Reader Warns those of you in Colorado and Washington State!

A reader sent us this email to warn those of you in Colorado and Washington State:
My daughter (40) decided to try internet dating for the first time. She went on a well-respected site, posted a profile and was immediately contacted by what appeared to be a nice, responsible, all around good guy. He is foreign (German) and claims he has difficulty with English but trying to learn the language ( the reason I'm using present tense I will explain later). Recently divorced, three jobs, ranch in Colorado, loves horses (her line of work). Then he proceeded to tell her stories of heroic acts that he recently performed. "Saving a US Marine family lost in the wilderness inspite of falling with his horse, killing the horse and severely injuring himself. He still managed to drag himself and rescue the whole family", just one of many. Because of all his heroic actions, he was made an honorary US Marine. She bought all his stories, he had such an unpresumptuous way of telling them. War Hero, everybody loves him, etc. etc. etc. Within days he told her he loved her (even though they hadn't even met) and wanted to meet as soon as possible. One week later he showed up on her doorstep, using his advanced computer skills to get her address and phone #. For just a split second when she went to greet him the first timeshe describes a weird look in his eyes (she described it as insanity) then it was gone. He moved right in on her, convincing her he couldn't live without her now that he had found her. Slowly she began finding little inconsistencies in his stories, his behavior became abusive, especially if questioned about anything. He began showing cruelty to her pets, everything on the red flag list. He threatens suicide or threatens to kill her on a regular basis when she has tried to leave . He has ruined her business, ran off any friends (most are afraid of him). She is now in hiding, waiting for legal actions to be taken against him. Hopefully he will soon be deported so that she can once again walk in the daylight without fear that he will harm her or her loved ones. It will take years for her to repair the damage he accomplished in 8 short months. This story is current and as yet unfinished, he's still there in the shadows until he is caught and charged for his crimes. He is once again trawling the internet for another victim to "save" him. The purpose of this is to warn others out there to be very careful, there is a monster hiding behind the screen waiting for you to give him the opportunity to harm you. A general discription; frequents Military and Equestrian dating sights, German (not US citizen), heavy accent, poor english. Middle 40's, medium build, 5' 8"-6', reddish hair (always severe military cut), ruddy complexion, blue-grey eyes, wears glasses, tattoos, hangs out at Starbucks, chain smoke's little cigars, spends most of his time on computers (extremely skilled, tech savy,hacks for fun), like's anything military (very interested in guns), military imposter w/uniforms and war stories just one of several costumes, cowboy, Search & Rescue. Has victims in Colorado and Washington State.

Gregory Peterson - Nigerian Scammer

Here is an email we received from a reader who would like to share their experience in an effort to warn others. Here is the email about Gregory Peterson:
Hello
Thanks to a friend warning me about Nigerian Scammers (he had nearly been a victim himself) he put me onto your website. It wasnt long before I had my own taste of the scammer's art. Fortunately, as I was forewarned by your site, I knew what to look for and find it amazing that they rarely change their M.O. As soon as he mentioned Nigeria I was on guard. He supposedly spent 5 years at College??? and was born and raised in the USA (his use of the language doesnt say much for a college education), losing the parents, wife and goodness knows who else and raising the child on his own blah blah. He also never answered any questions I put to him but continued to pepper me with questions.

Following are some of the cringeworthy emails he sent me over the course of a few days:

How are you doing,my name is Gregory Petterson.I am very happy you gave me your e-mail,Well life is good & also fine. How is life treating you over there ? I am Originally from Illinois,USA. I moved to Victoria Melbourne,3 months ago for some important issues, I am willing to stay in Australia forever, if i can find a right woman of my dream. I don't have any plans of going back to USA any time soon. Currently as i write you, I am in Nigeria, Western part of Africa, I came here 4 days go for my business reasons. I import GEMSTONES, PRECIOUS STONES from Africa to Europe and some parts in North America. These STONES are used in making RINGS, BRACELETS, EXPENSIVE BEADS, AND SO MANY VALUABLE JEWELRIES. I am a retired Architect, I Stopped working as an architect when i lost my wife 5 years ago. May I start to know you from here please? As for me, I am humble, loyal, and devoted man who's looking for the same characteristics in a woman. Someone to share personal moments with, enjoy life and to firmly hold the blessings of a lasting and undying happiness. I am educated with high goals, morals, and integrity. I am looking for a serious relationship, no matter what age, as you know age is just a number. I'm looking for a lady who's open minded to have correspondence with. I'm a strong, straight forward, smart, and independent gentle man with many goals and lots of rive. I love to have fun and need a real woman by my side to hold it down with. I also need a woman who will take good care of me as her loving man. I need a woman with good conversation, intelligence, street smarts and one who knows how to treat a lady. I want to explore the world and do new things when I come home. I love warm weather,tropical drinks and sandy beaches. I like to party and have fun. I don't want no more drama in my life. I like romantic evenings and bedroom talk.I love to be among nice people. My father was a successful business man he was a contractor, I went to the Long Island University spent almost 5 years (studied Architecture),and after that i begin to work on my own. I want a secure foundation and loving woman for life,age is nothing to me, what that matters is love, care and open mindedness. I think we will need to learn about each other. I will love you to mail me tell me more about you.

He goes on to ask some basic questions then this:

Hello Princess,

The look of your eyes and that smile that you gave me,melted my heart away. Those smooth cheeks you have, oh, I wished I could've given you a kiss right away. As soon as I see your face, my knees go weak, my heart throbs hoping to feel you around me. Your body is perfection and to me it does not matter - interesting seeing he's never seen my body and we have never met!!

And also Thanks for the smile you gave me. I really felt so lightened inside that I melted. I could say nothing but to just stare at your natural awesome. I wish we could go out together one day and we could have our nights by the bay and that I could pour out my feelings to you. Thank you, you awaken me, deep inside. Even if you don't love me, I'll always wait for you and no matter what, you are in my heart... no matter what happens. I hope I'll be able to hold you in my arms and tell you that I love you. That's all I need from you. I love you and that's a promise.

At first I was confused, didn't really know what I wanted, I didn't know if I would want to take a chance again and actually take you seriously. So, I decided to come close to you as a friend and find out who you truly were and what you were like. You seemed cool, nice and funny some things I really liked in a woman. So I took a chance and got with you.

In the beginning, things didn't seem that well, I actually had my doubts about you. I wasn't sure you were actually taking me seriously. But, it was too late to look back; I had already fallen for you since the day I met you and I wasn't really looking forward to giving up too soon. I tried so hard to have you, I wasn't going to let you go so easily!

Well, time has passed and I have discovered new things and a new me. You have truly changed me. Still, in a way, I'm scared 'cause I am actually growing a true feeling inside my heart which I just cant explain, but I know it's there waiting for you to come and uncover it. I truly don't know what your feelings are but I don't want to force you in telling me what you don't feel towards me. I would want to receive love and trust from you when you truly mean it. All I ask from you is to show me you care and not hide anything, to also have trust in me the way I do in you.

No one in this world knows the feeling that I get when I talk to you. They have no idea about what you get my body to do when I hear your name or read that sweet mail of yours. Nobody has ever made me feel like the way you make me feel and that is such a crazy feeling. It feels like I just want to grab you and be in your arms forever and forever and never let go. I want to kiss your lips and never end - just keep going.

Every time I think about you, it gives me more and more strength with which to carry on my life. It makes me happy to be alive knowing that you have came into my life and all I know is that I want to be with you!

I am still on my knees begging for love, not to a stranger but to one I know ... you. I've been in love and know it's fun. Each night and day I hope and pray that you'll be mine forever more. I know it's hard to be heart broken before - giving your heart, body and soul, but know it's me that's on my knees swallowing my pride, begging you, please ... once again I say please; be mine.

And then comes the clincher - only took him 4 days:

---

From: gregorypetterson@hotmail.com
Subject: Please reply me ASAP My Love!
Date: Fri, 9 Dec 2011 08:10:12 +0000

Hello honey,

How was your day ? I hope it was well. I just came back home from the Clinic to stitch and treat my foreheadand jeff is still at the hospital and he is in comma as i write to you, I was attacked by some armed men on my way to deposit some money into the account of the company that I want to buy the machines for my work from. The Criminals took my brief-case, and it was containing some vital documents and my MasterCard. They also went away with the car that I drive here in Nigeria. I reported the case to the Police headquarters here immediately,and I also called my bank in Austrailia to block my lost MasterCard, I also asked them to issue a new card and send it down here for me, but they said it would take about 8 days before it can be processed and sent down to Nigeria. My Love, I had to drop my International Passport, ID-Card and my Wrist watch with the Clinic security as a collateral, I told them that I will come back to pay them before 24 hours because they have refuse to treat jeff untill i pay deposit. My Dear, please help me!! There is no one I can ask for quick assistance but You. I have only you Darling,you are the closest person to my heart and I know you will not watch me suffer great pain. Honey, the Clinic bill is 900Australian Dollars, Vivienne,i promise to give you back your money as soon as I am well and balanced. Baby, I feel so lonely now and I need your tight hugs. Please Darling... write me as soon as you get this message.I'm crying bitterly now my love,please call me my love.

Your Sweetheart,

Gregory.P

Note the changes in the font!! And I was particularly touched by the fact that the letter was an obvious cut and paste!

I sent the following email almost immediately:

I'm surprised it took you so long to get around to this. Nigerian scammers are well known in Australia my dear and unfortunately for you the game is up. I have reported your name and email address to a site that warns other unsuspecting women of your fake emails. Don't contact me again and shame on you.

I hope you will be able to add him to your hall of shame and warn others. I've added a photo that he sent me. He was on Be2 and immediately withdrew his profile as soon as he made contact with me. His email address is gregorypetterson@hotmail.com. I was fortunate that my heart and funds were left unscathed but my heart goes out to the men and women who have been hurt and left broke by these creeps. Your site is doing a great public service so I hope you keep up the good work and happy hunting!

Scam Victims Story - Gerald Allen

A reader recently sent us their story dealing with a Nigerian scammer going by the name of Gerald Allen:
I live in Spain and was contacted August 2009 by a man who said that he was an American/Canadian following my dating advert in germansingles He told me that he was about 51 years old, divorced with an 11 year old daughter, that he was an freelance geologist after having worked as such for many years for Halleburton. At the time of the initial contact he said that he was in London tendering for a contract in Scotland and Norway. As he didn´t get these contracts he then, so he told me, obtained a contract in Nigeria solving an oil spillage. After about 6 weeks of chatting online via Messenger he became very affectionate and declared his love for me and that he wanted to meet me. After about 2 months of having regular online contact he told me that he had left his briefcase with his passport, all his money, credit cards etc. in a taxi travelling from the site and he then asked me to help him out financially which I did. This was followed by a variety of other sob stories which ended in my sending him more money. He sounded always very convincing and although I did have doubts unfortunately I always gave him the benefit of the doubt. I sent him money to leave Nigeria and he said that he was then in London. I tried to meet him in the U.K. 3 times whilst over there but each time something happened as to why he could not meet me. He continued chatting to me for over one year more via messenger. During that time I did not send him more money although from time to time I received more sob stories. Just recently I asked him to come to Spain and e-mailed a Ryanair boarding pass to him. (I had a copy of his "American passport" which was a fake). Needless to say he did not turn up. He told me that at the Ryanair Visa check desk he had been asked for a malaria vaccination certificate (He said that he contracted malaria whilst in Nigeria) which he said cost Pound Sterling 360.--. I checked this out with Ryanair and received confirmation from them in writing that this was not required. I challenged him on this and he eventually admitted that he was actually a Nigerian/South African with a mixed colour Nigerian father and a white South African mother. He asked my forgiveness and told me that he was ashamed of what he had done to me. All in all he conned me out of Euros 20,000.- which he said that he would repay bit by bit. He said that he had not spent all this money but invested it in shares. He also begged me not to report him to the police. He wanted to turn over a new leaf and make something of himself. I don´t believe that this is true and that he will continue conning women out of money. His e-mail address is geraldall@hotmail.com and geraldald@yahoo.com
geraldallen@yahoo.com

his mobile phone no. is 00447035906915 (previously 004470457029 and whilst in Nigeria 2347030884045)

his "Canadian mother´s" phone no. 17802375213 and her e-mail address maryavilla@hotmail.com and his "daughter´s Kimberley" kimberlygrd@hotmail.com

I checked his "mother´s and daughter´s" e-mail out by sending a greeting card via 123greetings which were returned.

Since then he has admitted that he does not have any children and is single.

He told me that his present address in London is 23 Bethel Drive, Newham, London E138BN.

He admitted that the initial 2 photos he sent me were somebody else but the subsequent ones were him (the last 2 were not that different from the initial ones but his "American passport" photo was quite different. (I had asked him for a copy of his passport before sending him more money about 1 year ago getting him out of Nigeria by making up a bit of a story).

Another Day, Another Scam this time from Ghana

Watch out for a lady named Lawer Linda Mauwginuwua from Accra, Ghana. She promised me the world, broke my heart and took my money. Her photo is a 31 year old white woman who has blond hair and a voluptuous figure and smile. My guess is that the pirates in Ghana took her photo off the Internet and scammed me. I got several documents from her which appear to be fraudulent. She is extremely attractive and her messages were as sweet as they could be. She refuses to return emails now that she has my money. Please advise if there are any organizations that can help me recover my money and prosecute these pirates.


BELOW ARE SOME OF LINDA'S EMAILS TO OUR READER:
This was sent on 6/8/11.

Hello Dearest,
Why cant you understand that i cant fly without paying the hospital this is all i want you to know,I love you and want you to know that i have always wished and want to be with you sweetie,Just understand this for us to be together i am not the one who is holding you for money..I don't need your money and i will not use your money for anything all i want and need is you..Just understand this for us to be together i am tired and don't know what to say to you again for you to believe that i will be with you,i Cant fly without the hospital bill pay..Anyway take care for now and stay blessed..


Love always,
Linda

Note - I never sent the $300 and she has stopped emailing me. her email easygoinglinda1@yahoo.com
THE FOLLOWING TWO PHOTOS OF HER ARE BADLY PHOTOSHOPPED WITH HER HEAD ONTO ANOTHER'S BODY - ONE WHERE SHE GOT ARRESTED AND NEEDED HELP AND THE OTHER WHEN SHE WAS SUPPOSEDLY IN THE 'HOSPITEL" AS SHE CALLED IT

This was sent a week before.

Hello sweetheart,
I am crying now and don't want to stay here any longer sweetheart,I love you and do want to get out of here to be with you and make you the happiest man alive forever baby,No one will help me with the rest and i cant do anything to get the rest sweetheart..I want you badly beside me darling..Please do something sooner for me to be out of here because i am dying over here i hate being here lonely sweetheart,I love you and you are all i need and want beside me baby..I was feeling pain all over my back when the accident happened so i was rush to the hospital and be take good care baby..I will be out of here as soon as i get the $300 and pay them my love,I love you soo much and cant wait to hold you and make you happy each and every day darling,I want to get out of here to be with you and make you happy forever baby..take very good care of yourself for me now and stay blessed..

Love always,
Linda

This was sent on 5/20/11. She attached the picture with her in shackles with it. That cost me $500 to allegedly get her out of jail. The transfer of gold ownership was what she said she needed. I was a sucker and it makes me sick to be conned like this.

Hello My Dear,
Sorry if i did say anything to hurt you it was because i am very afraid to go to jail baby,I beg them and they gave me one more day for that to be done which is tomorrow 4pm otherwise i will be going to jail baby and this is the last favor they are giving me which is is one more day,baby please do understand that i will be with you and nothing will happened again take this step as your last step for me and i will be in your arms for us to live a happy life together my love,Tony Many things have happened in the past for us and many things have changed. It doesn't matter how much time has gone by. Time could never make my feelings for you weak or fade away. Now all i need from you is one more chance to be together ,Love, trust, understanding, affection, honesty, tolerance and loyalty are key factors for a successful relationship. Every time I think of you my heart misses a beat sweetheart,I love you and i don't want to go to jail baby please do understand this because of our love sweetheart,I promise you that i will be in your arms as soon as the second document is done and i am out of here darling...take care for me and stay blessed..

Love always,
Linda



footnote - She never did anything to try to come be with me. She told me she had bought a ticket from KLM airlines. When I called them, thy had no record of her buying a ticket. It appears that the lady in the pictures is not real. My bet is that these pirates picked the picture off the Internet and she is not aware of her picture being used in a scam. I doubt that she got a dime of my money and that makes it all the worse.

A Reader's Dating Site Nightmare (not with a scammer)

Hello,

I’ve just cancelled my membership to the dating sites I was using, and will never use them again after my free dating site experience lost me my job, and nearly my home. I wanted to tell my story, to try and warn others to be very careful and look for the dangers of people on these sites who have simply no intention of committing themself to a relationship.

I was on a free dating site back in April and met a man named Gareth, who had set up a very nice profile and stated himself as divorced. We got chatting and although he lived 125 miles away, we decided that we got on so well that we would meet up. Gareth said he would travel down to my home, and we had a wonderful weekend together. It was love at first sight, and when he went home Gareth said he was sure that I was the lady for him and that he wanted to live with me. I felt over the moon, and having spent years hearing about other people meeting their soul mates, couldn’t believe this was actually happening at last to me.

The following week though, I noticed that although Gareth had said that he wasn’t on Facebook, when I searched, his profile came up – with a photo of him with a blonde lady. In his list of friends, I also found a profile of the same blonde lady with a picture of him. When he called, I questioned him about it, and he said that this was just an old photo that he’d forgotten to change, and he hadn’t logged on to Facebook for ages. I was still puzzled that he wouldn’t accept my friend request, but because I had fallen so much for him chose to give him the benefit of the doubt. When I asked him if he was still in a relationship, he said that he had split up from this lady before Christmas, and although he was still in occasional touch, they were not an item an more and he lived at his mothers.

Gareth came down for two more long weekends, and we started to plan our new life together. The one thing that did bother me was that every time I got up to go out of the room, Gareth would quickly take his phone out of his pocket and start texting, and I also felt uneasy because he refused to tell any of his family or friends about me with the excuse that he wanted me ‘properly on the scene’ first. Every time I had any worries, Gareth would send me wonderful long emails telling me he was totally committed to me, to trust him and that he wanted to be with me more than anything else. He gave me a holiday for my birthday cruising round the Greek Islands which was scheduled for July, and I just couldn’t believe that I’d been given such a wonderful birthday present as this was the first time for me that I had ever been spoilt so much. Gareth then suggested that I put get my house valued and put it on the market, which I did – with the idea that I’d be moving into his house in Wales that his tenants had just vacated. Gareth had said to me that I would need to invest all of the £70k from the sale of my house into his property and go on a joint mortgage with him, and he arranged a mortgage in principle with the bank. I was very surprised when I got a cash buyer immediately, and called Gareth straight away to ask him if he was still sure about me selling. He said that he had never been more sure of anything and told me to accept the offer, which I did. At the end of May, after agreeing this with Gareth, I gave in my notice at work with the idea that I would then be able to go on the holiday in July, and move to Wales after that.

Then suddenly cracks began to appear, and this is where my trusting nature let me down. I went up to Wales for the weekend to see the house, and noticed that Gareth had become considerably anxious and on edge. I tried to put it down to pressure of his work, but he just wouldn’t relax, and for the first time I realised that me going up to Wales had suddenly made all that was happening very real for him. By the Sunday I was tearful, because something inside was telling me that there was something wrong, but Gareth wouldn’t discuss it.

The following morning I got up to eagerly read an email I’d got from Gareth, expecting his usual loving words, but instead it was just a one line email saying to cancel the house sale and that he was not going to pursue the relationship any further. I just froze to the spot, feeling absolutely sick. My hands were shaking so much with the shock I could hardly type a reply. It turned out that he had never really finished with his previous relationship and he had decided to stick with her as it was what he knew. He had basically just got cold feet and backed out. He even told me later that the holiday he was taking me on, he would now be taking his previous girlfriend instead. His cruelty was just unbelievable. It didn’t take much to work out that he must have gone straight round to her house after dropping me off at the station to see if she would take him back before he ditched me.

I paid a very high price for my trusting nature, and falling in love with a man with commitment phobia. I managed to get my house back as I cancelled the sale, but I couldn’t get my job back as they paid me in lieu of notice. I have now been left on benefits, desperately searching for work to try and pay my mortgage. My mother was forced to give me her life savings to help get my mortgage down to a reasonable level. Gareth not only destroyed me, but caused my family real hardship as well.

My word of warning to anyone using these dating sites is please, don’t rush into any big decisions until the other person shows some concrete commitment by their actions, and not by their words. I have lost almost everything due to trusting this man’s word, while he walked away unscathed and even made sure he had his old girlfriend’s bed to jump straight back into. Look for the warning signs, and if they don’t want you to meet their family or friends question it, and if they start declaring undying love at the first meeting, it’s probably not sincere. Above all, always question any sign that a previous relationship is still hanging around as ‘friends’.

Thank you for reading this, and if writing my story can stop one other person going through the Hell that I’ve been through using dating sites then it will be worthwhile.

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

They Will Still Con You ~ Even After you Meet Them in Person!

I had been single for a while after separating from my husband, and decided to try internet dating. After a short while I met a man Prav, and we got on very well from the start. We found that we shared the same star sign and our birthday's were only three days apart. I felt that we definitely clicked, and we chatted endlessly on IM and text messages. I waited every morning for his lovely texts to come through.

After just over a week, I decided to pay the £45 rail fare to go to London to meet him. We were both so excited and were counting the days until the weekend. We met at Waterloo station, and the instant I met him I felt that something wasn't quite right - he was shifty and a bit uneasy with me. I put this down to first date nerves, but as the day went on I became unhappy with the fact that he was so unattentive towards me, considering he had been so desperate to meet me.

During the conversation, facts began to come out that I had not been aware of before, there was an 'ex' girlfriend who, although she had supposedly moved out of his house, had still left most of her belongings behind. There was also the fact that his youngest daughter who had been living with her mother before he met me, was suddenly moving in with him full time. This I was particularly uncomfortable with, as having no children of my own, I did not want to live with anyone who had children full time.

Then he suddenly kept mentioning this business he was going into. He was buying the franchise of a well known coffee shop and told me that he was taking out a loan against one of the two properties that he owned. He then said that he was hoping he wouldn't have a problem getting his ex girlfriend to sign over her half of this property as he would need her to do this in order to put this up as collateral for the loan. I began to feel quite upset that he did not seem interested in talking about our relationship, only this business and the loan. He showed me all the architects plans and the business plan he had drawn up for the bank. I tried again and again to turn the conversation to us, but it seemed he did not want to know.

During the day, he asked me several times if I would consider moving to London should things work out, and I told him that we would have to get to know each other better, it was impossible to make a decision after only knowing him a couple of weeks. He seemed unhappy with this and by the end of the afternoon seemed not to be able to get rid of me quick enough.

On the train home, I was so disappointed. I just felt that there was something strange about this that I couldn't put my finger on. Well, a couple of days later I found out what it was. On Monday and Tuesday I was surprised because he was suddenly totally unavailable on Skype, and on Wednesday morning the text I had been dreading came through. He said that he could not get his 'ex' to sign over her half of the second property and he wanted me to take out a loan in my name for £10,000 secured against half his house.

I was stunned. He texted me and called me constantly begging for help, saying that the deadline for the franchise was Friday. It appeared that the only person who could help him get this franchise was me and if I really loved him I would trust him and take out the loan. It was emotional blackmail and I was devastated. I told him there was no way I could do this after such a short time of knowing him - the whole thing to me was ridiculous, but I knew that my relationship with him was over. He was just a con man.

Looking back, I don't think the 'ex' girlfriend was 'ex'. Her stuff was all over his house, and I couldn't see how she would move out and leave all her personal possessions behind. I have a feeling that they were both in this together and she had just arranged to be out for the day when I went round. The minute he knew he wasn't getting the money he dropped me like a stone. He didn't answer my texts, phonecalls or appear on Skype again. I felt so used and I am telling my story in the hope that it might stop this heartbreak happening to someone else. Be aware, and remember that even if you get to meet someone in person, it dosen't necessarily mean that they won't try to con you.

Internet Dating Sumitted Story

I met this guy on one of the dating site and we seemed to hit it off right away. We wrote to eachother on the internet dating site for a while and then exchanged numbers. I thought I was taking precautions by meeting him at public places for a while and not letting him know where I live. After a few "dates" he told me he was having some money problems and would I mind stopping over his house and watching movies we would rent instead of going out? I thought it wouldn't be a problem, I would be going to HIS house, and I could leave whenever I wanted to. He knew I would know where he lived, so he wouldn't do anything stupid or that would put me in danger. We picked out some movies over the phone that he would get before I got there. I went in, said hello, and sat down on the couch with him to watch a movie. He asked me if I would like a drink and I said yes, and he went to go and get it for me. I was engrossed in the movie when he handed me my drink and I just so happened to look down at the drink just as I was about to take a sip. I saw a weird powdery substance in the drink that made it look a bit cloudy. My alarm bells went off and I excused myself and said I needed to use the restroom. In the restroom I know I had to get the hell out of there, and thank goodness the restroom was right by his front door. I left his house shaken and upset. I drove home and called a friend of mine whose husband was a cop. He got on the phone with me and told me I did the right thing. He said that what most women do not realize is that many women who are raped and killed KNOW where their rapist or murder LIVES. He said that is why they call it DATE rape, because it happens to women that are dating someone, and not always on the FIRST date. He said that if there was a drug of some kind in my drink and I drank it, I may not have remembered what happened. If I didn't know what happened I may not have went to the police in a timely manner either. He made me realize that I was not as careful as I thought I was. I hope this helps someone, I consider myself very very lucky.