Gay Dating Scam

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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 18 Jul 2011 Posts: 1

I believe I was recently a target of a gay dating scam. The scammer emailed me on a gay dating site. Unfortunately, I deluded myself for 3 days before I got wise. I emailed him my private email address, my home telephone number and worst of all an old magazine profile of me - so he was able to search the Internet and find out more information about me as a writer and filmmaker. The photo in the profile was very old and shot in an expressionistic fashion with me in profile - My face is pretty much unrecognizable. The scammer/scammers are from Eastern Europe and because of my magazine profile probably assume I'm some rich Hollywood director WHICH I'M NOT.

Am I in any jeopardy? Although these scammers are 7,000 miles away could they arrange for locals to burgle my home because of their Hollywood fantasy or am I just being paranoid? What other possibilities could these scammers do with the information I gave them. Keep in mind I gave them no address (though that's easy to look up), no ID, no pics outside of the mag profile, no bank accounts, etc. And of course I did not send them any money - oddly enough in 10 days of communication they never asked for any.

I did not bait them in an obvious way but asked a lot of questions to get as much information and photos as I could. I then extricated myself very smoothly without a hint that I was on to their scam and have since ceased communication.

Please answer asap as I'm very anxious about the situation.

THANKS.

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 9:53 am

First of all, welcome to Eater.

While I might not be the best one here to answer your questions, I can give you this advise. I would visit our sister site: http://www.scamwarners.com/ They deal with the victim side of these scams and could probably help you better than we can.

Personally, I would tell you to drop any and all communication. Chances are, you aren't worth their time if you aren't even going to reply. Most of the scammers we deal with don't have the time or patience to pursue a victim beyond emails or phone calls. It's much more profitable for them to just move on and snag someone else.

I'm sure someone else will chime in here in a bit, so don't worry.

Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 3:33 pm

Hi Provocateur, and welcome to Eater.

Dating scammers write to lots of people at the same time, and many of those will lose interest, or realise it is a scammer, and stop writing. All of those people will probably have previously sent many of their personal details, including several clear photographs, and their address.

The scammer, however, is an internet thief, and is likely to only have other internet thieves as associates, and they will be disinterested in coming to your home. The scammer's attention will by now be on those other potential victims of his internet crimes, and he is likely to have forgotten about you. He is only interested in those who he can trick into sending money - and, as you have stopped writing, you are not included in this focus of his.

It is not unsual for a dating scammer to spend time building up your trust in him before asking for money. Sometimes they do ask for money quickly, but sometimes they can write for weeks or even months before an invented 'something' happens, which requires your financial assistance.

And, as username14 said above, you will be most welcome to ask any further questions at ScamWarners.