My mom had met this guy, named Michael Goodman, from Illinois on Pogo.com in August. I am suspicious of the whole thing for several reasons
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Even if he isn't a scammer, he really doesn't sound like good news. The first point is the most worrying, in my opinion. He wants to have a woman he's never met move in with him and marry him? Even if he weren't trying to take advantage or get something, that is not a good start to a relationship. At best, it sounds like a relationship that will end fast and messily. At worst... well, there are a lot of bad things that can come of going to a strange place to live with a strange person one hardly knows.
And he's too busy to visit her, but not too busy to arrange to have her get married to him? Seriously?
It sounds like your mom should be careful with this guy. I don't know him, I don't know what their relationship has been like, but he sounds irresponsible at BEST. And if he doesn't accept "I don't want to marry/move in with a guy I haven't met in person" as a valid excuse, he's not someone who she should be dating.
Hi. I'm a friend of zelda_queen. I've got some resources that might help you.
This is the Romance Scams Support Group at Yahoo.com. Check the messages. A number of members have been scammed romantically by a guy calling himself Martin/Michael Goodman. Several mention meeting him or seeing his profile on E-Harmony as well.
This group and its parent site. RomanceScams.org, were founded by Theresa Smalley and Barb Sluppick, one of whom was scammed and the other of whom was nearly scammed. Now they're trying to prevent future scams.
Oh my goodness, thank you so much.I'm gonna have to look into where the closest FBI branch is in PA, and get the info for her. I just hope that she will actually listen to me. She likes to be stubborn when it comes to these situations. I've tried several times already to explain to her the risk she's taking with this guy, but it hasn't gotten through. She does have low self esteem, though, especially because she hasn't found someone yet and she's 52. Do you have any ideas as to how I could get through to her? Because I swear I am at wits end with this, hence why I posted on livejournal.
News update: She's leaving after Christmas to be with this guy (panics)ashchan01December 1 2012, 18:09:22 UTC
So now apparently he is buying her a train ticket to come out there after Christmas. O_O Oh dear God,I gotta hurry. Because I can predict what's gonna happen. He's not gonna send it, saying he couldn't get the money. Then he's gonna continue the charade and eventually ask her for money. Oh dear god.
Re: News update: She's leaving after Christmas to be with this guy (panics)ashchan01December 3 2012, 18:05:16 UTC
To be honest, she doesn't even have control over her money. Her rep payee does, and her ICM helps her with other situations such as housing. So I'm not even sure how she's planning to pull this off, unless she plans on slipping off without telling them. But if she does move to Illinois, she's gonna lose her SSI.... She doesn't realize that, I don't think. And even if he is legit, what if it doesn't work out? She'll be stranded and we'll have to bail her out yet again. But, yeah, I agree that she is backsliding. Her meds are definitely off, I can tell you that. Been trying to convince her of that. She already sees a psychiatrist, but I don't trust his competence. She goes to groups too. Nothing seems to work. The funny thing is, she already has two guys at home who want to date her. Yet she had no interest in them what so ever.
Re: His fb profilemorri_delraeDecember 1 2012, 21:32:58 UTC
Hi (an LJ friend of Zelda Queen's here). This profile looks faker than fake. Two blurry photos, one with half of his face cut off? Nothing in his "likes" but dodgy casino hotlinks? If you want to prove that this guy is not to be trusted, try to call the place he claims to work at. Is the "clay county industres" (I assume, he meant "Clay County Industries" in Illinois) thing current? Try to get your Mom to ask him about his current job. Then call his alleged employers and try to find out if they've ever heard of a Michael Goodman (pretend to be an employer asking for credentials). If they didn't, then that's a pretty solid proof he's lying. If he refuses to say where he works exactly, then it should be a cause for concern also, since he's so serious about the relationship that he's talking marriage and all, and yet refuses to answer a very basic question. Good luck. I hope it works out all right.
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And he's too busy to visit her, but not too busy to arrange to have her get married to him? Seriously?
It sounds like your mom should be careful with this guy. I don't know him, I don't know what their relationship has been like, but he sounds irresponsible at BEST. And if he doesn't accept "I don't want to marry/move in with a guy I haven't met in person" as a valid excuse, he's not someone who she should be dating.
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This is the Romance Scams Support Group at Yahoo.com. Check the messages. A number of members have been scammed romantically by a guy calling himself Martin/Michael Goodman. Several mention meeting him or seeing his profile on E-Harmony as well.
This group and its parent site. RomanceScams.org, were founded by Theresa Smalley and Barb Sluppick, one of whom was scammed and the other of whom was nearly scammed. Now they're trying to prevent future scams.
Lookstoogoodtobetrue.com covers many kinds of online scams, including those that use romance to steal money.
The U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Command has a few things to say about a growing romantic e-scam.
http://romancescams.org/RedFlags.html
Dating Site Abuse Links.
You can submit photos of possible scammers here. Apparently a lot of these guys use the same photo over and over ( ... )
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If you want to prove that this guy is not to be trusted, try to call the place he claims to work at. Is the "clay county industres" (I assume, he meant "Clay County Industries" in Illinois) thing current? Try to get your Mom to ask him about his current job. Then call his alleged employers and try to find out if they've ever heard of a Michael Goodman (pretend to be an employer asking for credentials). If they didn't, then that's a pretty solid proof he's lying. If he refuses to say where he works exactly, then it should be a cause for concern also, since he's so serious about the relationship that he's talking marriage and all, and yet refuses to answer a very basic question.
Good luck. I hope it works out all right.
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