The internet is both a blessing, and a curse. A blessing because I can Google whatever I want and have any and all information in a matter of seconds. I can pay bills online, order groceries and meals for delivery from my favorite restaurants, make appointments for just about everything and more. And I enjoy social media – I’ll admit it: I’m a Facebook junkie.
I love connecting with old and current friends. In fact, I am Facebook friends with kids I went to grade school and high school with, and coworkers from many years ago. Over the years, we have shared our joys and sorrows, photos of our growing families, births, deaths, accomplishments, and vacations.
Then there are those I like to call the “Facebook Romeos.” At least once or twice a week, I get messages via Facebook from men who tell me they saw my posts, think I’m beautiful, that I sound like a wonderful woman they would like to get to know better, and ask would I please accept their friend requests. Amused, I look up their pages and find they are all either high-ranking members of the military or surgeons. They all are stationed or working overseas (usually in the Middle East) but are originally from some sexy city in the U.S., like Boca Raton, FL or San Diego, CA. And they are all handsome widowers. Then, I delete their messages.
Ladies, please be aware! A lovely former coworker of mine (about my age) was suckered into a big trap. She told me she was in love with this man who contacted her. At first, I was happy for her; but the red flags appeared immediately. Unfortunately, she didn’t see them.
She met the man online, a military guy who would be returning to the States. The plan was for them to meet and hopefully, get married. He then told her there was some kind of “paperwork snafu” and in order to expedite his return, he would need to borrow several thousand dollars from her. She wired the money. Then, there were several more “good reasons” to send him money. She sent it and finally, he was on a flight home – or so she thought. She went to the airport to meet him; he did not arrive because he did not exist. She was finally convinced this was a scam when I told her the home address he gave her was a vacant warehouse in Milwaukee, WI. She contacted the authorities, but there was nothing they could do. She lost her retirement money, her house and suffered a broken heart because she believed he loved her.
Again, the internet and social media are great but there are predators out there. The old saying, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is” is right on.
Delete … and forget about it!
