Single Ladies Online - Beware!!

SINGLE LADIES ONLINE BEWARE OF INTERNET FRAUDS...

DO NOT BE DESPERATE!!

This man goes by the name/alias Andrew Roberts - here is pictured with a child who he claims to be his son Patrick. The photo may be real, but the story that goes with it is not. It is nothing more than a ploy to get women to send money to a fraud. If this man is real - and you happen to know his photo is being used without his knowledge in a scam, please inform him. If he is indeed aware of this foolishness, please offer him a dose of Dioxin.

 I don't know how many of you have ever received mail from an unknown person expressing interest in having you as an online friend or pen pal, then asked you for money for some random emergency. It has happened to me before and I have heard stories of it happening to other people both male and female.

Now these internet frauds are going to new lengths by preying on single women who may be seeking partners online by adding them through social and dating sites, sharing photos, exchanging life stories and gaining the trust of women desperate for a life partner, then seeking to con them into sending them money. 

My single women, DO NOT be so desperate for a partner that you allow yourself to be fooled. 

I have never been on a dating site nor am I actively seeking an online relationship so such offers do not appeal to me,  but due to my blogs and other work I am contacted by random people on different social sites. Some are seeking information on business services, others are commenting on my blog work, others are inquiring as to my relationship status. 

Many men are too "fresh" for my taste and for that reason I began to withhold much of my personal information on social networks. Some people will lie and claim "married" on their social sites to keep away men who may be interested in pursuing them romantically or taking advantage of them.

Because of this it is difficult to know who is really who or what they claim to be.

What begins as a friendly hello turned into a man sharing his tragic life story with me about the loss of his wife and his hardship raising a son on his own. From the start I suspected this man was a fraud, so I went along with the story to see at what point he would throw in the twist.

 For weeks the man was placid and patient, then he began to express the joy he felt by being able to talk to me and claimed to thank God every night in his prayers for a friend to talk to. He then began to express his need for a female companion as he had already gotten past the formalities of telling me about his job, income and house. Within a month the man was ready to send me money to travel to be with him if my heart so desired.

I am amazed that women out there are still falling for these stories and scams. Many women are so lonely that they are overjoyed and overwhelmed when a man pays such interest. And women seeking to leave their country will be tempted to grab at these types of offers.

This man, who claimed to be an American working with an American company doing work in Nigeria (which was a dead giveaway for me from day one) revealed one day his son fell ill. By the next day his son was worse and by the third day the son was at death's door due for expensive test and treatments that he would need US$300 (BDS$600) for until his pay check came through at the end of the month.

It took him a while to build the momentum, but he didn't disappoint in being fraudulent. The delay is what fools many women. The passing time allows them to develop a connection. 

Ladies, I know some of you are lonely and may be tired of one date after the next. Some of you haven't been out in the world of relationships for a while and find safe haven behind your computer screen. But in the online world, like in the real world, many men out there are out for their own selfish and personal gain. they DO NOT care about you, nor do they have good intentions.

Please be fully aware that some of the "strangers" you may meet may very well know you even if you don't know them. All too often we hear stories of women who have given out their address and so such details to someone who they think is in another continent that turns out to be in their very neighborhood and shows up at their doorstep to do them harm. Many women think it can never be them, until it is. I have a friend in Canada who was stalked for months by an online date site chat partner.

I have heard many great stories of people finding love online and many tragic stories of people finding death as well. If a stranger walks up to you on the street you would not gush out your life story and personal info (well, some people do but the average person usually does not) so take the same approach with an online stranger. 

Be Smart With Your Heart!

Bisous!!xoxo