A look into the romance scam epidemic that leaves victims with broken hearts, empty wallets

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  • Опубліковано 22 кві 2024
  • CBS 2 Chicago, along with our partners at CBS News, are taking a look inside the romance scam epidemic that leaves victims with broken hearts and empty wallets.
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 86

  • @thekeytospiritdoularanch
    @thekeytospiritdoularanch Місяць тому +27

    It shows how starved people are for someone to love them. Love starved society.

  • @VeeFoster
    @VeeFoster Місяць тому +22

    I hope I'm never that lonely or desperate.

    • @mildredpierce4506
      @mildredpierce4506 Місяць тому +3

      Gullible, naive and greedy is what sets them up for a scam. Not loneliness.
      I know of a woman who sent less than $200 to a scammer but when he wanted to send her some gold bars, she had questions. The scammer didn’t like her asking questions (none of them do) and he didn’t appreciate him getting mad at her. She eventually found out that he was a scammer and never sent him any more money.

    • @angelwu86
      @angelwu86 Місяць тому

      We may all be at 80 when our husbands have died, most family dead, children overseas, and we’re alone

    • @Omar_Zazzle
      @Omar_Zazzle Місяць тому +1

      I am but my money keeps me happy.

  • @lisaking7682
    @lisaking7682 Місяць тому +16

    At what point do people realize that rarely does another person want to start a relationship with an old person with a lifetime of baggage? Use common sense people.

    • @rosaoddin4338
      @rosaoddin4338 Місяць тому +1

      Truth! Yeah, gotta beware of flattery! What’s the motive? Very unlikely based on true love!

    • @annamarie2754
      @annamarie2754 26 днів тому

      Absolutely 💯

    • @mbords01
      @mbords01 13 годин тому

      My life is bumpy these days, but do I want to connect with stranger/s......?

  • @nercopolis99
    @nercopolis99 Місяць тому +39

    She sent $1.5 million... to someone she never met for real... just wow... hard to have sympathy for that...

    • @Durka-Durka
      @Durka-Durka Місяць тому +5

      I don't. She obviously had it to spare....

    • @Ava2969ny
      @Ava2969ny Місяць тому +8

      IMO this woman was not fully recovered from her husband's death...she may have thought she was ready to date, but she obviously needed more time. Only someone really vulnerable and somewhat desperate for love would actually make this mistake, despite the numerous warnings in the media about sending money to someone online. These faudsters know exactly who to target. This story is heartbreaking.

    • @meahdahlgren6537
      @meahdahlgren6537 Місяць тому +1

      ​@Durka-Durka right

    • @tlmas1914
      @tlmas1914 Місяць тому

      @@Ava2969ny ALL BS EXCUSES....she chose to believe and proceed ...i dont understand how if she spends all her money, what she expect to get from the man since he never has money???? i dont think we should waste any tax dollars going after these criminals when it was OBVIOUS this was a scam and she was happy to go along with it. i would love to read the transcripts of their convo after she sent the last of the $1.3 million!

    • @heavenrulesall1968
      @heavenrulesall1968 Місяць тому +1

      Well it might not be 1.5 million all at once

  • @asadrahman1695
    @asadrahman1695 Місяць тому +19

    How ppl can be so naïve!!

    • @susuilu
      @susuilu Місяць тому +4

      Lonely.... and hopeful

    • @Celestial96
      @Celestial96 Місяць тому +3

      Desperation and loneliness will always run you into the arms of people who want to exploit just that

    • @marknewton6984
      @marknewton6984 Місяць тому

      Low intelligence.

  • @nateh3441
    @nateh3441 Місяць тому +21

    It's OK to be single people.

  • @sableann4255
    @sableann4255 Місяць тому +13

    Boggles my mind how gullible people are!

    • @GnosticElohim
      @GnosticElohim Місяць тому

      It doesn't me, I mean they believe in a magic sky wizard that grants them unlimited wishes and a zombie vampire that can walk on water is going to save them and give them eternal Paradise, that's pretty damn gullible if you ask me.

    • @marknewton6984
      @marknewton6984 Місяць тому

      And stupid..😮

  • @aydinl5757
    @aydinl5757 Місяць тому +17

    Accept the fact that you are not 20 yrs old anymore. Don’t try & recapture your youth. There is no romance for middle age elderly men & women.

    • @YouYou-sm8tf
      @YouYou-sm8tf Місяць тому +1

      True. Falling for love bombing at old age should be red flag. Those women fall for all those flatteries, those romantic poems, love songs.....

    • @YouYou-sm8tf
      @YouYou-sm8tf Місяць тому

      True. Falling for love bombing at old age should be red flag. Those women fall for all those flatteries, those romantic poems, love songs.....

  • @lynnjudd9036
    @lynnjudd9036 Місяць тому +8

    I think these online dating sites should be illegal. Dating always has some risks but online is much more dangerous.

    • @mecca3000
      @mecca3000 Місяць тому

      🤔Illegal? I bet your 1 of those people who needed a sign on a paint can that said "DO NOT EAT" 😅 Please tell me, If I go on a million online dates but never send a dime, never give my social security, never give my address or open an account for any of the people I meet online. Explain to me how would I "realistically" get scammed ??🤔? I know it's not full proof, but I believe any semi intelligent person would agree that it would be much MUCH less likely that I would be scammed. Also, if you did ANY of those things to a person you met in person a AT A BAR or night club, you could be scammed just as easily as online

  • @kogiereddy2938
    @kogiereddy2938 Місяць тому +22

    People are lonely

    • @victoriahardin1560
      @victoriahardin1560 Місяць тому +6

      That's the epidemic.

    • @germanshepherd6638
      @germanshepherd6638 Місяць тому +5

      Get a dog/cat

    • @klr03
      @klr03 Місяць тому

      people are dumb!And they have plenty of spare time, apparently. Is she had to work 12hour shifts just to make ends meet she wouldnt have time for this cr@p.

    • @mildredpierce4506
      @mildredpierce4506 Місяць тому +2

      Gullible and naive is more like it. If people would use wisdom and logic, there would be far fewer victims.

    • @tiffnym
      @tiffnym Місяць тому +1

      ​@germanshepherd6638 an animal doesn't take the place of the very real human need to connect with other humans.

  • @kitty-vk8ic
    @kitty-vk8ic Місяць тому +4

    Well, when you are desperate and lonely, you do anything to make yourself feel better. I feel so bad for that poor woman. One of the reason that I don’t want to mess with online dating.

  • @pablosilva6988
    @pablosilva6988 Місяць тому +9

    Just say no

  • @lildee2626
    @lildee2626 Місяць тому +5

    Stop sending money to people on the internet and maybe they’ll leave me alone! Stop it! 🛑

  • @sierravista9013
    @sierravista9013 Місяць тому +9

    Yes if never met, it's fake

  • @user-nt6ow2wj2u
    @user-nt6ow2wj2u Місяць тому +9

    How can people fall for these made up stories sad

  • @tlmas1914
    @tlmas1914 Місяць тому +3

    they are NOT TRICKED... THEY ARE DOING IT BECAUSE A STRANGER WHO SAID I LOVE U AND TALKS TO THEM SIMPLY ASKED....SO THEY BOUT TO BE BROKE, HEART BROKE AND IN JAIL! OH WELL STOP BELIEVING EVERYTHING A STRANGER TELLS U!

  • @user-vm5mi9ki4g
    @user-vm5mi9ki4g 12 днів тому

    Great work, *Vortextrace* - I’m thrilled that you’re actively combatting these scammers. It’s crucial to prioritize the safety of the elderly and the public by taking every necessary measure to protect them. You truly deserve recognition for your efforts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • @user-vm5mi9ki4g
    @user-vm5mi9ki4g 12 днів тому

    Great work, *Vortextrace* - I’m thrilled that you’re actively combatting these scammers. It’s crucial to prioritize the safety of the elderly and the public by taking every necessary measure to protect them. You truly deserve recognition for your efforts!;!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • @user-qb8qm4mp5n
    @user-qb8qm4mp5n Місяць тому +3

    I think some of these people are in cognitive decline they would send all of their hard-earned money. If I were her daughter, I would be sick to my stomach. I know when my dad passed away, my mom became a different person. She wasn't the same. In her early 70s, she started talking about dating. We kids were like, mom, no. Who are you going to date? Anyone she would find would be after her assets. She had money in her golden years because she was very frugal during her working years. We weren't going to let her give it away to some scrub. The chance of finding an honest romance in your golden years is slim to none.

    • @genxx2724
      @genxx2724 Місяць тому +3

      Families need to keep their elders close, and involve them in their daily lives. Make them part of the household.

  • @WilliamsPinch
    @WilliamsPinch Місяць тому +10

    These people know that they’re paying for a fantasy.

    • @Puggalug
      @Puggalug Місяць тому

      No they don’t. Scammers use social engineering techniques to manipulate their victims. They play on their victims’ emotions to the point where the victim believes they have something real with the person.
      It’s silly to believe anyone paying that amount of money is knowingly paying for a fantasy. It’s also comments like these that make victims ashamed to go public with their story, which means less people know about it, which means more people are likely to get scammed.
      Anyone is capable of falling for a scam if they happen to be at the wrong place, the wrong time, and the wrong state of mind, pushed to urgency using manipulation techniques.

    • @marknewton6984
      @marknewton6984 Місяць тому

      They crave attention.😮

  • @QbnAmCan
    @QbnAmCan Місяць тому +2

    Lots of lonely people in this county! This world!

    • @mildredpierce4506
      @mildredpierce4506 Місяць тому

      It’s not loneliness. It’s being gullible and naïve. A lot of these people do not know that scams exist. A lot of them are very trusting. It is not unusual to find people in small towns falling for these scams, but of course is not limited to people in small towns.
      A lot of these people also do not use any type of logic or wisdom whatsoever.
      I watch a channel on UA-cam that tries to help romance scam victims as much as possible. One lady who wasn’t even aware of romance scams had sent the scammer a little under $200. But when he wanted to send her some gold bars, she questioned him. She wondered why would he trust her when they don’t really know each other.
      That scammer sent a fake email pretending to be from a shipping company telling her it costs $1200 to have the gold shipped. She had done some research and found out it doesn’t cost that amount of money. Additionally, she rented a PO Box to have this gold sent there instead of to her house.
      When she would ask the scammer different things, he would get mad at her because she would not comply and she was not accepting this treatment from this stranger.
      Even though she was looking for love, she thought it was strange that he would fall in love with her so quickly.
      She was not greedy. She didn’t let the gold bars sway her.
      Eventually, she contacted the people that helps the romance scam victims. When the scammer wanted the money for the shipping, she said she didn’t have it and she was smart enough not to try to get it either. This was a smart woman who didn’t let greed get in the way.

    • @marknewton6984
      @marknewton6984 Місяць тому +2

      Lots of stupid people too!😮

  • @tlmas1914
    @tlmas1914 Місяць тому +5

    its not heartbreaking...it mind blowing...just go and pay a match maker!!

  • @tlmas1914
    @tlmas1914 Місяць тому +1

    i wonder if she had asked her mom for money and was denied while she out her giving all her money to a stranger?

    • @klr03
      @klr03 Місяць тому

      Good question.

  • @DaucusKarota
    @DaucusKarota Місяць тому +1

    If you know the person don't send money. If they need it, let them come to you and don't give them any. They have a bill possibly pay it. Buy food, maybe but no cash. Once trust is gone, there's no need to give away anything to anyone unless you know they are liars who have issues around trust. Then, you're fully aware of what you are dealing with and the consequences of your stupidity and engaging in theirs as well.

  • @mikaelasmith3544
    @mikaelasmith3544 27 днів тому +1

    I caught on to this 10 years ago! It's so obvious.....people use your brains😅

  • @davinxi5926
    @davinxi5926 Місяць тому +3

    No such thing

  • @denisestinnett4414
    @denisestinnett4414 29 днів тому

    I am a sucker for romance but geezus. Would never send money to anyone unless they are related to me and i come from a very small family that I know well.

  • @juliussugiharto5264
    @juliussugiharto5264 Місяць тому +1

    may the scammer go to hell.but sorry to say sending some stranger even if its real, all your money is not smart move.u can send someone 1.5 mil $ if u got 15 mil dollar.if u only got 1.5 mil and send him 1.5 mil,that stranger become mil and u become beggar ? its so sad.trust me,if u got 1.5 mil,u can enjoy life alone.

  • @rbj5767
    @rbj5767 Місяць тому +2

    🙏💔💔💔💔💢

  • @georgbonil7932
    @georgbonil7932 Місяць тому +3

    I STILL CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE REPORTERS CALL "INTELLIGENT PEOPLE" TO THE ONES WHO SEND MONEY TO SOMEONE WHO NEVER MEET IN PERSON. I WISH THOSE REPORTERS WILL SHOW HOW THEY DETERMINE THAT BECAUSE THE RESULTS CONTRADICT THAT STATEMENT BLATANTLY.

    • @dont6441
      @dont6441 Місяць тому +2

      Why are you yelling?

  • @user-zk2se5pw2h
    @user-zk2se5pw2h Місяць тому +1

    Was just lookin for a mate , and ERICA BOATENG ' took advantage of Me , and I notified the F.B.I and im warning people .... John

  • @ginny709
    @ginny709 Місяць тому +6

    Look at all the Lonely People where do they all come from.....Beatles hit it right on the mark

    • @marknewton6984
      @marknewton6984 Місяць тому +1

      Can't Buy Me Love -- also Beatles 😮

  • @christinamarti4441
    @christinamarti4441 Місяць тому

    This is so sad it speaks for a society that’s love starved

  • @KS-kr4ok
    @KS-kr4ok Місяць тому +4

    giving someone money will not get them to love you. Look at Melania Trump. Money and no love.

  • @EmeraldView
    @EmeraldView Місяць тому

    Meanwhile we've criminalized genuine love in this nation.

  • @khan-fk8fe
    @khan-fk8fe Місяць тому +5

    A bit of research should give you all the warning you need. There is agency h£lping a lot of p£ople having these issues to g£t their ass£ts b@ck. Apex chargeback are clearly underrated.

    • @khan-fk8fe
      @khan-fk8fe Місяць тому

      When it c0mes to tr@ck!ng sc@mm£rs

    • @KevInMiller-vn5zw
      @KevInMiller-vn5zw Місяць тому

      @@khan-fk8fe apex chargeback doing very well

    • @user-vy5tz5mw6t
      @user-vy5tz5mw6t Місяць тому

      @@khan-fk8fe Good thing victims can find remedy

  • @GnosticElohim
    @GnosticElohim Місяць тому

    I have absolutely no sympathy for these fools.