Do romance scams need to be featured more in the media?

[Marisa]

Do romance scams need to be featured more in the media?

[wayne]

Why do I get the feeling that "yes" is going to run away with this one?

[tootrusting]

Yeah..run away..just like the scammers did with my money! Yes still bitter!

[On A Mission]

Yes and with ever source that is available and then some. When I do hear about scams in the news they tend to stay away from the topic of Romance Scams. It is almost like it is an embarrassment or a highly kept secret.... another pay off, just kidding There are many minor issues in the Headlines daily that get much attention, even robberies under $100.00. Romance Robberies.......

[geecee]

I think the 'yes' vote will be like Grandma's home-made apple pie... it will be very popular.
Just entered my vote and the more knowledge that is made known about these fraudulent tricksters, will make their scamming activities more widely known.
At the moment, it seems to be a subject not many wish to discuss in the broader community. Hopefully that way of thinking will change. I think it does need more exposure in the print media. Another good feature would be from television broadcasts, whether reported in the news, current affairs or tv programmes about romance scams.

[PrairieGrl06]

I recently shared my experience with a colleague/friend and he said romance scamming was recently featured on one of the Canadian current events shows (W5, I think) and that he has heard about it on other programs as well. So it is out there.

It may be that admitting to having given money to someone you have not really met is embarrassing so few people will want to be open about it.

I have yet to tell any of my friends that the scumbag who scammed me actually got money from me before I figured out what was going on. I couldn't bear for them to think I was that foolish/desperate or whatever (although several of my friends had read his emails/chat scripts before the scamming part started and were as convinced as I was).

If RS is serious about making these scammers common knowledge, I would suggest a press package with a few featured scammer stories (or scam baiting stories?) and maybe contact info for those willing to discuss this candidly (photos would be hard, as the general population isn't always super smart and may accuse the guy who's photos were stolen of the scam). Send something to some of the more respected current affairs shows/news networks in the US, UK, Canada, etc and see if there is any interest.

Just a thought. I used to work as a news journalist and edit the features section sometimes. We would sift through unsolicited press packages looking for something that 'smelled good' from a story perspective. It has been 15 years since I did any of that, but this is definitely an intriguing topic.

[FrumpyBB]

If RS is serious about making these scammers common knowledge

The forum title page is the result of a "press bulletin"-like text Wayne, Duckhunter and others were preparing and seeding out to lots of media in 2009.
The Canadian programme, I believe there is a mention of it in General Forum but I might be mixing things up.

This is maybe not the right place but...promises "We will be featuring this subject and quote you ooooooo" take much time of email answering - and so far have given us zero credits.

Can it be that the media focus more on actors and action rather than on "boring" desktop workers who are shy to show their faces?


Just would like to point out, the people themselves and the inncocent decent people who lost money are the reason why we are doing this. Anything else beyond that, like our weekly podcast, is just our "personal hobby".

[wayne]

The thread at http://www.romancescam.com/forum/viewto ... 13&t=18510" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; may interest you then.

[mari81]

Definitely YES!!!

[bonzobear72]

Of course it's yes. What I've been doing is when I recieve a forwarded email message from my friend...(you know the kind...send to 10 people within the hour and your wish will be granted, send to 10 people and help this girl fight cancer because she gets a nickel for every person that sends it...and the silly ones, jokes, political puns..etc) I repond to these and instead of forwarding the "email" that was sent to me I forward the information and the photos of the scammers.

I've recently tagged 20 people whom I dont' know in this email and I've asked them to forward it to people they know. I've also posted the information with photos on my Facebook page and had my friends repost and so forth.

Although Dr. Phil and Oprah have done shows on these, as well as the news, the scammers are becoming more creative in their stories. All we can do is pass on the information the best way we know how.

[Jeepers02]

Of course scams like this need to be in the media more. People need to be informed of whats going on. I have been involved in 2 scams, and now I realize how stupid I was to go along with it, but I have had to lean about these scams on the internet. If the media doesn't talk about this more, a lot of people are going to be out money, and like me have their bank accounts froze because of frauds. I have now learned what to look for and to be more cautious in the future.

[alfa]

Yeah! And their photos mast be in black list!!!

[gerald.fird]

Course they should be featured on the media more. It's horrible how many people fall for these scams every year.

[duckhunter]

Was just thinking.....what about doing something on facebook? I'm always getting invitations to join groups and sign petitions and such.....might be a way to make our message "go viral" so to speak. (Worked really well recently when the people of British Columbia took up a fight against a new sales tax.)

The way it works is that if I should join the group, then all of my friends will be sent an invitation to join, then any of them who join will have invitations sent to all of their friends, etc. etc.

[wayne]

You mean like this?
http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?pi ... 1413579753" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;