Louise,
Do not feel bad at all. I got scammed by a supposed young lady from Ohio who now lives with her aged father in Turkey.
She used pictures of a 28 year old porn star who retire a few years back. I did not recognize the person cause I'm not into that stuff real seriously. There was something very alluring about her "look" in her pics she sent me and that should have triggered something, but it did not.
The really bad part is that I know how to check if a photo is real? I have a website that I had used in the past for some other research, but the URL was buried in my browsers favorites section, and I FORGOT about it.
I even met "HER" on a Business networking site called LinkedIn, NOT a dating site. By the way, L.I. is getting big with these little fake honey's looking for lonely older men like yours truly who have been out of the singles game for a very long time.
I had just got out of a 30 year miserable relationship and was ready to "Find Love" again..
Here are even more things that should have tipped me off:
Would Not show me a photo ID. - I asked her to stand in front a mirror, take a selfie holding two fingers up in a peace sign, then send me a photo of her legal Id or passport. Even told her how to place scotch tape over the personal info, so It would not be exposed.
SHE REFUSED...Kept making excused why..
Next:
Her internet kept going down because she had an old pc and a phone with no camera or internet.
So guess what I did?
Western Union-ed her $250.00 to get her an Amazon Kindle Fire HD tablet so we could skype (video)
I know you are thinking: S-U-C-K-E-R..
YUP!
Now the interesting part is she actually was in Turkey. And there was no code, just her name to claim the money, Sandra Robert.. - and she got the money according to W.U. -
Oh, of course she changed her mind once she got the money, said she would save it for when she flew over to see me.
I got angry and demanded she use the money for what it was sent for.
THEN - Finally a light BULB went off in my head.
I remembered the website I used to verify photos:
http://www.tineye.comhttp://tineye.com/I went there and to my surprise and disgust - she was "Nikki Simms" the porn start.
I felt six inches tall..
I then just smiled..
SHE Got Me..
It waqs only last month, how I was braggin to a friend that in my 53 years of life, I had never been ripped off by anyone! Many had tried, many had failed.
SHE GOT ME!
Damn!!!
I sent her a scathing email, reported her wherever I could
Deleted my ad from several dating sites and LinkedIn.
Deleted everything I had on her in my email etc..
No trace>
Then yesterday the 28th, she even sends me two more pics of Nikki!
and this note:
My love i try to send you this picture last night but my internet its very slow i miss you today how have you been doing ? hug and kiss
My answer was this - hell I even gave her an opening to send my money back - in case she was not a scammer and just used faked pics to protect herself. - Hell she got the money from W.U. with a passport that said Sandra Robert - so maybe??
Dear Madam,
There is No person named Sandra Robert
It is a Fake Name
Your Photos are fake too
The pictures you send me are from Nikki Sims, a Porn Star
Here is where the photo came from
Removed link to Porn site. Mike WYou got me for $250.00
It is my fault for being a sucker
I got what I deserved.
Hopefully you will get what you deserve one day.
I reported you to:
FBI-Cyber Crimes and to Western Union's Fraud Division.
I am also sending linkedIn a message about your scam.
I was told that your Nigerian Phishing scam is already under investigation.
I really feel like a fool.
You caught me at a vulnerable time in my life and loneliness does stupid shit to a man's head.
NOW if I am wrong, and you are just using the fake photos to protect yourself, then all you have to do is send me back my money.
And THAT will prove me wrong.
No wonder that porn star has made so much money...I fell in LUST right away..
So Good Choice..
Laugh at Me..
I'm not even that angry with you really, I should know better.
Good-Bye
God will judge you one day..
You will see
So don't feel bad, you are not alone my dear!
I'm still not telling anybody else about this - my record must stand