| Desmond Gregor was terrified. Held at ransom | | | | Sometimes the scammers put their profiles |
| by armed men in Mali, Africa who beat him | | | | online - which are usually very appealing |
| with machetes and threatened to 'hack off his | | | | with very attractive photos - and wait for |
| limbs' if he didn't pay $90,000, he regretted | | | | potential victims to contact them. This is an |
| ever going there in the first place. His | | | | even worse scenario. |
| ordeal lasted 12 days. Finally the 56 year | | | | |
| old Australian was rescued by Australian and | | | | Scammers find it very easy to target internet |
| Mali police who tricked the kidnappers into | | | | dating sites because they usually don't run |
| taking him to the Canadian embassy. | | | | any checks. Even respectable sites, such as |
| | | | Christian Café, have had trouble with |
| Mr.Gregor believes that he probably wouldn't | | | | these schemes. |
| have survived if he had been held any longer. | | | | |
| Luckily his relatives became suspicious when | | | | Internet dating sites have become very |
| they received emails asking for money and | | | | popular with seniors. Seniors are generally |
| contacted the police. | | | | regarded as easy targets by 'romance |
| | | | scammers.' Photos of very attractive young |
| The sheep farmer went to Mali to meet his | | | | women are often used to appeal to older men. |
| prospective bride who was young and | | | | In some cases they even offer them sex. |
| attractive. He was even offered a dowry of | | | | |
| gold if he married her. | | | | As the story of the Taiwanese student shows, |
| | | | however, these scams can target anyone. The |
| Internet dating scams like this abound. In | | | | schemes which ask for shipments of goods are |
| one case a young Taiwanese student lost | | | | reasonably new, for example, and have |
| $200,000 NT after he transferred his entire | | | | affected people from many age groups. |
| savings account to his internet date. In | | | | Apparently online retailers are wary of |
| other cases people have shipped goods to | | | | shipping to West Africa because of the danger |
| their prospective dates who were using stolen | | | | of stolen credit cards. |
| credit cards. Some have sent airfares or | | | | |
| other payments. | | | | The schemes have also affected people on |
| | | | internet chat rooms. |
| Often the scammers are from Western Africa or | | | | |
| Russia. According to they usually have a | | | | Online dating is fun and a respectable way to |
| particular way of working. The scammer | | | | look for love today, but be wary. If |
| usually contacts a person who has placed his | | | | potential dates begin asking for money be |
| or her profile at an internet dating site. | | | | especially suspicious and contact the police. |
| The scammer usually uses an attractive photo | | | | There are many websites and forums devoted to |
| and is good at getting the potential victim | | | | the dangers of these scams - some even list |
| to believe that a romance is very possible. | | | | the photos of known scammers. If a date seems |
| After a while the scammer will begin to ask | | | | too good to be true it is a good idea to look |
| for money, such as an airfare to travel to | | | | them up. Also it is probably safer to date |
| see the date. They apparently use all kinds | | | | locally so that you can actually meet the |
| of excuses to request money. | | | | person. |
| | | | |