As soon as anyone starts asking for something, especially financial assistance, alarm bells should start ringing very loud indeed. One alternative is to plead poverty yourself and see what sort of response you get. Take care and good luck for the future.

These jerks get more inventive everyday. They always try to get me on Instagram. I hope you reported her.

I had something similar happen. My first clue was that the guy was kind of out of my league, but I was like ok, let's try this. Turns out he has to go to the middle east for work. Ok, it could happen. Then after a few days of chatting, oh no, his bank is giving him trouble and his employer isn't helping him out. Could I send him a little money for necessities? Right dude... Before we got to that point, he tried baiting me by saying he could help me with my bills. Oh, you must have lots of student loans and credit card bills, he would say and seemed perpelxed when I told him I was debt free. What a loser.

OMG! Is that the kind of thing you guys have to put up with online dating? That's shitty and I'm so glad you didn't fall for that. But ouch, ouch ouch. I'm so sorry.

The worst I ever got was slimy men trying to go straight for the dirty talk right up front. Of course, that was when I had long hair. Now that I chopped if off, no one talks to me, which proves that it was never about me as a person, but as a sex object.

I began to start hating OKC for a long while. Then I took a long break and found this place. I like being a person here instead of an object.

Wow. But yes, absolutely. Same techniques, different tech.

I had something like that happen to me. She was on eHarmony and claimed to be an Army doctor in Syria. (My first red flag was when she said she was a Sargent). She looked really cute but I was definitely on my guard. The other shoe fell when she asked me to send money to her family in the US. So don't feel bad about being lead by these people; they're experts at knowing what buttons to push.

I'm sorry to hear this happened. I find several of these women, if in fact they are women, through other social media, first as friend requests. The bit that made it easier to deal with is that I wasn't looking for any kind of relationship. We all can get scammed if we aren't paying attention. We need to remain open, but also remain aware of our surroundings.

Not "an idiot" at all. You just didn't see it coming

You're not an idiot. Who expects people to behave SO rottenly? The problem is 100% them, not you. I am sorry that you got victimized like that.

I'm so sorry. But weaponized hope is a great line.