Oh, the things people will do for a love. One Naperville man wired $200,000 to rescue his online girlfriend from kidnappers before realizing it was all a hoax.
He believed he was in a 2 ½ year long relationship with the lady he met online. The man even had a copy of her driver’s license, which of course turned out to be a fake sample license found in Google images.
The 48-year-old man had already wired the cash to various bank accounts in Nigeria, Malaysia, England, and the United States before realizing it was all a sham.
Police said when an officer told the man the “woman” he was sending money to didn’t exist, he “was in disbelief.”
As online relationships become more common, lovebirds should be more careful about who they’re chatting with and how much information they share.
Perhaps after 2 ½ years, it’s time for a face-to-face meetup or a video chat in a public place rather than a fake license.
It’s recommended not to wire any cash or share personal details with people you don’t not know in “real” life.
There are also safer ways to virtually date, like the Virtual Girlfriend iPhone App that allows users to interact with a foxy lady in a safe yet virtual way.
(Via Herald News)
