After my recent post Summer Heat: On-line Dating Scams a reader responded with the following:

“I just had a similar experience that you described in your blog “Summer Heat: On-line Dating Scams”. I had joined Plenty of Fish and upgraded my profile to have more exposure. I received an email from “exquisitedaddy” a few weeks ago. We started sending emails back and forth. Then he asked me to IM on Yahoo Messenger.

His IM email address was groovyromance@yahoo.com. The name he used was Joe Reid. He escalated the relationship quickly telling me how I was the one and only and how he loved me. then on 6/26 he asked me to buy him a Blackberry Bold for $450. I told him I didn’t have the money. The next day, 6/27, he told me his bank had contacted him and that a hacker had stolen $20k from his account. His account was frozen but the bank would reimburse him the money, he just didn’t know when. So he needed to buy networking equipment to complete a huge project he was working on for Nova Engineering Place. When he finished he would be paid $800,000 and have to paid 10 employees 40k each. But he needed $8k now to buy this equipment.

He said I shouldn’t worry because he would pay be right back either when the bank released the hold on his account or when he was paid for the project. I told him I didn’t have the money. I asked him questions about why others couldn’t help him and he always had an excuse. When I asked him if I used my Amex to buy the equipment, would that work he said no he needed cash! I said I would look into it but wouldn’t call him unless I found an answer since he was so stressed. Yesterday, he left a VM message for me asking me why I hadn’t contacted him and he was hoping that I was still looking to help him with the money and that he loved me.

I would like to do anything and everything in my powers to get this person so that he cannot abuse other women. Do you have any advice on what my next steps should be? He sent me flowers on Saturday, should I contact the florist and try to follow the trail back through there? thanks. Linda”

Wow Linda, you dodged a bullet. Linda sent me the picture of a handsome man who probably doesn’t know he is being used for a scam. She also found his profile on Match.com too.

No matter who the person is, what they say, how they look, don’t automatically trust.

The moment money or loans are discussed in any capacity that is a red flag.

Don’t let your heart get in the way of basic common sense.

Sometimes loneliness trumps our ability to see the truth. Keep your head up and pay attention to someone’s “intentions”.

Robert Siciliano is a Personal Security Expert and Adviser to Intelius.com. For more information see Intelius at Sex Offender Check and Date Check to reduce your chances of encountering a bad guy. See him discussing Safe Personal Dating on Tyra. (Disclosures)

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