122 replies to this topic

[atefooterz]

http://www.abc.net.a...g-scams/3828874

Australians are being warned not to fall prey to online dating scams if they are looking for love this Valentine's Day.

Last year 2,100 victims reported online dating scams to the national consumer watchdog, with their losses totalling more than $21 million.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s deputy chairman Dr Michael Schaper says online dating scams have a conversion rate of more than 50 per cent – meaning that more than half the people targeted fall prey to the scam.

"That is by far and away the highest victimisation rate of any group of scam operators in the country," he told ABC News Online.

Not only do a large proportion of those approached fall victim, 5 per cent of victims lose more than $100,000, and the average loss from an online dating scam is $20,000.

Dr Schaper says the scammer usually tries to move the online relationship quickly away from the dating website onto email or sometimes telephone, and also asks for money or financial details early on.

"They do so by posing as, for example, someone based overseas, someone whose child has had an accident and urgently needs money for a medical procedure, someone who may be stuck on an offshore operation, or even as a military operator who needs money to get a visa, to get a ticket of leave back home," he said.

Due to the prevalence and social cost of the problem, the ACCC has worked with dating websites to come up with a set of best practice guidelines, which will include warnings to users at 'points of decision' – such as where a user is about to make initial contact with another user.

However, Dr Schaper says those looking for love online also need to protect themselves.

"You should very carefully avoid anyone whose primary goal seems to be to get money out of you," he said.

"If you do get scammed, report it to the website operator, report it to the ACCC’s SCAMwatch website and, if you've lost money, advise not only the police but also your financial institution."

However, Dr Schaper says many of the scammers are located offshore, making prosecution and the recovery of money very difficult.

He also has a particular warning for those who think they are too tech savvy to fall victim.

"Scammers seem to be equal opportunity operators – almost as many men are affected or hit by scammers as are women," Dr Schaper observed.

"We find also that tech-savvy young people are just as likely to fall victim to a scam operation as are older people who might be using the web with much less experience."

[Bump-n-Grind]

last time I was in Key West all the girls at the stip clubs were eastern block. same with the strip clubs in St Martin.

[Sailing My Cubicle]

last time I was in Key West all the girls at the stip clubs were eastern block. same with the strip clubs in St Martin.

That's an entirely different scene than mail-order brides. Check out season two of The Wire.

[Sharkie]

people are sensitive to the ad but Ok with Friday threads? Hypocrites.

I think that the difference is that one you can choose not to click on and the other is on the front page and if you want to see the for articles you and more importantly your enterprise web filter both get an eye full so to speak. That single ad can get the entire site blacklisted by corporate filters when it would otherwise fly under the radar. Good for productivity, not so good for page hits.

So it isn't the product that the ad is selling, rather the fact that it has messed with you FRIDAY fix that is at fault. I hold to my point.

Never said anything about Friday threads. You asked about the difference. The difference is a couple of threads buried in the forums clearly marked as nsfw are different than having an ad on the front page that loads automatically with a link whose origin lights off the spam/porn/scam blocker is not conducive to more hits which means ad revenue as a function of hits actually goes down.
I really don't care either way on the morality of the Russian bride thing if you want one fill your boots. I'm just looking at the possible ramifications of having the ad on the fp.

[Sol Rosenberg]

[Sol Rosenberg]

last time I was in Key West all the girls at the stip clubs were eastern block.

I can neither confirm nor deny this, because I've never been to such a place...but I will say....


"you buy drink, yes?"

[One eye Jack]

They have a show on cable about these ladies and American guys...some are truly great ladies..most just want hat green card and they are gone. With what ever they can grab on the way out the door... Most of these ladies are from an abusive marriage with kids in Russia or the Ukraine..Cheap wife? are any of them cheap?...Cheaper to go to a whore house...you pay, you play and when the meter runs out you leave...

[Zonker]

And for the other half of SA (and it's worth a look if you're female, if only to laugh)

Date a Sea Captain

[Polaris]

Had an acquaintance that met his "Russian wife". He brought her over, married her, put her through college. The day after she graduated, she served him divorce papers. Ended up taking half of his wealth because he didn't have a prenup and she was able to stay because she was now a citizen of the USA. The kicker is that she had a lover back in Russia the entire time, so the entire deal was planned, but try to prove it. There is a sucker born every minute, be careful with the beautiful Ukranians. This is an example of what happens when your brain is in your pants, he deserved it, a true dumbass.

[Bump-n-Grind]

wouldn't ya wanna keep something in an escrow of some sort until some of the aforementioned "warranty issues" are worked out?

[kent_island_sailor]

Might be better just to set it up as a business contract.

[kent_island_sailor]

ROFLMAO
I expected to find DT in there!

And for the other half of SA (and it's worth a look if you're female, if only to laugh)

Date a Sea Captain

[WhoaTed]

And for the other half of SA (and it's worth a look if you're female, if only to laugh)

Date a Sea Captain

Thought for sure that it was a Nick/Tab/RD P-Shop job. Still can't believe it's real, that's some bizzarro shit.

[billy backstay]

Might be better just to set it up as a business contract.

More cost effective to lease than purchase!!! I've seen the spreadsheet....

[DoRag]

Had an acquaintance that met his "Russian wife". He brought her over, married her, put her through college. The day after she graduated, she served him divorce papers. Ended up taking half of his wealth because he didn't have a prenup and she was able to stay because she was now a citizen of the USA. The kicker is that she had a lover back in Russia the entire time, so the entire deal was planned, but try to prove it. There is a sucker born every minute, be careful with the beautiful Ukranians. This is an example of what happens when your brain is in your pants, he deserved it, a true dumbass.

Sounds like Some Dude - that's what happened to him, in addition to getting a strong dose of genital herpes out of the deal.

[SemiSalt]

And for the other half of SA (and it's worth a look if you're female, if only to laugh)

Would I have to grow a white beard and get one o'them sea captain's hats?

[billy backstay]

Add says "attract" a hot russian? I think they are primarily attraced to dead presidents, Benjamins in particular...

[scottmax]

ROFLMAO
I expected to find DT in there!

And for the other half of SA (and it's worth a look if you're female, if only to laugh)

Date a Sea Captain

How could you possibly believe anything that cheesy in this day and age?? WTF are people thinking for crying out load people!!!!

Definably worth a look just for the cheesyness.

[DoRag]

ROFLMAO
I expected to find DT in there!

And for the other half of SA (and it's worth a look if you're female, if only to laugh)

Date a Sea Captain

How could you possibly believe anything that cheesy in this day and age?? WTF are people thinking for crying out load people!!!!

Definably worth a look just for the cheesyness.

What does "crying out load" and "definably" mean?

WTF?

[Cutter]

has anyone scored,?> should we start a ripoff meter?

[Dick Ishuge]

has anyone scored,?> should we start a ripoff meter?

its really just pathetic. Scott showing his true colors. I'd be ashamed, not greedy enough i guess.

[Snaggletooth]

has anyone scored,?> should we start a ripoff meter?

its really just pathetic. Scott showing his true colors.

juste a sevise paye dfoure........

[walterbshaffer]

Had an acquaintance that met his "Russian wife". He brought her over, married her, put her through college. The day after she graduated, she served him divorce papers. Ended up taking half of his wealth because he didn't have a prenup and she was able to stay because she was now a citizen of the USA. The kicker is that she had a lover back in Russia the entire time, so the entire deal was planned, but try to prove it. There is a sucker born every minute, be careful with the beautiful Ukranians. This is an example of what happens when your brain is in your pants, he deserved it, a true dumbass.

No!

That could never happen.

Just don't let her stand behind you with a winch handle offshore.