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Recommended:
books
Recommended
AV product:
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Example of a Social Networking Scam Email
'Peace Initiative Program' worker
NantoUN on Amigos.com, wants to get to know you?... or
your money?
NantoUN (a profile on Amigos.com) is another example of a social networking, friends or chat scam. If you are active on online
social network websites (like FaceBook, MySpace, Amigos.com, etc.) your should
expect to encounter scammers posing as firends, dates, missionaries, social
workers, refugees, anything and everything. Some reports
indicate that as much as 30% of the personalities are scams:
- either scammers set out to part you from your money;
- fake profiles intended to redirect you to another website (porn,
gambling or even another dating website); or
- real people... but misrepresenting who they really are (age, race,
income, interests, appearance, goals, etc.)!
Nome of the social networking websites are immune to scammers. It is
difficult, if not impossible, for the websites to block scammers, because they
could be anyone, and it is impossible to verify intent.
Here is one report of a scam email.
Actual scam emails received May 9, 2008:
Greetings,
My family and I recently fell prey to a dating
website scam.
Website: Amigos.com
Profile: nantoUN
This was someone claiming to be a 'Peace Initiative
Program' worker, looking for love and family... who was stationed in
Nigeria, but Columbian born and raised in the UK.
Very convincing letters and dialogue. Just happened
to get a one month vacation, and willing to come visit us in the USA.
We were contacted by a 'Ticket Officer' Egweni Maro
Benedict from: Bellview Travels Ltd, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria
+2347055654003 who instructed me to send via Western Union $2296 USD for
flight arrangements.
The flight schedules, amounts due, aircraft
numbers... all checked out. After our money was collected from the Western
Union, we were informed of an additional required fee.. which they termed a
"Basic Travel Allowance" of $3500. This was not paid, but was the alarm that
finally caused me to realize that we had been victims of a fraud.
Thank you for noting this particualr scam on your
site.
Sincerely, Mike and Family
What can you do to avoid being scammed on dating websites
Scammers are
present everywhere on the fiends, dating and other social networking websites.
Before you invest your emotions into a long distance relationship, compare what
they say against common sense. Beware of requests for money ESPECIALLY if
the want it sent by "wire transfer" or Western Union - that is almost certainly
the sign of a scammer! Apply the same common sense
rules of safe friends and dating online as you would in person. |
