Michael F. Robertson Portuguese, Bryan60806, Micheal, Saw my profile on match.com while on 3 day trial and immediately fell in love with me. He emailed me under dancewith me00993, passionseeker799, fairytalesheart99 and withtime0098 Huntsville, Concord, New Hapmshire Alabama
On 1/18 received 2 emails very similar grammar- used words like "angel" "will relocate anywhere" "widower" and came from foreign men living in the US with no family or telephone. I answered one of them and was romanced at least 6 hours per day IM on yahoo.com with the "man who wanted to take care of me after his wife tragically died in a car crash in Portugal 6 years earlier leaving him with a 12 year old son who was pictured with him on match.com along with a black and white cat. He was handsome, 6' 2"-well educated in Trofa, Portugal and the University at Liverpool, England.....He was a geologist who was seeking a contract to find oil abroad-
I was job hunting and he was praying for me and I should pray for him. On 1/22 he receives wonderful news that he will meet on 1/24 in Newberry, SC for a contract with his agent and his son Kelvin. He has no family as his parents died in Portugal 4 years earlier-they were farmers. We spent at least 6 hours per day IM or emailing-he promised me he would get a phone-the one time he called me from his agent's phone the # was blocked-it was a bad connection and his voice mysteriously changed as my voice did on our next phone call when he called me from Nigeria, Africa where he did receive his contract.
He called me to tell me that his credit card was refused by the hotel and eventually begged me-having me call him back in Nigeria-I hate to see the phone bill. But he was receiving several million dollars for contract and I just had to cash my unemployment check or he and his son would be out on the streets. Nigeria must have been my first clue-I confirmed from the operator it was Nigeria and that's when I told him "no" it was a scam and I caught it. I am so angry for falling for him and glad I saw the light.
Lisa
Merrimack, New Hampshire
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Lisa
Merrimack,New Hampshire,
U.S.A.
Match.com aware of Nigeria scam-won't confirm it exists/just gives xtra days on site
#2Author of original report
Mon, January 26, 2009
Update 1/26-Angry but determined to get an answer from Match.com-and after receiving another scam email that sounded like the other 5-yes I miscounted there were 5 I spoke with a customer service rep about the incident. I told her I had reported it to the Rip-off Report and would be following up with the media-she wouldn't refund my 3 month package already paid for-simply extended it for another 10 days to make up for the 10 days I wasted talking to the scam artist. Meanwhile I reported to her 6 more similar profiles on Match.com. These are the warning signs: words related to Nigerian scam artists on Match.com
o widower
o will relocate anywhere
o angel, heavenly, godly, sweetheart, sweetie, dearest
o makes over $100,00 per year
o lives over 100 miles from you
o lives 1/2 hr from you but is willing to relocate anywhere (obviously they didn't look at a map of NH)
o they want to take care of you
o they have no telephone at home and their cell is broken
o they are waiting for an important business deal
o something is wrong with their credit card