Did i just fall for an online scam...

[CamSLC]

The complexity of the best cons leave the victims not even knowing what the con really was.

Reading this thread is proof, "At least it was only $400!" or "you caught them before they got you for the big one!"

Best Buy will get a charge back in a month when the CC company flags it as fraud. At that point their corporate security will check the transaction, which you picked up with your ID on camera.

Then they decide to pursue it or not. I hope for the best, but this is something that could bite you in the *** a year from now.

[smym18]

How does someone go from asking for $371 to $20k lol? Such an absurd leap.

[BigJack]

Thank goodness you got out before it got worst...Some wasn't that lucky!

[bayerische]

Firstly, that is complete BS about the Apple computer being all greek.

Cyprus is indeed both Cyprus and Turkey, it's a divided Island, but asking someone you have "dated" online for 20 G's isn't going to float!

Glad you didn't fall for it. Humanity at its worst.

[lear60man]

$400 is an expensive lesson, but a bargain if its well learned. When I see a panhandler walking up to me, I hit them up for a few bucks first. "Hey man, I left my wallet at home and could use a few bucks for gas'. The look of defeat is priceless.

[locutus49]

That is a good one. I will use it.

Originally Posted by lear60man

$400 is an expensive lesson, but a bargain if its well learned. When I see a panhandler walking up to me, I hit them up for a few bucks first. "Hey man, I left my wallet at home and could use a few bucks for gas'. The look of defeat is priceless.

[brandrea]

Sorry to hear Greg. Sounds like the damage was minimal though ... lesson learned.

There ARE wonderful, decent, caring people out there, many of whom are in the same situation as you. Stay positive and don’t let one bad interaction deter you from getting back into the mix

[lear60man]

PSA this case was actually two well known scams. Fist is the drop shipper scam where scumbag buys various items and sends them to a dupe to resend. If the police comes a knocking, the scumbag is only an email address and a burner phone. They vanish like a fart in the wind.

The second scam is a long game scam that targets people 55+ on dating sites. I call it the 'Lonely John Scam'. They find your profile on a senior citizen web site like 'Our Time' and slowly build your trust to the point it gets romantic and they could use some help($$). 'I would love to come see you but dont have money for the airfare. OMG, I lost my passport and was arrested at my layover, please send me $10k for bail. What bad luck, after getting released from airport jail, the Taxi I was in got into an accident and the hospital needs $20k to treat me'. Hallmarks of the scam: the interested person is always far away, they cant talk on the phone much (if ever), they are usually a few notches above you in the attractive category. Start moving into the personal and love category way too fast.

They run the scam on multiple persons across multiple dating sites. The pics they send are ripped off from another person who put them up on their social media account. If only one out of ten send money its a win. They have no moral compass and consider it a job to fleece 'rich people'.

I got short changed by a hot dog trailer in Praha many years ago. Handed her a larger bill and got change for 5. I protested and she just smiled and held up another $5. Found a local DYI store and bought two brass paddle locks. Later that evening, I put one on the back door to the trailer and the other on the trailer hitch. The next morning I asked the driver to make a short detour to the airport. The trailer was still there.....alone with a ticket on it. Totally worth the $40 euro I spent on the locks.

[cht]

Sorry to read about your wife passing.

Try to only stick to local people, anything else is more than likely a guy hiding behind a girl's profile to scam you.

[DVDA]

Originally Posted by lear60man

PSA this case was actually two well known scams. Fist is the drop shipper scam where scumbag buys various items and sends them to a dupe to resend. If the police comes a knocking, the scumbag is only an email address and a burner phone. They vanish like a fart in the wind.

The second scam is a long game scam that targets people 55+ on dating sites. I call it the 'Lonely John Scam'. They find your profile on a senior citizen web site like 'Our Time' and slowly build your trust to the point it gets romantic and they could use some help($$). 'I would love to come see you but dont have money for the airfare. OMG, I lost my passport and was arrested at my layover, please send me $10k for bail. What bad luck, after getting released from airport jail, the Taxi I was in got into an accident and the hospital needs $20k to treat me'. Hallmarks of the scam: the interested person is always far away, they cant talk on the phone much (if ever), they are usually a few notches above you in the attractive category. Start moving into the personal and love category way too fast.

They run the scam on multiple persons across multiple dating sites. The pics they send are ripped off from another person who put them up on their social media account. If only one out of ten send money its a win. They have no moral compass and consider it a job to fleece 'rich people'.

I got short changed by a hot dog trailer in Praha many years ago. Handed her a larger bill and got change for 5. I protested and she just smiled and held up another $5. Found a local DYI store and bought two brass paddle locks. Later that evening, I put one on the back door to the trailer and the other on the trailer hitch. The next morning I asked the driver to make a short detour to the airport. The trailer was still there.....alone with a ticket on it. Totally worth the $40 euro I spent on the locks.

You're a rebel, not cause of the locks, for eating a hot dog from a street vendor in Prague. Probably took 10 years off your life.

[WatchLurv]

Dating/marriage and whatever scams are out there... So textbook. Unfortunately they still get fed.