I was targeted recently on a dating website for people in recovery, called Single and Sober. A man called 'Robert' contacted me - picture attached, explaining his broken English to say he was Italian by birth, lived in LA, had a Brazilian father and a Mexican mother. His loving emails lasted around 3 months, letting me know he was an architect working in Qatar on a big project out in the desert, building one of the stadiums for FIFA, but owing to the desert location he had poor internet and struggled with connections. He sent emails then wanted to use an app where we could text for little cost, which I installed. Lots of communications at all hours of the day and night, then started describing problems with his workers - he employed Chinese workers who turned out to be illegal immigrants, leaving him with fines to pay or else face jail; $11 000 per worker. He had half the money but couldn't get the other half until after he was paid and the government wanted all the money within five days.
I told my family and my son and my sister both raised concerns. I read about some scams and realized he hadn't exactly asked me for money, but had left it sort of hanging in the air as the only possible solution. As a test I asked him to photograph the charge sheet he got from the Qatari court and I would have an Arabic speaking friend look over it...but of course the 'signal was bad'. So I knew then. Thankfully I never sent him a penny, but I am left feeling sad, foolish and embarrassed. I'm grateful for your website, it's making me feel better. His scam was excruciatingly elaborate with doctored web chat screens, even acting out being interrupted by a phone call and so on...really sophisticated. I totally fell for it all, until there was this drama about money.
Here's a pic of no doubt some poor innocent chap somewhere...he used the email address robchan5050@yahoo.com
