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Original poster

Instagram account question

38 replies

Iwonder08 · 02/02/2022 16:43

I wonder if anyone could help me.. I had a call earlier today from a cousin of mine who confessed about 'meeting someone on instagram'. I don't have Instagram and don't know how it functions, but the story sounds a bit strange to me.

My cousin has an Instagram account. She is a lday in her early 40s, not famous, a teacher. Nice enough looking but not a model. There are no provocative pictures there etc. She is telling someone from another country subscribed to her account. She looked him up, he seems to be similar age, doctor working abroad. She subscribed to his account too and they started talking. He doesn't speak the same language so they use some sort of translator service (perhaps Google) to communicate. It is now getting intense, they talk for hours and she feels in love.
What I don't understand is how he found her in the first place. He just tells her he was browsing in Instagram and her accou t somehow appeared in his view. He looked at her profile and decided to add her.
Is it possible for that to happen? They have no connections in common, don't live in the same country, not subscribed to the same Instagram..
It does sound a bit dodgy to me. For the reference they are just talking, he is not asking for money or anything sexual.
Any thoughts?

OP posts:
TheSnowyOwl · 02/02/2022 16:47

It’s possible but it screams scam to me.

TheSnowyOwl · 02/02/2022 16:48

Have you tried doing a reverse image to see if the picture of him is used elsewhere? Google how to do it if you are not sure.

LydiaFTM · 02/02/2022 16:48

It is possible for that to happen. Instagram has an 'explore' feature whereby you see posts recommended to you based on previous likes or hashtags used so she could have appeared on his page that way.

She should still be very careful of course because there is always the possibility he is playing the long game and a money request will come up eventually. But it's not completely impossible he is genuine.

StickerPlace · 02/02/2022 16:50

Certainly sounds the start of a scam story if ever I've heard one.

SomeOwlsCoo · 02/02/2022 16:51

It's very likely he found her randomly. That's how insta works.

It's also highly likely he's a scam artist. I get them all the time.

MrsTimRiggins · 02/02/2022 16:52

It’s absolutely possible, I’m ‘friendly’ with quite a few people from all over, people I have no connections with and would have no real life links to, all through Instagram. We have similar interests etc.
That being said, what you’re describing sounds like it could well be a scam tbh.

CormoranStrike · 02/02/2022 18:29

Sounds entirely like a scam to me

cherryonthecakes · 02/02/2022 18:33

I would do a Google search on his profile pic.

BuickMcKane · 02/02/2022 18:36

He's either found her randomly (that's how I got most of my followers/followed people initially), or he follows a hashtag that she's used - which is more likely and how I got the rest of my followers.

ImInStealthMode · 02/02/2022 18:38

It's entirely possible but it's also entirely likely it's a scam.

I follow lots of people I don't know because maybe they often use '#NewYork' or '#CatsOfInstagram' and I'm interested in seeing pictures of New York or Cats. I don't open conversations with them though.

BuickMcKane · 02/02/2022 18:44

Yeah I think he probably got her from a hashtag they both use or follow, but as pp said Instagram is riddled with scammers so I'd be cautious in this situation.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 02/02/2022 18:46

Yes it is possible, Instagram shows photos from accounts you may be interested in following, based on photos you've looked at.

SeasonFinale · 02/02/2022 18:48

Yes if he searched a # she had used he can see what she may have posted if her account is not private.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 02/02/2022 18:49

@SomeOwlsCoo

It's very likely he found her randomly. That's how insta works.

It's also highly likely he's a scam artist. I get them all the time.

Yes and it sounds ultra dodgy!
NFLBingo · 02/02/2022 18:51

Very possible that he came across her accidentally, but it’s also very likely a scam as Instagram is full of scammers.
What country does he live in and has she tried to search his photos on Google to check authenticity?

Original poster
Iwonder08 · 02/02/2022 20:35

Thank you all. I will talk to her tomorrow and tell her to reverse search on Google. Will revert back with the results.
Apparently he told her he is a part of doctors without Borders and currently somewhere in Syria. I don't like the sound of it at all.

OP posts:
Fluffymule · 02/02/2022 20:43

They are always Doctors, or senior Military, or Pilots.

I had a random 'Doctor' follow my account this morning, supposedly based in the Middle East right now. He has 7 followers and is following 500+ (a sure sign he's dropping and fishing around in random women's accounts).

Could he be genuine? It's possible but unlikely. Could he be a scammer? It's more probable than not.

I just block them all.

BuickMcKane · 02/02/2022 20:48

Apparently he told her he is a part of doctors without Borders and currently somewhere in Syria. I don't like the sound of it at all.

That sounds dodgy, I think you're right to have a word.

SomeOwlsCoo · 02/02/2022 20:55

They are always Doctors, or senior Military, or Pilots.

Or they work off shore on oil rigs. They usually have a dead wife and a child as well.

Original poster
Iwonder08 · 02/02/2022 21:14

He does have a dead wife and 2 children!!!

OP posts:
SomeOwlsCoo · 02/02/2022 21:19

Sure he does. Honestly. Hmm
When im bored I"play" with these scammers. I've taken to sending my condolences and asking how old their child is before they've told me about them Grin

Fluffymule · 02/02/2022 21:24

I'd wager that the Doctor in Syria storyline is a set-up for, at some point in the near future when targets are fully emotionally committed, needing money to help get him out of a sticky situation around escalating violence, visa problems, local gangster types kidnapping him and his passport...

At least that seems to be a common theme on those 'catch a scammer' forum sites that get publicity every time these stories appear in the tabloids.

Redglitter · 02/02/2022 21:26

For the reference they are just talking, he is not asking for money or anything sexual

Not yet he hasn't but it'll come. He'll either be coming to see her and his bank will have a problem & he'll ask her for money for his flight & probably something like cash to pay off officials so he can travel without paperwork. Or being in Syria 🙄 he'll desperately need thousands for some life and death situation. Hasn't happened yet but he's playing the long game & reeling her in

Funny how these guys always have glamorous jobs. They never work at Tesco

NFLBingo · 02/02/2022 21:32

Jesus it’s like they’ve got a little handbook and just follow a script, I hope you cousin takes this news well.

NFLBingo · 02/02/2022 21:33

*your

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