Karin1984
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2012
Storytime / Anyone ever had this?
(TLDR: Probably met an online romance scammer, stopped it as soon as I figured it out)
About two months ago, I started following someone on Tiktok. Not a megastar, but someone with over a million followers. I like some videos, once in a while I comment. Nothing really remarkable to stand out among all the people following him. Just generic comments.
Last month I get a new follower on my own Tiktok account (which is fairly inactive), an account with this Tiktoker's name, but with an added 'private' to it. It's followed by a chat message, saying something like that I'm an amazing fan and thanking me for the support. The phrasing of this message seems a bit strange and automatic. And as mentioned, I didn't say or do anything to stand out among other fans. I conclude it's automated message and continue with my life.
Last week this Tiktok'er starts to pop up in my Facebook algorhythm. I leave a comment on a video here as well.
Yesterday an account with this Tiktoker's name likes the only (visible to the) public message on my Facebook timeline: "This is my current private account and I assure you. Private chat only with my serious and loyal fans
"
This morning at 8AM my time (and supposedly 7AM his time) I get another chat message. This time on Facebook messenger. It's similar in tone to the message I received on Tiktok, not identical, thanking me for being a fan. I answer along the line of "You're welcome". He then continues to ask my name and where I am from. And right after my answer (not giving the exact city I live in, but the closest big city), he asks me if I can be trusted with his personal e-mail address, because he wanted to continue to chat in Google Chat.
The question about his personal e-mail address is a bit weird, as I have only said 2 sentences to him (not counting the comments on videos), I think the switch to Google Chat is weird, but I reason: if he chats with a lot of fans over all kinds of platforms, I can imagine that he wants one platform for these interactions.
I do admit, I felt flattered. I am not very remarkable in real life. So, yes, being noticed by a handsome talented man... it's how romance novels and movies start. I'm from the Netherlands, this guy is from Ireland and I saw myself running through the Irish meadows in a flowy dress.
When I tell him I can be trusted, he asks for my e-mail address to use Google Chat. I do not give him my primary e-mail address, but my Gmail address which I do not use except to have access to some Google-applications.
When we have set up a Google Chat, his first question is: Married or single?
I'm a bit surprised by this question, as it seems out of character how he portrays himself in his videos, but let's answer and ask him the same question. No reply.
I have to run some errands, so I tell him I'll be back later if he has more questions. His tone of voice in general is unusual as well. His first chat messages are overly polite and 'humble', and while chatting his tone is not necessarily rude, it is commanding. And not how you would talk if you want to get to know someone. It doesn't match his tone in videos. And he doesn't use interpunction, but hey, not everyone cares about that.
While doing my errands, I conclude, while this Tiktok'er has a video about being a bit scared to talk to women..., he probably is surveying his fans for research. So let's put away the thoughts of running through Irish meadows and I decide just to answer his questions. I work in marketing, studying to get my Master's degree, if it comes up I'll offer my help how you can do better customer surveys and how to analyze your database.
When I'm back, he asks some more demographic questions (one of them if I own my house, which can still be a survey question, just not for his content/fans). I get a tad annoyed that he doesn't answer any counter questions. If this was a survey, he could have been more transparent about that and not giving me the feeling he wants to get to know me, as a person.
I decide to ask one specific question, something I know should trigger a response from the Tiktok'er. Recently he gushed in a video about Joaquin Phoenix' acting performance in the new film Napoleon. I asked what his other thoughts are on the movie. Thinking: There must be more he has to say besides this 60 second video. Men love to talk about themselves and their interests... He shouldn't be able to resist this.
All I get as an answer is a "It was great".
Hmmm...
He asks me my age, I give him a bracket, 30-39. Next "question": Send me a beautiful picture of you.
I tell him it's too soon for that, he has my social media handles, he can see my profile picture. It's taken last week. When he asks again, I tell him he is creepy, first question 'married or single' and next to ask for a picture? Not doing it.
He then makes a very strange remark that he treats everyone equally and doesn't discriminate.
Which totally doesn't match with the discussion, and besides that...
This is going to sound bad, but both me and this Tiktok'er are white and grew up in predominantly white countries. I am quite sure he and I are both very lucky that discrimination is not on our every day mind.
I tell him it's not about discrimination, just not comfortable with making pictures and sending them to strangers. The profile picture is good enough.
He continues his questionaire "Do you have kids?"
Now, I have another look at the Facebook profile and notice:
A. the account is empty, besides a profile and a header picture. Matching the official public account. A bit weird if this is your personal account.
B. The pictures are uploaded yesterday.
C. City of residence is listed as Port Harcourt. Capital of Nigeria.
And I start to realize... I'm talking to a Nigerian scammer. More and more puzzle pieces get into place.
I am not the type to send money to anyone, except family, so I don't think I would fall for an internet scam romance, but let's just be glad I was paying attention.
I do feel a bit stupid because I wanted to believe this was real.
I ask him: "How is the weather in Port Harcourt?"
After a pause his response is: "Where?"
Then continues with: Have you ever left the country?
And this was my final piece of evidence. This is a very non-European question. Where I am from, and probably it's the same in all small and most big Western European countries: it's very unlikely to never have travelled abroad. Drive 3 hours in any direction and you will end up in the next country. I know there are people with low incomes who have never been abroad. However, if you have a (good) job and are a homeowner in the Netherlands, which I had told him, I'm putting it at a 99,99% chance that you have travelled abroad. I'm going to guess it's the same for Ireland. Travel abroad is incredibly common here, you wouldn't ask it.
So, I tell him I am doing playing and if he wants to scam someone, he has to be smarter.
I block him on my social media platforms. And that's that.
I did unblock him on Facebook, because I forgot to take screenshots of everything here. And now I cannot block him again for 48 hours. And yes, he has sent me another chat message. This time just saying "Hello". Going to ignore that.
He also hasn't put two and two together that he also tried this with me on Tiktok.
The Tiktok'er has an agent, so I decide to send the agent the social media handles, if the agent wants to know more he can contact me on my Gmail address. Mainly sending it to the agent because I start to wonder if this Tiktok'ers website is real
Anyone here ever fell or almost fell for an internet romance scam?
(TLDR: Probably met an online romance scammer, stopped it as soon as I figured it out)
About two months ago, I started following someone on Tiktok. Not a megastar, but someone with over a million followers. I like some videos, once in a while I comment. Nothing really remarkable to stand out among all the people following him. Just generic comments.
Last month I get a new follower on my own Tiktok account (which is fairly inactive), an account with this Tiktoker's name, but with an added 'private' to it. It's followed by a chat message, saying something like that I'm an amazing fan and thanking me for the support. The phrasing of this message seems a bit strange and automatic. And as mentioned, I didn't say or do anything to stand out among other fans. I conclude it's automated message and continue with my life.
Last week this Tiktok'er starts to pop up in my Facebook algorhythm. I leave a comment on a video here as well.
Yesterday an account with this Tiktoker's name likes the only (visible to the) public message on my Facebook timeline: "This is my current private account and I assure you. Private chat only with my serious and loyal fans
This morning at 8AM my time (and supposedly 7AM his time) I get another chat message. This time on Facebook messenger. It's similar in tone to the message I received on Tiktok, not identical, thanking me for being a fan. I answer along the line of "You're welcome". He then continues to ask my name and where I am from. And right after my answer (not giving the exact city I live in, but the closest big city), he asks me if I can be trusted with his personal e-mail address, because he wanted to continue to chat in Google Chat.
The question about his personal e-mail address is a bit weird, as I have only said 2 sentences to him (not counting the comments on videos), I think the switch to Google Chat is weird, but I reason: if he chats with a lot of fans over all kinds of platforms, I can imagine that he wants one platform for these interactions.
I do admit, I felt flattered. I am not very remarkable in real life. So, yes, being noticed by a handsome talented man... it's how romance novels and movies start. I'm from the Netherlands, this guy is from Ireland and I saw myself running through the Irish meadows in a flowy dress.
When I tell him I can be trusted, he asks for my e-mail address to use Google Chat. I do not give him my primary e-mail address, but my Gmail address which I do not use except to have access to some Google-applications.
When we have set up a Google Chat, his first question is: Married or single?
I'm a bit surprised by this question, as it seems out of character how he portrays himself in his videos, but let's answer and ask him the same question. No reply.
I have to run some errands, so I tell him I'll be back later if he has more questions. His tone of voice in general is unusual as well. His first chat messages are overly polite and 'humble', and while chatting his tone is not necessarily rude, it is commanding. And not how you would talk if you want to get to know someone. It doesn't match his tone in videos. And he doesn't use interpunction, but hey, not everyone cares about that.
While doing my errands, I conclude, while this Tiktok'er has a video about being a bit scared to talk to women..., he probably is surveying his fans for research. So let's put away the thoughts of running through Irish meadows and I decide just to answer his questions. I work in marketing, studying to get my Master's degree, if it comes up I'll offer my help how you can do better customer surveys and how to analyze your database.
When I'm back, he asks some more demographic questions (one of them if I own my house, which can still be a survey question, just not for his content/fans). I get a tad annoyed that he doesn't answer any counter questions. If this was a survey, he could have been more transparent about that and not giving me the feeling he wants to get to know me, as a person.
I decide to ask one specific question, something I know should trigger a response from the Tiktok'er. Recently he gushed in a video about Joaquin Phoenix' acting performance in the new film Napoleon. I asked what his other thoughts are on the movie. Thinking: There must be more he has to say besides this 60 second video. Men love to talk about themselves and their interests... He shouldn't be able to resist this.
All I get as an answer is a "It was great".
Hmmm...
He asks me my age, I give him a bracket, 30-39. Next "question": Send me a beautiful picture of you.
I tell him it's too soon for that, he has my social media handles, he can see my profile picture. It's taken last week. When he asks again, I tell him he is creepy, first question 'married or single' and next to ask for a picture? Not doing it.
He then makes a very strange remark that he treats everyone equally and doesn't discriminate.
Which totally doesn't match with the discussion, and besides that...
This is going to sound bad, but both me and this Tiktok'er are white and grew up in predominantly white countries. I am quite sure he and I are both very lucky that discrimination is not on our every day mind.
I tell him it's not about discrimination, just not comfortable with making pictures and sending them to strangers. The profile picture is good enough.
He continues his questionaire "Do you have kids?"
Now, I have another look at the Facebook profile and notice:
A. the account is empty, besides a profile and a header picture. Matching the official public account. A bit weird if this is your personal account.
B. The pictures are uploaded yesterday.
C. City of residence is listed as Port Harcourt. Capital of Nigeria.
And I start to realize... I'm talking to a Nigerian scammer. More and more puzzle pieces get into place.
I am not the type to send money to anyone, except family, so I don't think I would fall for an internet scam romance, but let's just be glad I was paying attention.
I do feel a bit stupid because I wanted to believe this was real.
I ask him: "How is the weather in Port Harcourt?"
After a pause his response is: "Where?"
Then continues with: Have you ever left the country?
And this was my final piece of evidence. This is a very non-European question. Where I am from, and probably it's the same in all small and most big Western European countries: it's very unlikely to never have travelled abroad. Drive 3 hours in any direction and you will end up in the next country. I know there are people with low incomes who have never been abroad. However, if you have a (good) job and are a homeowner in the Netherlands, which I had told him, I'm putting it at a 99,99% chance that you have travelled abroad. I'm going to guess it's the same for Ireland. Travel abroad is incredibly common here, you wouldn't ask it.
So, I tell him I am doing playing and if he wants to scam someone, he has to be smarter.
I block him on my social media platforms. And that's that.
I did unblock him on Facebook, because I forgot to take screenshots of everything here. And now I cannot block him again for 48 hours. And yes, he has sent me another chat message. This time just saying "Hello". Going to ignore that.
He also hasn't put two and two together that he also tried this with me on Tiktok.
The Tiktok'er has an agent, so I decide to send the agent the social media handles, if the agent wants to know more he can contact me on my Gmail address. Mainly sending it to the agent because I start to wonder if this Tiktok'ers website is real
Anyone here ever fell or almost fell for an internet romance scam?
totally understandable.
. I usually just mess with them for a few messages and then say Good Try and block them. I feel terrible for people who actually get involved. My SIL's mother was catfished on 
