this happens SOOOOOO OFTEN!!!!!!!
I had a friend that was scammed for a FULL YEAR, Jaco!! She SO wanted to believe that this guy was real. He didn't get into the money part until later (which is SO slick) at first he just made her think that he loved how much she followed him and always wanted to make her feel special.
When she showed me his messages - there were the tell-tale signs that this guy was NOT the guy. You could see the way he spoke isn't the way an American would speak. but she wasn't American either! so she wasn't picking up on it
Later - sure enough MONTHS later after she REALLY TRULY believed that this superstar was like - reaching out to her and befriending her... he started asking for money
I was so devastated for her. I mean - they know how to do this. they lure you in with all the things you want to hear - its so evil.
im so glad that you figured it out before it got worse!!!!!!!! good for you adn thanks for sharing your story!!
That's absolutely disgusting! I don't have words to describe what I think of these characters.
I could still laugh at this idiot who tried to drag me in, but only because I saw it for what it was in time.
The first thing that should make you suspicious, is why would such a person (I'm now referring to the real person), just suddenly reach out to you and lead you by the hand?
You haven't reached out to him. You didn't respond to an offer he has publicly made... But suddenly, here he is, reaching out to you. Out of thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands of followers...out of the blue, this person suddenly wants to have a friendly conversation with you... Be CAREFUL!
Are they convincing? You bet they are! I was also hesitant to just be rude to this guy in the beginning...because it all was SO REAL. But I was suspicious because it just was too good to be true... And then when he started asking for passwords and login details, I knew what I was dealing with.
When men get robbed or hacked or whatever, it is bad enough. It drives you up the walls. But I HATE it even worse when women and children get taken advantage of...and yes, maybe with your friend it wasn't a physical face-to-face thing, but still...he abused her trust, her willingness to learn...even if she was (and I say with all due respect, I don't mean it in a bad sense)...but even if she was a bit gullible, I feel that was out of innocence. She didn't know better, and he abused it!
I just hope more people will read this article of yours and be warned. Be alert. If people lack experience and start getting these kinds of invitations, they should rather discuss it with someone...with someone like yourself, or someone else they know has more experience but don't just follow anybody blindly. At least get a second opinion.
Thanks again for sharing this information!
I can't agree more - and she wasn't the only one! he was portraying himself as this celebrity to so many women who were just really wanting that to be true
I ended up sending him a DM - to the real guy- and told him look, You don't know me from Adam - but there is a guy who is parading around being you - and hurting people. so I think you should kinda - write something on your posts or SOMETHING to warn women... etc
he ended up coming up with something like that a few weeks later.
sad that his name got dragged around by impostors - but... this is the world we live in
and yes - those people are such creeps!