Some Tried to "Catfish" Me

[Feralpeg]

Earlier today, I got a friend request on Facebook. I admit that I probably accept friends to easy on Facebook. I often get friend requests from people in the local acting community or people who are writers. I accept them. If they turn out to be creepy, I delete them. So, I accepted this guy.

Within minutes of accepting him, I started getting private messages from him. He thanked me for accepting him as a friend and told me he thought I was beautiful. lol! RED FLAG!

On his profile, he had a message he had written to his dead wife. It was about missing her and how he was trying to do his best to raise their 12 year old daughter. His pictures all looked like professional model shots. So did the pictures of the daughter. Starting to look creepy!

He started asking me questions about myself. Nothing real personal, but way too friendly for someone I didn't know. He said he was 48. I told him I was 62. He said he was an engineer, living in New York, originally from the UK.

I tried Googling his name. Nothing came up. So, I put his picture into Google image. It appeared on numerous scammer alert websites. He goes under multiple names and hits on older, single women. Good grief! What a low life.

So, I typed a little message on his Facebook profile telling him what I thought of him and deleted him. He immediately deleted my post. Sadly, I saw that another woman had posted on him profile. I sent her a message warning her to be careful.

So, it was an interesting experience. Fortunately for me, although I tend to be a trusting person (probably too much so), I'm not stupid and I watch Dr. Phil! lol!

 

[HSMndLKfan92]

I'd suggest tightening up your security and privacy settings on Facebook, if you haven't already. I know that I have mine set so only friends of friends can add me.

Glad to know that you were smart enough to think to google this guy. It's always so creepy.

 

[bdoyledimou]

he's probably many different people -- i once had a person call me and tell me that my daughter was riding in a stolen car, and I needed to provide my credit card information so she could be released on bail --

she was only 7 years old though -- and beside me.. but they had my name and address and everything -- just not my daughters age --

 

[Domo]

Jeez... creepy!

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Earlier today, I got a friend request on Facebook. I admit that I probably accept friends to easy on Facebook. I often get friend requests from people in the local acting community or people who are writers. I accept them. If they turn out to be creepy, I delete them. So, I accepted this guy.

Within minutes of accepting him, I started getting private messages from him. He thanked me for accepting him as a friend and told me he thought I was beautiful. lol! RED FLAG!

On his profile, he had a message he had written to his dead wife. It was about missing her and how he was trying to do his best to raise their 12 year old daughter. His pictures all looked like professional model shots. So did the pictures of the daughter. Starting to look creepy!

He started asking me questions about myself. Nothing real personal, but way too friendly for someone I didn't know. He said he was 48. I told him I was 62. He said he was an engineer, living in New York, originally from the UK.

I tried Googling his name. Nothing came up. So, I put his picture into Google image. It appeared on numerous scammer alert websites. He goes under multiple names and hits on older, single women. Good grief! What a low life.

So, I typed a little message on his Facebook profile telling him what I thought of him and deleted him. He immediately deleted my post. Sadly, I saw that another woman had posted on him profile. I sent her a message warning her to be careful.

So, it was an interesting experience. Fortunately for me, although I tend to be a trusting person (probably too much so), I'm not stupid and I watch Dr. Phil! lol!

I have googled my self before though nothing comes up

 

[Shutterbug]

You know it quite possible that he was really a saudi prince and just wanted to share his wealth with you

 

[tcufrog]

I got a call from the "Microsoft Service Center" on my cell phone today. When I started yelling at the Indian dude on the phone he hung up.

 

[happily single]

Do you mean to tell me the last 8 random "friend requests" I have receieved from strangely named men are going to try to con me??

Damm. I am going to accept them. I need something to do.

 

[Feralpeg]

I found out the real name of the man in the pictures the scam guy is using. Poor guy is a real estate agent and a local model/actor in New Hampshire. I did find him on LinkedIn and I sent him a message telling him the name the guy is using on Facebook with his pictures. He probably already knew about this since his picture is plastered on numerous scam websites with a huge banner on the face saying the picture is being used for scam purposes. I feel for the man. There is really nothing he can do about it except get the profile pulled down on Facebook. Of course, the scam guy will just put it back up again using a different name.

Sad world!

 

[Luv2Run]

It makes me wonder what the point of his Catfishing scheme is? Like, what does he hope to gain from it? That you'll fall in love with him and he can steal your credit card number and clear out your bank account? Or worse? People like this disgust me.

 

[jenny105]

Thank god for Nev and Max.

 

[rigs32]

People in love will do stupid things - like pay for things for online "loves".

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I would suggest not friending people you don't actually know.

 

[DawnM]

Sounds like that picture wasn't even his real image at all. Weird.

I only friend people I either know IRL or know through someone else. If anyone tries to friend me and we have no friends in common and I don't know who he/she is, I don't friend.

 

[njmom47]

Thank god for Nev and Max.

them.

Yeah, scammers are everywhere.
Glad you were savvy this time!!!

 

[Feralpeg]

I will not stop friending people I don't know. I will continue to be careful and question things that don't seem right. I get a lot of friend requests from local actors and writers. My DD and I have been involved in the Orlando acting community for the past ten years. We network with other actors via Facebook. I also network with others involved in writing. I've meet some great people that way and have found out about interesting opportunities through these people. Not all unsolicited FB friend requests are bad.

I was just thrown by how crazy this guy was. It was very obvious that something was fishy as soon as I accepted his request. I dumped him within four hours. The sad thing is that other woman actually fall for these guys.

 

[Cantw8]

Was he cute?

 

[low-key]

Hey Feralpeg want to chat, my name is Biff and I think your sexy

 

[Feralpeg]

Was he cute?

Very! I found out who the guy in the picture really is. He is a model/local actor from New Hampshire. Such a shame his pictures are being used for such bad purposes.

The pictures were the first thing that tipped me off. I've been around the acting world long enough to recognize a headshot when I see one. It didn't fit the guy's supposed profile. In addition, he told me he was 48. No 48 year old guy that looked like that would be interested in this 62 year old! lol!

 

[Feralpeg]

Hey Feralpeg want to chat, my name is Biff and I think your sexy

Ha! Sorry, Biff! I don't think my heart could handle someone that looks like you!