Scams involving fake online romance.

If you have to pay to talk to them or even send an email, I think it’s fair to say it’s not going to work.

I feel sorry for this guy (it’s a playlist so watch it all if you can):


Christ, that was excruciating.

I normally avoid programmes like that as I think they're tacky and exploitative, but thanks for that.

So:

1. She did actually exist.
2. She did accept his proposal.

Both of the above surprised me and her body language throughout suggested he was far more interested in her than she was in him. It seemed much more about how he thought he saw things rather than how they actually were.

He also came across as really needy and desperate, so absolutely ripe for exploitation, and she came across as evasive and lukewarm.

So did they live happily ever after? Or was she just using him for a visa?
 
Last edited:
I can understand people getting sucked in by online scammers as where do those in their late 50's and 60's go to meet folk these days?
Here's a sad bit of information: According to Age UK, more than 2 million people in England over the age of 75 live alone, and more than a million older people say they go for over a month without speaking to a friend, neighbour or family member.
 
Last edited:
According to Age UK, more than 2 million people in England over the age of 75 live alone, and more than a million older people say they go for over a month without speaking to a friend, neighbour or family member.
I like living alone... and going a month without talking to anyone sounds like bliss.
 
Christ, that was excruciating.

I normally avoid programmes like that as I think they're tacky and exploitative, but thanks for that.

So:

1. She did actually exist.
2. She did accept his proposal.

Both of the above surprised me and her body language throughout suggested he was far more interested in her than she was in him. It seemed much more about how he thought he saw things rather than how they actually were.

He also came across as really needy and desperate, so absolutely ripe for exploitation, and she came across as evasive and lukewarm.

So did they live happily ever after? Or was she just using him for a visa?
Neither. She’s still in Ukraine. They still talk via the app and they’re no longer engaged. Just in it for the money I believe. There are rumours she was already married or paid to go on the show etc.
 
I watched this guy’s story some time ago, and he was the victim of a bit more elaborate type of scam, involving a mobile dating app where one has to pay extortionate amounts to send messages and emoticons etc. I say ‘elaborate’ because the beautiful lady he thought he was talking to did exist and was in on the scam, but she was part of a whole team that were finessing him.

Despite his explanation, I still cannot get my head round how this seemingly intelligent, decent, well spoken, charming guy with a good career, got taken for $300,000. Still, very interesting viewing:

 
Try it month after month, year after year I wonder then if you would consider it bliss?
Please don't take everything so seriously. It was simply a tongue-in-cheek comment.

If it has hit a nerve with you then I apologise profusely and unreservedly.

The tranquility of solitude doesn't suit everyone I know. If it doesn't then you're free to discuss that just as much as I'm free to celebrate it.

I've come to the realisation that statistics regarding loneliness by it's strict definition don't take into account the paradoxical nature of loneliness that can be experienced when someone is constantly surrounded by people.
 
Please don't take everything so seriously. It was simply a tongue-in-cheek comment.

If it has hit a nerve with you then I apologise profusely and unreservedly.

The tranquility of solitude doesn't suit everyone I know. If it doesn't then you're free to discuss that just as much as I'm free to celebrate it.

I've come to the realisation that statistics regarding loneliness by it's strict definition don't take into account the paradoxical nature of loneliness that can be experienced when someone is constantly surrounded by people.
Sorry where did those comments come from, all I did was point out that not seeing of speaking to someone for months on end is unlikely to be bliss?
 
Sorry where did those comments come from, all I did was point out that not seeing of speaking to someone for months on end is unlikely to be bliss?
You said "Good for you" and "Try it month after month, year after year I wonder then if you would consider it bliss?"

It sounds from those statements as if it touched a nerve for you and I've apologised.

For some people... solitude IS paradise.

You're defending banter over in the other thread but getting irked by my fairly innocuous comments here...?
 
Watching the program on BBC1 this morning and it is the same story.
Dating site woman meets bloke.
Guy working abroad.
Guy cannot get to the UK because:
Arrested.
Baggage impounded.
Accident.
Family crisis.
Asks for thousands of [pounds and gets it and keeps on getting it yet the stories he is spinning are becoming more implausible.
 
I am trying not to be judgemental here, but I don't understand how anyone can fall for these scams. I can be pretty daft on occasions and I've been fleeced myself before, but not out of hundreds or thousands of pounds and (more to the point) not continually over a period of time.

I can only think that some people are so desperate to be loved that they lose sight of any logical judgement. I can sympathise with that even if I don't really understand it.
 
I am trying not to be judgemental here, but I don't understand how anyone can fall for these scams. I can be pretty daft on occasions and I've been fleeced myself before, but not out of hundreds or thousands of pounds and (more to the point) not continually over a period of time.

I can only think that some people are so desperate to be loved that they lose sight of any logical judgement. I can sympathise with that even if I don't really understand it.
Did you not watch the video that @ssbib posted earlier?

The programme wasn't great, and heavily edited, but it did give you some insight into how self-deluded some people can be.

They are so driven by loneliness they'll almost believe anything, even when the evidence is presented right in front of their faces. They really do believe they know this person and that they're in love.

I think it's also been well established that scammers don't go in all guns blazing, they worm their way into your affections slowly, create a rapport, build trust and the money requests usually start small, but grow until people can no longer keep count of how much they've paid.

It's almost like gambling. Why do people keep putting money down when they've already lost thousands? Because they might believe it will come good for them eventually, that they've committed so much already they may as well keep going.
 
Last edited:
Did you not watch the video that @ssbib posted earlier?

The programme wasn't great, and heavily edited, but it did give you some insight into how self-deluded some people can be.

They are so driven by loneliness they'll almost believe anything, even when the evidence is presented right in front of thier faces. They really do believe they know this person and that they're in love.

I think it's also been well established that scammers don't go in all guns blazing, they worm their way into your affections slowly, create a rapport, build trust and the money requests usually start small, but grow until people can no longer keep count of how much they've paid.

It's almost like gambling. Why do people keep putting money down when they've already lost thousands? Because they might believe it will come good for them eventually, that they've committed so much already they may as well keep going.
I haven't had time to look yet but I will take a look. I'm genuinely interested in how people fall victim to these scammers. I don't think they are necessarily stupid, gullible yes but even some very intelligent people are capable of being gullible. You make an interesting point about gambling. Thanks for the insightful reply.
 
These scammers send out millions of emails, texts, friend requests etc and the law of averages shows that there are people who will click or reply maybe just out of curiosity to begin with. What people don`t realise is that a lot of these scammers are highly intelligent and clever at what they do.
One programme I watched said that a lot of them have studied psychology to degree level, and with romance scams lonely vulnerable people are the ones that fall for it. Like Autumn Rain said earlier most of us find it hard to believe anyone could fall for it, but lots do.
I have a story related to this. One of my older brothers recently revealed to me that he had been scammed out of £20000. I was aghast as he is the member of the family who I have always regarded as the smartest. I consider him highly intelligent and he is certainly much more clued up and more qualified in lots of things than the rest of the family.
It is quite difficult to make a short story out of the saga but it started out with them recieving a cold call. His wife took the initial call and from there got very enthusiastic about the investment opportunity that had been presented by the initial cold call. The investment company and the guy heading it were registered with the FCA and my brother did plenty of research and due dilligence before any money was handed over. The web site was very professional and the company director all checked out.
So the £20000 was handed over to be invested. So about a year later when the first profits or dividends from the investment were due to be paid and nothing materialised, the first alarm bells rang. So after multiple phone calls emails etc with every excuse under the sun they got paid about £100. Its now obvious that there was no investment and that they had been paid out of their own money. Like I said this was a very long and elaborate scam.
Anyway when it was getting on for 2 years from the money being handed over my brother was still on the case checking and it turns out the main guy fronting the website and company had been arrested and suspended from the FCA register.
Without boring you to death the outcome was that my brother got his £20000 back. Apparently the FCA has a fund to help people who these thing happen to. They paid out because I believe they should of struck the guy off the register but because of some cock up it didn`t get done quick enough so when my brother did the initial checks the guy and company checked out on the FCA register.
As I said this was a long and elaborate scam and the guy swindled people out of close to a million pounds. There is a lot more to this than this "brief" explanation but I wanted to show that anyone can fall for these things.
I would never have dreamt that my brother of all people would have fallen for it.
So never answer the phone to a number you don`t know. If it is important they will leave a message.
 
I've still been thinking about the clip that @ssbib uploaded.

I know that an age gap isn't necessarily a marker of instant failure, but:

1. He was 60 and she was 28.
2. She had a love of cosmetics.
3. She hardly spoke any English.

So what on earth did they talk about for 7 years online? What did they have in common? Where was the connection - was she unusually mature and he unusually immature?

He just kept staring at her with big puppy eyes whilst she looked away. Off-camera, she expressed a desire to see America as they probably had a wider and better range of cosmetics!

Honestly, I know young women can be attractive, but this wasn't love! It was desire and desperation.
 
I must admit I find age gap relationships strange even in normal circumstances. Objectively it doesn't matter as long as you are both adults, there is nothing inherently wrong with them. Subjectively I still find them strange though. I know age isn't necessarily a measure of maturity, but that's only one aspect.

I remember hearing of a couple recently with a 30 year age gap. I can't help but wonder how you would even connect with someone that much older/younger than you on a romantic level? You would be at completely different stages of your life.

Each to their own and all that. It's not any of my business. It's just an alien concept to me (a woman 30 years my senior would be older than my mum :eek:).
 
Mrs dated someone 30yrs older, she meet him whilst she was working in front of the house at a restaurant.

He's a wealthy chap, however, she claims it wasn't his money. There was no scam involved, and from experience with other wealthy friends, young lithe women are popular amongst the older males.

Apparently, they sat on separate sofas when she was at his place. 🤣 🙄
 
He's a wealthy chap, however, she claims it wasn't his money. There was no scam involved, and from experience with other wealthy friends, young lithe women are popular amongst the older males.
You see, that's just it.

The older men nearly always are wealthy.

I'm 57 and am not loaded, so what are the chances I'll have a fit young woman in her 20's interested in me? Non-existent, I'd say.

In fact, I'd also say that a fit woman in her 30's and 40's also wouldn't be interested in me either!
 
You see, that's just it.

The older men nearly always are wealthy.

I'm 57 and am not loaded, so what are the chances I'll have a fit young woman in her 20's interested in me? Non-existent, I'd say.

In fact, I'd also say that a fit woman in her 30's and 40's also wouldn't be interested in me either!
I dunno, a few wealthy men I met (60plus) used to turn up to functions (Polo-birthdays, etc) with younger women just for the duration, some men used to take them on holiday.

It seems to be prevalent amongst the Easter Europeans, she had a colleague who was married who cavorted with rich clients after hrs whilst hubby was at home. The idea was to enjoy the high life.
In these cases, though there was no scam, fully consenting.
This woman has now gone back home with her hubby and family.
He's none the wiser. 🧐

So nothing like the deliberate scams.

I'm not being scammed because I have no money-age gap is 12 yrs.

The chap in the video is obviously able, competent enough to earn a decent amount, handsome, I'm perplexed. Maybe he thinks it's chivalry, definitely misplaced.
 
This is going off-topic but another problem with age gap relationships, particularly those where the gap is by several decades, is that (if you are the younger of the two) you are far more likely to end up widowed at a younger age. A thirty-something in a relationship with a sixty-something has a considerably higher chance of being widowed by their 40s, than if they were with someone their own age. I'd imagine they realise that though and they are just living for the moment (which is fair enough).
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom