On Dr. Phil Today....

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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 10:01 pm

Dr Phil had another scam victim on his show today. At the end of the show he said that if someone you are getting into a relationship with has a phone number that starts with +4470 it's probably a scam!!

Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 11:32 pm

I just tuned in after a birdy told me it was on. They just went over the passport. This is heartbreaking Crying or Very sad

Why do they call it catfish? Is that the name of love scams? I have only heard the phrase once before, when that professional athlete was scammed.

Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 12:00 am

I know a lot of people in the audience and the viewing public are blaming the victim. Calling her all sorts of name and saying she deserves it. The only thing I see is heartbreak and part of her not wanting to believe. I am crying because I see what has happened to her. This scammer has ruined her life. I just want to sit down with her, hold her hand and tell her everything is going to be okay. That there are people who care about her, people who are fighting to ensure no other victims will be hurt like her. That she can tell her story and make a difference. That she HAS made a difference, just by going on the show.

I know her family cares, but she needs love and compassion now. She doesn't need to be talked to in the way she is now. I know that is what her family believes she needs, but she just lost all hope in believing in love with the man the scammer portrayed himself to be. No one wants to be called a fool. Unless it's happened to you, or you work with victims or do baiting to see how cunning these scammers are, you really don't know and should not pass judgment. I hope someone at Dr. Phil knows about Scam Warners and can guide it to her. I want to help her. She is shaking. She needs to know she's not alone.

I am glad Dr. Phil is going to get her help.

Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 1:22 am

^^ Chirp chirp Wink

Dr Phil has had several episodes regarding scamming this season and last. Last season there was a woman that lost something like $63,000. In that episode he specifically mentioned Eater and it's how I found my way here. I can't remember if SW was mentioned or if it is something he references on his website after the show.

I think he does a good and thorough job of trying to convince the Vic she or he has been scammed. He does exactly what we would do to show proof. There was even a retired private detective that decided to bait a scammer herself and went to meet the guy in Nigeria with cameras. Once there she interviewed him about being a scammer. Of course he was a bunch of BS but he did take her to the Internet cafe. Everything was running smoothly until she took out a camera and took a pic. A pic of children no older then 12 all sitting at computers answering emails.

The only problem I have with his shows on this topic is the term catfish. It's such a cute word. It was coined to describe someone who pretends to be someone they're not on the internet. It's always been my understanding that they aren't in it for the money however. It's for the attention or relationship. I wish he would just call them scammers.

Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 1:32 am

Quote:

There was even a retired private detective that decided to bait a scammer herself and went to meet the guy in Nigeria with cameras. Once there she interviewed him about being a scammer. Of course he was a bunch of BS but he did take her to the Internet cafe. Everything was running smoothly until she took out a camera and took a pic. A pic of children no older then 12 all sitting at computers answering emails.

I want to see that one! Is that the same one where he mentioned Eater?

Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 3:10 am

I haven't seen the one where he mentioned Eater. I too do not like him calling Scammers, Catfish. I agree there is a difference between the two even though they are scams of a different sort and both wrong.

BTW: I've been baiting a Dr. Phil ???? for the last week or two. LOL.

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 6:35 pm

In case you're bored...

I'm not sure which of these, if any, is the one that mentions Eater.

Here's the one where the PI went to Nigeria. The clip showing her short segment is halfway down the page. I had forgotten that when she showed up there and he met her, he crawled in on his elbows because hos legs didn't work due to polio. He eventually admitted he was scamming her and she told him he could slither his self right back out to where he came from.

This is the info on the show with short clips:

http://drphil.com/shows/show/2057/

This is the entire show:

http://youtu.be/HCfYHzMEfzw

Here's another one. This woman lost almost $190,000 and really didn't want to believe the truth. Unfortunately he didn't get through to her.

Info/Clips - http://drphil.com/shows/show/1984/
Full Show - http://youtu.be/JH4B-KImhqs

This woman lost almost $200,000.

Info - http://www.drphil.com/shows/show/2099
Show - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV0UgNF2lZo

Dr Phil does his own scam baiting when people use his name to scam people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIi1nl1R7Pc&feature=share&list=PL0FD821287501A3D8

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 6:48 pm

Thanks for those, GTmama! I loved the ones where Dr Phil played scam baiter. Good for him.

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 7:27 pm

Quote:

Why do they call it catfish?

The phrase came from a movie named "Catfish".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catfish_(film)

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 8:56 pm

Thanks GT. I watched day one. I'll need to watch day 2 later.

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 10:33 pm

Thanks GTmama! I know what I am doing today. Laughing

IM_Dumm - The link pointed to a wiki on the "cat fish" fish, not the movie. Tried linking the correct wiki, but it doesn't recognize the _(film) part of the link. If anyone wants to see the wiki, copy and paste the entire link WITH the _(film) at the end. Laughing

Catfish is still the wrong term. Love scams are for scamming for money and promise of marriage which will never happen. From what I read, that is not what "catfishing" is. Both are wrong, but we're trying to educate the public and using the wrong terms is doing a disservice to the victims. (I am not accusing anyone here, just Dr. Phil Laughing

)

I am off to get some tissues, because if the episodes that GTmama posted are like the episode Big Al posted as the topic of this thread, I will need them. Crying or Very sad

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 10:36 pm

^^^ You probably will. And don't read the comments.

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 11:07 pm

^^^ I try and stay away from the comments, they just piss me off. Ironically, the negative posters won't listen to those of us who try and educate them on how these lads work, much like trying to tell a victim they are being scammed and doesn't want to believe it.