GREAT advice, Linda. Awhile ago, I had someone message me from Nigeria. Immediately warning flags went up, but I heard them out to confirm my hunch. Sure enough, it wasn't long before she relayed the story of how she planned to come to the USA, but she had lent her friend some money and was having trouble getting her to repay. She wanted me to wire her money to help her, "just until her friend repaid her." Yeah, right! Needless to say, I reported her and blocked "her."
I question the efficacy of reporting anything to Yahoo and expecting results, though. Look at the bot issue. The people at http://www.chatspam.org did a study and determined that in March, 75.80% of all users were bots and only 24.20% were actual live users. I'm left to ask if Yahoo may be making money somehow from these spammers, because they don't seem to be in any hurry to rectify the situation. --- In [email protected], "Linda" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I watched Oprah last week when she had a show about scammers. I love > to chat, and after that show I realized I have been contacted by > scammers several times. This is a list of things to tell you that > you have been contacted by a scammer. Reading it might save you or a > friend of being scammed out of thousands of dollars. > > Linda - Moderator > > > Not every scam has each of these warning signs, but if you recognize > several of them, you probably have cause for concern > > Profile: > 1. Their profile pictures looks professionally done and can be > found on a modeling website > 2. They claim to have blonde hair and blues eyes when the > picture is dark hair and brown eyes or vice versa > 3. They claim to be Native American or some other ethnicity when > the photo is Caucasian > 4. They typically claim to be from the US (or your local region) > but they are overseas, or going overseas mainly to Nigeria, sometimes > the UK for business or family matters > > Spelling/grammar: > 1. Their spelling is atrocious, they are notorious for using "i" > instead of "I" mix up their phrases: "i" will like to heer, I am kool > 2. They appear uneducated with their speaking/writing skills > > Conversation/Circumstance: > 1. They immediately start using pet names with you: hon/hun > baby/babe, angel, over-use emoticons, and BUZZ all the time > 2. They do not like to answer personal questions about > themselves and tend to ignore questions > 3. They typically ask you to get on your webcam yet they never > seem to have a webcam of their own > 4. They claim it was destiny or fate and you are meant to be > together, claiming God brought you to him/her > 5. They send you poems or love letters from lovingyou.com > 6. They are not usually around on the weekends to IM or they IM > at unusual hours for your time zone > 7. They ask for your phone # but when they call you can barely > understand a word > 8. They do not know common questions that every US citizen would > know > > The Scam: > 1. They want your address to send you flowers, candy, and teddy > bears, purchased with stolen credit cards > 2. They are in so love with you BUT they need you to send money > so they can come to you > 3. They have no close family, friend or business associates to > turn to, even the US embassy, instead they can only rely on a > stranger they picked off the internet > 4. They would like to mail you packages or letters and have you > forward them on to them in Africa, sometimes to another US address. > To them love equals financial assistanceÂ… if you do not send them > money or help them out with what they ask, you do not love them. They > tend to ask for cell phones and laptops > 5. They will ask you to open an account for them in your name or > they will ask you for your account information > 6. They will send you a check, Qchex, or money order and ask you > to cash it for them and wire the money to them via Western Union. > 7. Many claim to have lost a spouse/child/parent in a horrific > traffic/airplane accident or they are sick or in the hospital > 8. They often claim they are in the hospital and the doctor will > not perform the operation unless you send money > 9. They claim they've been mugged and have no money and are > being held hostage in the hotel > 10. There is always some desperate story as to why you have to > send money If you deny them or question them they become verbally > abusive and will resort to threats Above all, if you call them a > scammer they are highly offended and some will start throwing words > at you in their native language > > Please check out this site for more information and supportÂ….. > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/romancescams/ >
