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AIBU?

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Original poster

I am being catfished right now!

438 replies

qualitychat · 23/02/2024 21:34

I received a friend request on Facebook just now. This is definitely someone catfishing me. He comes from Austin, Texas but has pigeon English. He is a Marine Engineer living in Sweden. He does a very dangerous job. He is a nice looking man, he has sent me a photo. He tragically lost his wife 5 years ago due to medical negligence. Am I wrong in stringing him alone?

OP posts:
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17
SomeCatFromJapan · 25/02/2024 19:06

@WilhelminaC given that the thread is people laughing at scammers, I think OP probably knows this 😉

mia778 · 25/02/2024 19:05

No I just wouldn’t have the time in my day for it to be honest

peakygold · 25/02/2024 19:04

David Tennant messaged me the other night. As DT famously is not on any social media, I assumed he must have been sleepwalking when he asked me what I thought of his latest appearance in Dr Who.

WilhelminaC · 25/02/2024 19:02

Oh ffs it’s the AGE OLD scam that’s been going on FOR YEARS!
BLOCK THUS PERSON & REPORT them to Facebook
these people just STEAL photos from the internet & contact people like yourself!
don’t converse with them anymore ! STOP while you’re ahead! Or they will start asking for money!

NowWhatUsernameShallIHave · 25/02/2024 19:01

Echobelly · 23/02/2024 21:58

The conversation did get kind of steamy

This made me laugh so hard

TheTruthWillSetYouFreeMaybe · 25/02/2024 18:48

Obv I am old and ugly as I never get propositioned (although Prince Harry wants to be my Facebook friend apparently ). My car tax is frequently overdue -(which is worrying as I don’t drive) One guy wanted to come and quote me for a loft extension as they were installing one further down the street, which was clever as every house in the street has flat rooves. My national insurance number is constantly being compromised in Wales, and there must be a warehouse full to the brim with parcels that can’t be delivered until I pay a tenner. But I am still waiting for a Swedish oil rigger in a Stetson to sweep me off my feet.

ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 25/02/2024 18:44

They are gorgeous though!

😀

ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 25/02/2024 18:44

Uricon2 · 25/02/2024 18:06

I think you need to have some sort of profile stating that you're single/divorced/widowed to attract the full Stetson wearing/Army General/neurosurgeon/astronaut experience 😀I believe that's what they pick up on, and possibly age too.

Show quote history

Not really, my profile picture is a mug shot of my two dogs.

Hmm
Betterbuckleupbarbara · 25/02/2024 18:42

@Uricon2 I just added that description to my image generator 😂

Uricon2 · 25/02/2024 18:31

Jellykat · 25/02/2024 18:24

Ahaa @Uricon2, well i fit into the right criteria, but have no social media accounts (bar MN) thats obviously where im going wrong! hey ho.. Grin

If you want to bag yourself a Stetson wearing astronaut surgeon with a military background (and a very poor command of written English, strangely) you know what you have to do!😎

Jellykat · 25/02/2024 18:24

Ahaa @Uricon2, well i fit into the right criteria, but have no social media accounts (bar MN) thats obviously where im going wrong! hey ho.. Grin

LoctiteStuck · 25/02/2024 18:06

@Justsaynonow that Apple TV series looks AWESOME. I don't have apple tv. why don't I have apple tv?

Uricon2 · 25/02/2024 18:06

Jellykat · 25/02/2024 17:58

Blimey, i'm so boring the only scammers i get is the automated ' someone has made a large payment using your card' one..
Why cant i have a Surgeon or Stetson hat wearer?

I think you need to have some sort of profile stating that you're single/divorced/widowed to attract the full Stetson wearing/Army General/neurosurgeon/astronaut experience 😀I believe that's what they pick up on, and possibly age too.

Lollingabout · 25/02/2024 18:02

qualitychat · 24/02/2024 10:02

He wants my phone number. I am all for scamming him but I can't work myself up to actually talk to him.

If this ever happens to any else please give them your local police station number!

Jellykat · 25/02/2024 17:58

Blimey, i'm so boring the only scammers i get is the automated ' someone has made a large payment using your card' one..
Why cant i have a Surgeon or Stetson hat wearer?

Shellyth · 25/02/2024 17:51

I’ve had the car accident phone call. All went well until I told him I died in the accident 😂😂.

Justsaynonow · 25/02/2024 17:48

LoctiteStuck · 25/02/2024 15:28

That story that @samarrange posted above from Vanity Fair is quite the read.
Given he was actually working as a surgeon, the way she met him and the fact he is good looking (if that's your type) I think many women would have fallen for his tales. I mean who wouldn't want to be taken out for Michelin starred dinners in Venice by a handsome surgeon who'd supposedly carried out pioneering surgery.

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/01/celebrity-surgeon-nbc-news-producer-scam

There's also a podcast (S3) and Apple tv show (S2) about it: Dr Death
https://wondery.com/shows/dr-death/season/3/
https://tv.apple.com/ca/show/dr-death/umc.cmc.2f3u49pdimqf2ow8cgrqhr4dk

Dr. Death - Season 3: Miracle Man

Paolo is a smart and handsome surgeon, renowned for his ability to perform surgeries that transform his patients’ lives. When television producer Benita covers him for a story, he’ll transform her life too, but not in the ways she expects. As Benita cr...

https://wondery.com/shows/dr-death/season/3

RecklessGoddess · 25/02/2024 17:46

String him along, then come up with some tragedy happening in your life that requires lots of money, then ask him if he can give you several thousands to help you out. I've done that before, they suddenly lose all interest in you 🤣🤣🤣🤣

IncreasinglyGrumpy · 25/02/2024 17:38

qualitychat · 23/02/2024 21:34

I received a friend request on Facebook just now. This is definitely someone catfishing me. He comes from Austin, Texas but has pigeon English. He is a Marine Engineer living in Sweden. He does a very dangerous job. He is a nice looking man, he has sent me a photo. He tragically lost his wife 5 years ago due to medical negligence. Am I wrong in stringing him alone?

I'm 58 and just started getting these- I watched a programme on BBC3 about the scale of the operation, I wouldn't engage at all even to wind them up.

Judecb · 25/02/2024 17:37

This is definitely wrong. The picture and the story will all be fabricated. Delete and block!

ZombiesAreClammyDodgers · 25/02/2024 17:36

This book is a must read. :)
Keanu Reeves Is Not In Love With You: The Murky World of Online Romance Fraud https://amzn.eu/d/5WmuSID

PUGMEISTER21 · 25/02/2024 17:35

Haha I told one of these car injury claims people that my head had fallen off in thw accident as well

Andnowshesatoddler · 25/02/2024 17:29

Has he told you of his son's cancer pains yet?

WoollyRosebud · 25/02/2024 16:21

How exciting, Stephen Fry wants to be friends with me. Had a lovely email from him today. Have to say his command of the English language seems to have deteriorated. Can’t be arsed to play with him so have deleted and am watching the Six Nations match instead

Cerealkiller4U · 25/02/2024 16:07

AmaryllisChorus · 24/02/2024 12:57

Again, I did wonder what those women understood of social media when they were saying: he knew my dad's name, my sister's name - all this private information, so it had to be someone I knew. And I was thinking, it was never private - every person and event in your life was on SM and accessible worldwide to anyone with an internet connection. People don't realise how very public their lives are.

Edited
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100%. I work in this industry!!

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