Romance Scammers Claiming Affiliation With The IC3

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Romance Scammers Claiming Affiliation With The IC3

The scammer asks potential victims to wire funds for various reasons including paying for a hotel, returning to the states, or paying for a lawyer.

Recently, the scammers have added a layer of supposed law enforcement involvement in an attempt to convince the victim the scam is legitimate.

In one such IC3 complaint, the "investigator" says he is using his private e-mail because the IC3 database is under maintenance. To convince the victim to wire the requested funds, he claims to be assigned to the case and assures the victim that the subject has been "interrogated and investigated" and that he is a safe, "legit business man."

Other complainants reported having difficulty cancelling their membership to the particular dating site, which reportedly offers a "3-day free membership" for their service.

The membership is reportedly "automatically" renewed after the three days unless cancelled. Complainants reported that the website renewed their membership and charged their credit card over $59 despite the complainant's attempts to cancel the membership.

Some complainants said the company did not answer their calls, e-mails, or voice mail messages, while others claimed the company admitted the "error" and offered them free service, but refused to refund the charges.

If you have been a victim of this type of scam or any other Cyber crime, you can report it to the IC3 website at: www.IC3.gov. The IC3 complaint database links complaints for potential referral to the appropriate law enforcement agency for case consideration. Complaint information is also used to identity emerging trends and patterns.

Remember - always watch for scams!

Steve