OLD guy says he's a government researcher

[boswellwell]

I’m on an OLD app, I got a message from a guy with no pictures, when I asked him for a picture of himself his response was he can’t because “I work as a government research scientist” and went on to say “I have a number of qualifications so research many things. These days mostly interface of humans and technology and some of their military applications is all I can say.”
“I will have to in fact get security clearance for you but only if we are getting married”
“I'm afraid I must obey my work regulations so picture is not negotiable - we don't just get sacked but jailed after court martial!”
“I'm afraid I cannot send pictures on kik or Skype either for exactly that reason! Russians to name one are always looking for an opportunity of identity fraud and I could lose my job for that!”

Of course I’m suspicious and don’t believe him for a second but I’m curious to why someone would say this ? Could he be married? Surely he’d still send a pic privately over Snapchat or something?
He’s very keen to meet in person too and he’s looking for a serious relationship 😬

Have fun with him OP. Arrange to meet in a park with loads of coded messages and tell him you are on a secret mission to buy plutonium. Tell him you are a spy...

Play along time, for sure. I've no creativity for it, but MNers r creative. Please do update us.

I was selling a piece of furniture online and was contacted by someone claiming to be a marine biologist currently in a submarine somewhere. She wanted the furniture for her flat but as she was posted away would pay some amount 2x the list price into my Paypal account to cover her courier service to pick it up. I Googled and it came up right away, it's some Paypal scam where they get access to your account and empty it.

So long story short, if someone messages you with some overly detailed weird background story, they are making it up, probably to steal your money.

I had one of those recently, but he worked in a sensitive area for the police apparently. His username doesn't begin with F does it?
Also had a scammer tell me he couldn't get funds in the army as the rebels had stolen all their food. Wanted me to wire him money.

Oh and both of them were widowers apparently.

I used to be a government research scientist. It wasn't very interesting, or well paid for that matter. While my history was checked out, and my parents, I wasn't prevented from living a 'normal' life.

He says he lives in London. He could be anywhere. Scammer obviously

He's more than likely just ugly

Avoid.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/19/man-who-posed-as-mi6-spy-hunted-over-claims-he-conned-divorcee-o/

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Hendy-Freegard

Lol. As others have said, total Walt. But before you ignore him forever, I would love you to try 53rdway’s response. I’d be laughing all week.

Swerve, like you are driving “The Knight Bus” !

@BoswellsLastStand you're right, I am confusing two things, sorry! Essentially, he's a member of something that would indeed be a massive blackmail risk to me if I were still in that line of work. He joined it 4 years after I left my career and very much against my wishes (long story). I would have been open of course, but no way in hell would they have cleared me if he had been on the scene been then. At least, I can't imagine it for a moment!

I fully accept I could be wrong and out of date on this.