walk when the weather's mild, but go to the pool with my daughter, or sometimes the beach when it's sunny! (So, to sum it up, Jose likes outdoors and indoors. He likes the country and the city. And let's not forget nature.)


Well, it is said that when a relationship ends and you've tried your best, God knows, it is best to move on, and that there is someone waiting, someone special, until then we have our life to rebuild, to do good unto others, to bring joy, even to those we have left behind. The universe has a funny way of circling and recycling. Its rotating, we can not go back unless it is foreseen. There are no rhymes or reason to love. You either love or you do not. (Jose just cut and pasted a bunch of refrigerator-magnet type quotes and put them all together)I want to fall in love again, I am ready and willing to go into a serious relationship that will lead to marriage. Depending on who I meet and her wants, marriage is a possibility not a MUST. I am looking for someone who is secure, balanced, stable, open and knows what she wants in a partner and in life. I want someone who is not afraid of commitment, someone who can communicate well, both with words, feelings and body languages. Someone who will treat me as an equal and not an object. A good sense of humor, outgoing, likes horses and all other animals too.( And she BETTER like NATURE) A romantic person, someone who is not afraid to cook dinner once in a while! Someone who will walk beside me and not in front of or behind me, someone who loves kids and is able to get dirty one minute and get dressed, to go out the next minute. Diversity, maturity, stability, independence and just all-around, imperfect for the world but perfect for me. (I am so ready to throw up.)

A magic relationship, you know when you are sad, when you feel alone, when the world look out so terrible, when people maim and even kill each other, then you need some place to run away, some place where you can feel safe, there you can feel that nothing, none can touch you, hurt you. (that's what the Police Station is for Jose) Exactly that is a relationship for me. I want a family, a home, full of tenderness, sincerity, faithfulness and above all peace. I want love, of-course lots of love. I consider myself good-looking, I am a nice person as well, at-least the people I have had to deal with on daily basis confirmed that. I am sociable. I am affectionate and romantic, friendly and confident. I am open-minded and cheerful. I am trying to describe myself as much as I can with words (someone elses, the rest made up) so you know what to look forward to if things eventually work out for the two of us..(which they won't) That's my hope and the reason why I am making my fingers dance so much on the keyboard, to the rhythm of my heart!! (ok, at this point, EVERYONE should be vomiting)

I work hard and I want to grow both in my job, personally with my daughter as I have always done and now with the woman that I have been waiting for all my life. I just want to fall in love again and I feel "NOW" is the time, I am done with kids except my partner wants another, either by adoption or who knows? The last time I checked, menopause isn't for men, LOL. (menopause is not a word a male should put in his first email to any woman, ever) I am romantic, humorous, caring, loving and faithful. (You said that already. Like 100 times, in a hundred different ways)I hope to find and meet a lady to fall in love with. (Please, write it ONE MORE TIME so we get it, the first 5 went right over our head)I am clever, intelligent, communicative, honest and ready for commitments but also I would like her to be sweet, faithful, caring, comprehensive, family lover, elegant, cheerful and LOVE KIDS. (Jose also likes looking up synonyms in the dictionary, but what he needs to look up is the definition of REPETATIVE) Its really important because I don't want to put my daughter in any jeopardy or in any sort of danger with whoever I end up sharing my future with, a nice family with strong feelings. I am very responsible, kind, calm, serious (just when it's necessary), confident, purposeful, persistent, smart, honest, modest, loyal, flexible, sociable, sensitive, gentle, cheerful, optimistic, considered responsible and with a great sense of humor. (Step away from the thesaurus and the dictionary Jose, this is an intervention) This all sounds like an advertisement, lol.. but anyway I am a bit.... stubborn - in a good way, of-course! (of course!! You are perfect!)

I would love someone who is fun to be around (most guys like women who are a total drag to be around, but not our Jose!), likes to laugh, funny, enjoys the outdoor, (nature) enjoys going for romantic walks, enjoys looking at the stars at night, and watching the Sunset rise over the ocean. I am looking for someone that enjoys the simple things in life, just like I do. I like to meet someone special that I can grow old with, and that we can always look into each other's eyes in decades and realize that the love between us is just as wonderful, strong and exciting as the day we met. I want to love a woman for who she is, to spoil her, and adore her, and let her know just how much she means to me, by the little things I do or say to make her feel special. While she treats me the same way....with love and respect! I am looking for that special someone that I can spend the rest of my life with, we'll grow old together, loving and caring for each other. Even on our worst days we will still be happy in love and can work through anything that comes our way. We will spend countless romantic days and evenings together, just enjoying every bit of the time we spend together both in person and mere thoughts, when we are not together...(*barf*)

I definitely want to find someone that is stable, serious about a relationship and secure. (He just won't stop, will he?) A woman who knows how to treat her man special. I want to find that person that I can't wait to talk to when not together. Someone I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with, and that feels the same way. I am looking for someone that is down to earth, but can also be spontaneous, someone that likes to travel, likes sports, and loves kids. If you like to dance that is a plus but not someone that is into the club scene. Hope I haven't bored you with this long email. (well Jose, that hope is dashed.)I just felt within myself that: "What's worth doing is worth doing well".. hence the stories and ads, LOL! (number 1, not funny. number 2, Jose did not do it well) I will be looking forward to your version of this note. Don't forget to mention what you want in a man. (as opposed to what you want in a kangaroo) I want a woman that can be confident enough to state what she wants in life and in a potential partner. (Then allow me to state that this email SUCKS) And I hope I have been able to express myself, without pissing you off, in telling you the type of man I am to the fullest. (again, hope dashed)

I wait to hear from you. Well, I wrote this mail and I am sending it right away without proof-reading so kindly ignore the mistakes. (read: I am a Nigerian scammer and cannot spell worth a s*it)
Oops! Now, I need a cup of coffee. (And I need a drink) Take good care of yourself and have a wonderful day!

Write when you can.. This may be too much to put in at once!! (correct!)

Hugs and Kisses, (ew)
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO (really? seriously?)
Love waits, (BIG EW + *Barf*)

-José and Kathy. (Don't blame any of this letter on your daughter. Not like she exists anyway, but if she could read she would slap you silly)

Jeanie Going to 'suicide herself with DOZE pills' according to friend

ok, after sending jeanie 850 bucks for a ticket to come see him, he got this from her "friend"


Subject: Fw: this is wendy the jeanie friend


This is what I got from Jeanies friend last night after sending Jeanie 850 usd to come home to me for gate money wendy02wendy02@yahoo.com>
From: Wendy Wendy
Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2011 20:03:15 -0700 (PDT)

Subject: this is wendy the jeanie friend


hello sir , i hope this is right email to you sir , i am wendy the jeanie friend who is keeping jeanie in my home since last sunday , jeanie is my friend and i know her very much she is being my friend since long time when she got here in costa rica from ecuador , sorry i do not wrote good ingles but i think you will understand this little that i wrote here because my first language is espanol , the keep point of my wrote letter to you is that she has being crying and she want to commit sucide with a lot of doze tablet that kills , she was robbed with Mr bernard at the western union street in porto limon this evening , i went to work and i just saw with policia car , the policia is being drive around since this evening after she was robbed at porto limon , the policia just dropped her in my house now and she rushed to my kitchen to sucide herself because she was robbed by some cocaine dealer gangster who hangs around the western union street , i told jeanie yesterday when she said you was going to send her travel money through western union , i told her that moneygram is better because it is safer country side than western union , though she gave excuse that moneygram is far for mr bernard to help her in collect but i told her she should stop using western union because it is close to gangsters hang outs. now i am just helping her to send this message to you because she said she can not contact you any more and she want to sucide herself because she lost the money to gangsters and she said you will not believe her anymore , she did not tell me yet how much you send to her sir but she keep crying and trying to take over doze tablet , i can not take this any more , i do not want someone to die in my house sir , i think i will let her go back to her home , i tried to stop her but she fight me and keep crying , please sir this is over my power sir and i do not want to go to jail if she kill her self, i told her to stop that the policia still doing investigations on the gangster and they can still find them and get the money back to her but you do not listen to any of my words sir , please tell me back if this is right email for mr flyod ., thank you sir ., WENDY

Scammers in Costa Rica too

This one in costa rica Limon' is wicked and a total professional. She actually worked money out of me because she's very good at what she does. Lie.

Jeanie Curl Harris : plays as a waitress in costa rica who wants to leave. And

needs air fare and gate money. $1800 LOST     
Then gets mugged at western union. Costa rica      

From: Jeanie Curl jeanie.curl@yahoo.com>

Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2011 15:06:30 -0800 (PST)

Hello , how are u doing this evening ? i am happy to see ur message here with your lovely picture, you look cool and great in ur truck , u have good truck too , here are my pictures for you and i hope you like them too . i will chat with you in a while . hugs and kisses

  The real person in these photos is obviously not the photos of the real SCAMMER - the scammer stole them from a social networking site

WOW - the FBI wants to Send YOU Money - When have the Govt Ever Done That?

CYBER WIRETAP AND FUNDS RECOVERY DEPARTMENT,
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FBI.
J.EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING
935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE,
NW WASHINGTON, D.C
20535-0001, USA.
WEB PAGE: www.fbi.gov

Kind Attention,

We believe this notification meets you in a very good state of mind and health. The FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI) Washington, D.C United States of America in conjunction with (SOCA-UK) and some other relevant Investigative Agencies here in the USA and UK have recently been informed through our Global intelligence monitoring network that you have a pending FUND transaction with a Bank regarding to an over-due Inheritance / Award payment which was fully endorsed to be paid in your favor.

It might interest you to know that we have taken out time in screening through this whole transaction as stipulated on our protocol of operation and have finally confirmed that BARCLAYS BANK INTERNATIONAL PLC LONDON-UK is the authorized financial institution scheduled to make your payment in line with their online remittance requirements. Several investigations made by us have shown that you have been dealing with some unauthorized persons and banks regarding the transfer of these funds to your bank account.

Our UK attached agent recently had a meeting with the Manager of BARCLAYS BANK INTERNATIONAL PLC LONDON-UK, in the person of MR. GEORGE THOMAS JUNIOR, along with some other top officials of BARCLAYS BANK INTERNATIONAL PLC LONDON-UK, regarding your payment case file and they made us to understand that your file has been held in a base pending when you personally file for your claims. They intimated him that the only problem they are facing right now is that some unscrupulous elements are using this project as an avenue to scam innocent people off their hard earned money by impersonating to be STAFF OF BANKS and its affiliates.

We were also made to understand that a lady with name Mrs. Joan C. Bailey from Ohio, United States Of America has already contacted them and also presented to them all the necessary documentations evidencing your claim purported to have been signed personally by you prior to the release of your funds to her, though they insisted on hearing from you personally before they could go ahead on wiring the funds to the Bank information provided by the above named Lady. It is basically one of the main reasons why they contacted us, to enable us assist them in carrying out proper investigation and subsequently informing you of their mandate to remitting your funds.

Most importantly, we advise that you discontinue further dealings with any person or organization posing as staff or affiliate of any bank or agency concerning the transfer of your funds. In your own interest, you are advised to immediately contact BARCLAYS BANK INTERNATIONAL PLC LONDON-UK on the following details for the onward remittance of your funds.

CONTACT PERSON: MR. GEORGE THOMAS JUNIOR.
Head Foreign of Operations Department
Registered Office: 1 Churchill Place,
London E14 5HP.United Kingdom.
Private Banking Section, Tel: +44 707-708-950.
Email: operationsdept2@gmail.com

Ensure that you comply with all their remittance procedures and also furnish them with your full details (Full names and address, direct telephone and fax numbers your Occupation and Age) to enable them in their verification processes before the release of your funds Valued £1,000,000.00 only.

Best Regards,

Mr. Robert S. Mueller III.
FBI Director.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
WEB: www.fbi.gov.

Gretchen_sexygirl scamming on Migente - reader shares story

Hi this person is on match.com aka cantip4. Also found them on a site in 2008
called migente aka gretche_sexygirl. Doing an internet search of gretchen wales.
Well this person contacted me saying I was on her match list. And was having
problem with her in box and asking to correspond using misssmile990@yahoo.com.
We started emailing and she said she was in gold and diamond business inherited
from late parent doing business in Malaysia. We soon were caught up in the
whirlwind relationship. She was educated at school in London. Lived part time in
states and UK. Soon would be coming back to states0and would like to meet me. I
was elated. Our relationship quickly blossomed. Now she wanted to come to my
hometown directly. I was falling in love my head spinning with the idea of
someone to good to be true. She made plans and sent flight plans from klm
airlines. I was to pick her up at airport. I couldn't believe it. Well from then
on communications between us began to wane. Then at the different times between
communications seemed as if talking to different people. Writing grammar was
slopy or neat. Then she said she was on business as art sculpture, beads and
crafts shipper like we were meeting for 1st time. Now I suspected I was being
scammed. I checked the online scam sites and found nothing. So I did an online
search and found the older date site called migente. So now was unsure if was
being scammed but 99 percent sure. I confronted her/him and she tried to alay my
fears. I consented to find out truth. When time came near for her to come hear
she sent urgent message that hotel would not honor her master card do to chips
on back being damaged. She needed money right of way and would repay me when she
got here. I replied that such a prominent business owner would have other
financial resources and would not be in need of relying on 1 such as myself and
that I knew she was a scammer and would not get 1 dime from me. This did not
stop her. She said I didn't trust her and had wrong impression. I said I never
did trust her and she/he should be ashamed of themselves using the good Lord in
this manner and would never get 1 cent from me. My letter was actually not that
nice. I'm getting sick of these people. They are everywhere! They are ruining
the whole experience and making it next to impossible to meet someone online
without having trust issues or fears. Also owners of these dating sites should
take more responsibility to secure them from these people. They are receiving
big money from people to join and should do more to protect them.

printed with permission from our reader

Russian Scammer from Mate1 Strikes Again

After 3 weeks of no contact from the Russian girl on Mate1, our reader received THIS email from her, asking for guess what??? MONEY! for her mothers HEART surgery?!?!?!?!

I write you this letter and crying. The matter is that I had an awful grief. My mum had 2 days ago a heart attack. I at all
do not know, why it has occurred. It seems to me, that I am guilty in it. The matter is that she very much worried about me, that I cannot
arrange the private life. Now my mum is in a critical condition. Surgery which costs approximately 10 thousand roubles is urgently
necessary to my mum. It is approximately 350 dollars. For me it not simply big, but the huge sum. At my salary in 2 000 roubles a month.
From me all my friends have turned away. For me the life has turned simply to a hell. I understand you  that you are surprised, why I
address to you. But I have nobody to address more. All my friends when this grief has happened to me, have turned away from me. Yes they
probably too can be understood. After all they too have no such big sum. My darling, I can rely only on
you, but more I have nobody to go. You know me more because everything, that I wrote to you about myself. Please, help me
if can. Perhaps someone from your friends can help me. I will necessarily return then money, but not at once. I ask you help me and
I will make for you everything, everything. This surgery on heart is very dangerous. That it to make, highly skilled experts from Moscow
with the special equipment and materials are necessary. In our republics naturally there are no such experts. To me have told in
hospital that can help me. But the big sum of money is for this purpose necessary. It is necessary, that to us in a city there has
quickly arrived a command of highly skilled experts with the equipment. My darling if you can really give me this money please
help me.

More Signs of a Scammer

First, they hardly EVER write your name. They just put in "Babe","Hun".. or their all time favorite "My Queen." This is because they are sending the same stuff they copy and pasted to you to 100 other women.
Second, they may not even sign THEIR name. Quite often they will sign the WRONG name.
Third, they have names that sound like two FIRST names. Paul William @blahblah.com
Is it William Paul? Or Paul William? They do this a lot so they can SWITCH names down the line. For 6 weeks they may use Paul as their first name, and then switch to William as their first name.
Fourth, recieving money requests from hospitals or doctors. No hospital or Doctor is going to send you an email asking for money. Quick way to verify? Call the US embassy. Let them help you, like they should be helping the idiot asking you for money.
Fifth, underlined words in their emails. If you see dashes under words in an email sent to you, those dashes are there because when you cut and paste, errors get underlined in various ways.
That is one key to spotting a cut and pasted letter.
Sixth, weird backgrounds in certain emails, like pink with lip imprints, etc. The reason for this is when they cut and pasted off a site, the background from the site came too.

Signs You May Be Talking To A Nigerian Scammer

Now that we decided to toy with scammers in an effort to keep them busy (and hopefully away from victims) we have noticed some signs right away that we have a Nigerian scammer on the hook. Here are some of the signs that you may be talking, chatting or emailing a Nigerian scammer:

1. Their first email to you (or maybe the second) gives you their yahoo id (even though you didn't ask for it) and they want to chat offsite with yahoo im.

2. They supply their phone number almost immediately and want yours (of course it is not a us or uk number)

3. If they have a child, they have an only child. They say they have custody of their child and the kid travels with them to foreign countries. Forget about school and freinds for the kid.... who the hell babysits this kid by the way?

4. They may start out living in the United States but wind up working overseas perhaps in the UK, Italy, whatever but then after THAT job, they get their next job in....guess where.... Africa. Big shock, right?

5. The sob story is they are either a widow whose wife died in a car accident, during childbirth, or left him for his best friend. These are the three most popular right now.

6. They are looking for a woman (man) who will be a mother (father) for their child. RIGHT AWAY. They let you know they told the kid about you and the kid is THRILLED and calls you Mom or Dad right away. When/if the kid writes you they will change the font color. (How stupid)

7. The say they grew up in the states, BUT don't use our vernacular. They say they went to the cinema. We in the U.S.A. say we went to the movies. They say they need "food stuffs". In America, we simply say "food". Their spelling is horrible and grammar is just as bad. They love to use "cos" for because.

8. They often say they are new to the site and you are the first person they are writing to -- go check, they have been on for a while, and have friends.

9. They profess love REALLY quickly. Within a few emails they KNOW you are the right one for them and want to spend the rest of their lives with you. Yeah, ok.

10. They tell you they live in California or New York or wherever, but know NOTHING about it. They don't know the area, stores, streets, etc. These are just some of the signs we have observed so far and will post more soon.

9. They bought a one way ticket to a foreign country. Huh? They may say it is because they didn't know when the job would be finished? Pay the extra 50 bucks to change the dates, rather than the high rate of a one way ticket that of course they won't have the money for when the job is over, because they will either be robbed (lie) or have a check they can't cash (lie).

10. Can't cash a check in a foreign country. Really? Why the hell not? Go to the bank that issued the check, and cash it there. You don't have to have an account, just the person who WROTE THE CHECK does. So, what's the problem? Oh, that's right, there ISN'T a check anyway, this is all part of the scam.

11. Accents : You may think he/she disn't SOUND Nigerian. Would you know what a Nigerian sounds like? No. You most likely DON'T. The big question is why does someone BORN in America (like they claim) that lived in America (like they claim) have an accent that is NOT American?

Soldier Scam on Tagged.com

A reader alerted us to a scammer she met on tagged.com, who calls himself Christopher Phillips. Christopher Phillips claims to be a soldier in Afghanistan and needed her to pay to get him deployed early so he can come back to the states. She called him on his scam and thank goodness didn't send him the money. His email address is crichardphillips@yahoo.com
She sent an email to the email address he gave her to send the money to with nothing in the subject and nothing in the body of the email. She received an email back from a supposed government agency asking her if she wanted to send money for the soldier. Wow, wonder how they knew? (Of course it is because it's the scammers email address, not the us governments!)

Internet Dating / Sweetheart Scams

THE SWEETHEART SCAMS

The sweetheart scam is one of the most devastating scams of all. The victim will not only lose money, a car, property, a business, be left responsible for enormous debt, they will often suffer psychologically and emotional.

The sense of betrayal one feels after being a victim of a sweetheart scam can lead to trust issues (and who can blame them?) and feelings of embarrassment, often so bad they won't report the crimes against them. The internet has been a huge help to sweetheart scammers. The internet has helped them cast a much wider net to "catch" their victims, while they use the cloak of anonymity the internet provides to hide their secrets and schemes, and move on to the next victim.

Many men and women have found themselves the victim of a sweetheart scam, and the come from all backgrounds, races, ages, and education levels. Don't think you have to be incredibly nieve to fall for a sweetheart scam, or that it couldn't happen to you. No victim went into it thinking it could happen to them.

These con artists are professionals, and often make these schemes their sole source of income! Most sweetheart scammers are pulling numerous scams at the same time with multiple victims! Almost every victim of a sweetheart scam has found out, after the con artist "disappeared" that they were not alone and that several others were being duped at the same time.

The term "con" comes from the word "confidence". These people are only as good as their ability to make people believe them, trust them, fall in love with them, and give them money. The con artists in these sweetheart scams will either use a "quickie" scam to get short-term fast cash or the more elaborate scams, that take more time and often will even marry the victim! The time they will invest with each victim depends on how much they can get, and how fast, if ever, the victim begins to catch on. They will do, say, or promise you anything because they want you to trust them and believe in them so it is easier to part you with your money.

They will promise you the world - love, marriage, children, dream homes, lifestyles, and business partnerships, anything. The only catch is all the money used to pay for all these things (and so much more !) will have to be provided by you and you alone. They make promises, YOU are required to deliver up front. There are many common scenarios of how the sweetheart scammer will operate, and here is the most common:

Step 1. They will come on strong in the beginning, have tons of time for you, want to speak with you first thing in the morning, and even right before you go to sleep. There will be numerous long phone calls, emails and chats. They will listen to you, size you up and know just what to say to steal your heart. They will often tell you of their dreams, and of course how they either "had it all" or could have had it all but "something" went wrong which is never their fault. (This done for you to feel sorry for them.) They will tell you all about how they never felt this way about anyone, never felt so much so fast, and will talk about being in "love" way too soon. It will be a complete whirlwind romance!

Step 2. They will ask you to help them out financially, whether it is for a loan on a check that is coming "any day" (but never does) or a business deal that is coming through "any minute" (that never does) or a hospital stay, sickness, or some other "emergency". They can also discuss with you buying property to build your "dream home" (isn't that romantic?) or get you to go into business with them because they have been "burned by so many others" but they feel they can totally trust you. (Nope, all part of the scam.)

Step 3. If you don't hurry up and give them the money they want they will pull away, have to focus their attention on making money (since YOU aren't helping) and can't give you the same attention as they did before (and it is all your fault). They will accuse you of not believing in them, trusting them, loving them, and not full-filling your promises. (But they haven't either, have they?) They will offer contracts to protect you, which in reality cannot protect you. If you sign a contact with them, YOU are responsible to pay the debt, they just run. They don't care about their credit! But yours will suffer. And sue them? Now you are going to pay for a lawyer on top of it? And what will you get from them? They often have NOTHING. Even if you win the lawsuit, who will make sure you get paid? It often becomes a CIVIL, not criminal matter, and you wind up with nothing. (If you can even find them after they disappear.

Step 4. When they do get the money, and feel there is nothing else to take or their victim is getting close to the truth they will either vanish out of the blue, or pick a fight with the victim and vanish. Please don't think if you marry this person that it means they are not sweetheart scamming you. Being married to a sweetheart scammer also does not mean they are not married to other people!! (You would be amazed how often this happens!

This story below was sent in and permission given to print to warn others ahead of time so they don't go through the same thing that they did.

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