Salina woman loses up to $90K in romance scam
SALINA, Kan. (KSNW) — A scammer who claimed to be a U.S. Marine has cheated a 47-year-old woman out of almost $90,000, according to the Salina Police Department.
Police say it started on a dating app. The scammer told the woman he was on a mission in Norway. After he hooked her in emotionally and claimed to love her, he said he needed money to get to his home in Nebraska.
The woman sent between $80,000 and $90,000 through PayPal, Cash App, cryptocurrency, Apple gift cards, and other payment methods.
Then the scammer sent her some videos. The woman became suspicious because they appeared to be generated by AI.
Video shows Hutchinson explosion, close call for fire crews
The Salina Police Department says a real service member should not have to ask for money to get home because the military usually provides transportation.
The Federal Trade Commission has advice to avoid losing money to a romance scammer. 'The bottom line: Never send money or gifts to a sweetheart you haven't met in person.'
The FTC includes a list of the lies romance scammers tell and how to report a romance scam to authorities. Click here to learn more.
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