Congratulations, Jenn!

Congratulations, Jenn...you've just encountered your first scam artist on-line! A harsh life lesson was learned today....trust is something that has to be earned, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. I was contacted by a "match" on-line. It was innocent enough...a nice looking guy, friendly and seemingly sweet. We chatted. It was nice. I looked him up on Facebook (like I usually do when I encounter someone new). He was there...what a pleasant surprise. I friended him and we proceeded to chat...and chat...and chat. It turned out to be on and off, an all day thing. We even agreed to chat in the morning, time difference and schedules permitting. He said he lived in Kentucky. So, I tell a few close friends...I got the warm hearted, "Oh, I hope this is a good guy and things work out." And, "I'm glad you're meeting people." All I wanted was to make a new friend...I have someone that I think might turn out to be something special. But thank goodness my dear friend, with his protective eyes always watching over me, looked over this guy's profile and said, "It looks fake." Something didn't seem right...so the paranoid Jenn began to worry...What do I do??? Voice of reason said do nothing right now...wait...chat tomorrow and see what happens. Voice of friends said, "Make him send you a picture so you know it's him." Paranoid Jenn, with some benefit of the doubt, decided to message him back on the dating site. Poof! To my horror, the profile was gone. GONE!! Again, I freak out. I try to get some sleep, but can't...worried. So I turn to my trusty old friend Google...thank goodness for Google...I love you, Google. I couldn't live without you, Google. Did I say I love you, Google? I Googled his name...a few hits to Facebook and a dating site...them BAMM!! A hit on "RomanceScam.com"...yes, that is a real website. Apparently, since 2009, some guy in Guyana or Nigeria is targeting dating sites, using a variety of "white boy"names and photos he is stealing from different sites. He gains the trust of ladies, romancing them and swooning them...only to eventually ask for money. And there are ladies dumb enough to send him money...money to help with his rent, hospital bills, tickets so he can come travel to be with them...whatever. So, I immediately went to Facebook, unfriended him, blocked him and reported him. Never did I ever think I would fall prey to something like this...thank goodness it was just my pride that was hurt. But a fair warning to everyone...be weary. I don't want to say "trust no one", but really...be careful. I like to think of myself as a bright person, but I started to get suckered into the whole "niceness" of this person. All I wanted was a new friend...silly me. I have wonderful friends that I am so lucky to have in my life. I've even found a few long lost friends on Facebook. I'm still hopeful that I HAVE found a good guy on-line. We shall see how things progress with him. :) At least I can laugh about it, right?