Woman realizes she was scammed of life savings after watching hit Netflix documentary
Streaming services are bigger than ever, thanks to the pandemic. Many Hollywood productions went straight to streaming services in the last couple of years, while others were released simultaneously at theaters.
While cutting the cord may be satisfying, it could cost you more than expected. Streaming services have seen increases in prices, and one of the most popular ones out there is raising its numbers again. Tap or click here to find out how much you’ll soon be paying for Netflix.
True crime documentaries are all the rage, and a recent one is making waves for more than just glowing reviews. “The Tinder Swindler” made one woman realize that she had been the victim of an online romance scam. Keep reading for details.
True crime hits home
ABC7 interviewed a woman named Kathy from Aurora, Illinois, who watched “The Tinder Swindler” and noticed something familiar.
Kathy had joined a 50+ dating site called SilverSingles, where she made contact with a man she soon fell in love with. He would woo her with sweet messages and she eventually asked to meet.
The man responded that he had to go to Toronto for a job but needed $5,000 for work permits. Kathy sent him the money. He then requested more for healthcare and surgery he claimed he needed.
Kathy couldn’t afford to support the man and he suggested she take out loans and use her house as collateral. He promised to pay her back and sent her screenshots of his bank account, showing he had the means. She ended up sending him more than $92,000.
Later, Kathy’s friend recommended “The Tinder Swindler” as a good watch. Once Kathy saw it, she realized she had been scammed. She is stuck paying off the debt and will have to delay retirement.
What to watch out for
The FTC reports that people have lost $1.3 billion to romance scams in just the last five years.
Here’s how the scam works. Thieves will steal photos of attractive people from websites like Facebook to create fake accounts on dating sites. Sometimes they pretend to be the people from the stolen photos.
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