Internet Dating Scams Can Get Expensive

CONSUMER AFFAIRS -- July 28 -- Annette was lonely. eHarmony.com matched her with a building engineer who was working in Nigeria. Everything was fine until the customs agents in Nigeria confiscated his luggage with $45,000 in travelers' checks. His situation worsened and Annette had wiped out her life savings by wiring $36,300 to Nigeria to help him. Mark Brooks, editor of OnlinePersonalsWatch.com and a consultant for the industry, said every dating Web site has problems with scammers. "This is organized crime. They are targeting lots of different industries, but idating is one of them," Brooks said. "Many of these scammers work together to create enormous fraud rings and share data on how best to scam people", said Scott Olson, VP marketing for iovation, a company that tracks computers so that Web sites can block devices that have a history of being connected with fraud. eHarmony.com clearly states on its Web site that it does not perform background checks. Some Web sites do offer background checks, but Brooks agreed with Posell (eHarmony.com) that most background checks would be costly with little increase in safety. FULL ARTICLE @ CONSUMER AFFAIRS

Mark Brooks: Good background checks cost $100+. Background checks pulling data from online sources can cost as little as $3. iovation offers a solution which allows dating sites to work together to combat scammers, and works in the background. If you'd like to kick some scammer ass, look to iovation. I've helped them sign up numerous dating sites into their 'anti-scammer dating ring' including a top 3 dating site! Disclosure: iovation is an Online Personals Watch sponsor and a client of Courtland Brooks.

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Comments

[Devil Called Love]

It's a never-ending battle fighting these scammers. We've ended up blocking ent ire countries, which is a real shame because it penalises people with real profiles.

[Mark Brooks]

We reviewed some dating sites while in Prague recently and found that half of them had blocked Prague. Thats a shame. iovation (client of Courtland Brooks) helps dating sites work together to kick scammers asses. Its a real problem. This is a real solution.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for this reporting mechanism, as the internet is a technological highway for liars who hide. Steve Colescott or [email protected] is a bisexual addict, hiding and posing as a man seeking females. He cannot tell the truth and leave these 'heterosexual' sites alone. But people like you help victims like us in being safe.

[Joan]

Your site is great ! Keep people aware and informed as the internet is the criminal super highway for predators, cheats and liars. There are reasons people have to hide behind their computers. They are called anti-socials, sociopaths, or psychopaths. Check out lovefraud.com too, as that site gives cases, profiles and more.

[John]

Steve Colescott, aka [email protected] contacts as a "closeted" bisexual interested in regular play with his first message. His antics are suspect and one thing, dishonest. Whether bi or gay, straight, I wish people would be secure enough to contact others with truthfulness. So thank u for this info. I concur.

[jeff paul scam]

yeah i must say these kinds of scams are spreading every where , even all the social networks like facebook or orkut are full of it .

[CC]

The name of my ex is Steve Cole. He left up a site that I found one morning with him dressed like a woman. He had two looks, one with his natural hair and one in a black wig. I was so shocked. I never looked at the email address he was using. I do not believe in coincidences. More confirmation on my decision to become a single woman. I was a victim of his abuse for too many years.