Online “Girlfriend” Scams $200,000 from Illinois Man

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From our “Why online scams work” department, a woman (if she is indeed a woman) who was in an online relationship with an Illinois man for over two years has managed to scam at least $200,000 from the man.

The scam came to light when the 48-year-old man from Naperville, Illinois contacted police because his ‘girlfriend’ had disappeared right after he wired her the last of the $200,000, and he feared she had been kidnapped.

Even though the woman had him wire her the money to accounts in England, Malaysia and, wait for it, Nigeria, the man did not become suspicious, and genuinely believed that his love had met with foul play. That was when he contacted the police, who had the unpleasant job of adding insult to his financial injury, and telling him that his lady friend was no lady, and he had been scammed.

The gentleman felt he had protected himself from scamming by insisting she provide him with identification to prove that she was who she said she was. She obliged by forwarding him a fake Florida driver’s license that was merely a sample license lifted, presumably, from some website.

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