Kathryn's Blog

Anybody Can get Scammed

on May 10 describing a classic scam that I’m seeing lots of reports of out of Nigeria.  See the Nigerian connection pieces I have written.

Ben Coleman contacted Aileen Califano through a dating site.  After spending some time to gain Califano’s trust, Coleman asked for money, which Califano rightly refused.  Then Coleman sent her $3,800 in money orders, which he asked her to deposit in her bank account, then wire the money to Colorado. 

Califano was not fooled.  She was sure they were a fraud, and checked.  They were.

Sending phony money orders and asking the receiver to deposit the fake checks and then forward the money to another address is a common scam technique.  In the May 15, 2006, issue of the New Yorker, author Mitchell Zuckoff wrote about how John W. Worley, a Christian psychotherapist, was suckered into a classic Nigerian scam.  If you want to see how a perfectly normal, bright man gets suckered, take a look.

From Your Romance Coach, Kathryn Lord

*

Comments

Thank you for your story.  I have been talking with Ben Coleman for a few weeks now and he asked me for money today.  I had searched for something on him on the internet for weeks now and found absolutely nothing.  Then today I found your story.  He is on singleparentmeet.com.  He says he lives in Florida.  There has to be some way to make this more public.

Wow, Julie!  That was close, huh?  I am so glad that what I wrote helped you.  I encourage you to follow up with this guy: Let the dating site know, at the very minimum.  Here’s a link to all my blog posts about scamming and scam resources: https://find-a-sweetheart.com/blog/C48/
Good for you for doing your research!  And what gall he has, repeating his game, and using the same name!  Hasn’t he heard about Google too?

Leave a Comment

Next entry: More on Who Pays These Days

Previous entry: Dating Scams in Atlantic City

 

Contact Kathryn by phone at , by email at

home | kathryn's romance newsletter | test yourself | new, fun, free | facts
about kathryn and coaching | who is kathryn lord? | kathryn's own cyberromance story | what is romance coaching? | are you ready for romance coaching? | what kathryn's clients say | want to try romance coaching?
kathryn's blog | contact kathryn

 

Copyright 2003-2007 Kathryn B. Lord