Image Gallery for Internet Dating fake profile photos

Since I wrote my article on scammers and online dating, many of you have sent me images being used in the profiles on the dating sites. I said I would start a gallery so here it is.
I sure wish I had saved the images of the “widowed with a small child” guy that was used when I first discovered this scam going on.

If you have any images you would like added to this gallery to help alert others, please submit them to:

scammerphotos _@_askmepc.com  (without the spaces)

If you happen to be one of the people in this gallery, let us know.

Internet Dating -Personal Ads Scams-How to avoid getting scammed

Since the 1980’s one scam has raked in billions of dollars from it’s victims.

It goes by many names but is most widely known as the Nigerian Scam.
This scam has moved from postal mail to faxes, unto today’s incarnation using email.

The basic premise of this scam is you are contacted by someone who needs money advanced to them, but the hook is, you will get a huge return back, since it is only temporary until their millions are freed up. This scam always plays out to be a large convoluted story involving lawyers, family and some catastrophic situation like death of a family member who somehow seemed to have left a large fortune they just cannot access at this time..

Common Names for this scam are:

• 4-1-9 (former name of penal code for this scam in Nigeria)
• Advance Fee Fraud
• Nigerian Letter
• Romance/Dating Scam

There are so many variations on this scam it is impossible to keep track.

The latest twist, is targeting Internet Dating Sites where they prey on innocent people  looking for companionship online.

A typical Internet dating scam goes like this:

Someone contacts you through the dating site you are registered on.

They have a profile with photos (not real) and you respond.

You have a few emails back and forth and they gain your trust a bit.

At some point they will ask you for money.

The con artist may claim to be interested in meeting you, but needs cash to book a plane, hotel room, or other expenses.

You send the money , always using either Western Union or a Money Order.

The victim keeps getting strung along and eventually realizes they have been had when the con artist never shows up or just stops communication..

Here are some of the typical things you will hear from the con artist.

“My parent, (Dad or Mum) is sick in the hospital”
“ I just need some money or plane fare to fly out and see you.”

“ I need an operation.”

“My family had millions of dollars, they will get it released soon, I need money to use now and will pay you back.”

“My whole family died, and I am alone and want to move to the United States and be with you, send money.”

“I have a daughter/son and sick parent, must leave the country fast, need money.”
“I need money to buy a phone and phone you.”

How to tell if you are being scammed.

NEVER pay anything up front for ANY reason.
NEVER send money.

• Any request for money
• Anything that involves sending money to Nigeria.
• Wants money sent using Western Union –Never send anyone money using Western Union.
• Asks for Money Orders
• Overdone flowery words: Dear I be loving you, you are sweet ,precious dear, etc..
  Usually lots of “dears” in there.
• Wants any bank information from you of any kind.
• Bad spelling
• Bad Grammar
• To much sickly sweet talk, and over the top romantic ideas
• Will not answer your direct questions
• Does not have any more photos of themselves for you to see.
• Will not give you a phone number, (though beware, some people have gotten phone numbers and talked to someone, but were still ripped off.)
• Insist on talking to you through email or IM, not the phone
• Uses bad grammar, spelling and speaks like a British Baron from the 19th Century. Uses British words like Mum, and odd formal language.
• They ALWAYS have a dead person in their story, dead parent, wife, child, you name it.

One easy way to find out if you are in a scam is to do an Internet Search.

Internet dating scammers often used the same names, family details and cover stories in multiple dating scams. Therefore, you may be able to expose a scam by conducting Internet searches on the names used by the scammers or key phrases from their emails an even the email address itself..

There is no one single Internet Dating site being targeted.

Yahoo Personals

Match.com

All faith based dating sites seem to be getting hit heavily due to a higher level of trust
that the participants will show a fellow single.

To read recent stories by people who have fallen prey to this dating scam go to

SmartWomenStupidComputers.com/blog

What to do if you have been scammed.

You will not get your money back.

I am very sorry to tell you this, but there is nothing the police or FBI can do.

You should still report it to both places.

If you sent money using Western Union, report it to them.

They cannot get your money back, but they need to know.

Warn other people, share your story, share it online and help educate others so they won’t fall prey to these scams and scammers.

The best prevention in the case of any of the Advance Fee, or Nigeria Scam is to already know about them and how they operate

As long as people keep falling for these scams they will be around.

Spread the word and help those you know not to fall for this scam.

any of these scams. There are many variations on the basic scam and the one thing you need to know is they all involve sending money to someone.

Never send money to a stranger.

Resources to report fraud and learn more.

Secret Service

Secret Service Nigeria Scam Page

FBI

Internet Fraud and Scams

Fraud Aid

http://www.fraudaid.com/

List of Internet Scams –Justice Department

Justice Department actually catches some scammers

and they go to jail.

http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2009/April/09-crm-304.html

Excellent Article by Salon.com

419Scams

Jeff Paul’s Shortcut to Internet Millions-REVIEW THE SCAM

I despise scams. I get phone calls from people who know me asking me how to make money online.
Some of them are so sweet and innocent. They are struggling right now and want to work from home and they get bombarded with these scammy emails and now on T.V with this atrocity “Jeff Paul’s Shortcut to Internet Millions.”

OMG! What the heck is this trash? This bozo promises you riches with no computer knowledge, and no computer?
( how you gonna make millions on the internet with no computer?) Please people run like the wind. This is a fraud, a MLM scheme.
The only guy getting really rich is Jeff Paul, ( I seriously doubt that is his real name even.) I will check on that.
There are various versions of what you pay and get but it all involves buying or paying more. At the end of the day you end up with this kind of money out of pocket. This is from ripoffreports.com

On the 28th of January I purchased the Millions With Memberships program on offer by these gentlemen, Jim Fleck, Jeff Paul and Shawn Casey's because it looked like a good offer. The payment was for just 5 easy payments of $899 = $4.495 plus $75.00 for orders outside the United States, making a total payment of $4,570 which equates to $5,918.12 Australian, or I could go for 1 payment of $3,999 plus $75 shipping =$4074US which equates to $5,276.95 Australian! So to save a few dollars, I plunked for the single payment plan!

Yipes, here is another guys payment situation. ( click here to read his entire story, it is quite informative.)

"You start with a small purchase price of the initial material, $54.95 with shipping included. What you receive in the mail is useless and they give you a number to call so they can upsell a larger package based on what 'you' want to make per month. Of course, what you 'invest' is related to how much you can sink into it. They try to upsell anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000."

Please do not fall for this so called "Internet Millions Program". I have been online since 1999. I have had success on Ebay, I use Yelp, Amazon, Craigslist, Clickbank and Social Networking sites and I write ebooks. ( You can do this too and actually have your own product to sell online)
It is just like any other business, there is no fast way to make money online. Certainly no fast way to "millions."
You need a website and a computer for sure. There are many ways to make money online but
you have to get started with the basics.
Don't fall for these schemes where they throw you into their network and
they control the websites and keep taking money from you? How do you make money? You don't, they do!
I help people set up new websites and blogs, I teach people how to go from step one to actually having a legitimate website with something to either sell or something to offer where people will visit your website and you can make some money off of ads. I am a real person with real Whois information and a phone number. If you hire me, we actually talk about what you want and need on the phone. Wow how much more legit can you get then that?

Jeff Paul's product page offers you basic ebooks and cd's that you can find for 99 cents on ebay or even free all over the Internet. I can direct you to much better and real products that will actually help you succeed online.
I am very picky and you don't see many ads or products on my websites because I check everything out first.

If you happen to buy any of these from Jeff Paul, hello spam for life! They will bombard you with "upsell" emails.

The internet world is loaded with these guys.
It is like the black hole once you have anything to do with this kind of organization. In my 10 years I have seen so many scammers rise and fall. Some actually ended up in jail, but it took a very long time.
When you get scammed online, there is no police dept to run to, there is no one there to get your money back.
You are alone and you are out of pocket. Before you drop up to 5-15k on this ridiculous program, contact me and I will discuss some honest and real life opportunities for you where you can use your own talent, your own interests and create something you can be proud of for a fraction of the price you are looking at with this scam.

Good luck and be careful out there!

Tags: fake get rich, internet millions, internet scams, jeff paul, shortcut to millions