Friday, September 26, 2008 A disturbing trend I've recently noticed a disturbing Internet trend. Someone contacts you through a web site where you have a page for social networking. They claim to have a romantic interest in you, and a desire to pursue a relationship. They say glowing things flattering your page and may even profess love for you right off the top! Then they provide you with their Instant Message ID asking to chat with you off the site they first approach you on.. When you chat with them you learn that they are supposedly US residents, but living abroad for work. Eventually they ask you for money. That's always a red flag, but I'm safe because I have no money to spare and work very hard just to make ends meet and keep my head above water here in these scary economic hard times. Typically these would be potential romantic partners can not put together a sentence that makes sense in the English language and that is another red flag. They could be using any body's photo, or none at all. I report all of them to the sites I receive them on, as scams. Below is a prime example; hello lovely heart, How are you doing?I saw your profile am highly intreasted in you and i will like to pick you up from there.Am a man with good manners and God fearing man always caring for someone who is ready to make love with me and take good care of myself .Am looking for a woman that is responsible,passionate,caring,trust worthy woman that will make me happy all my life that will take away my sorrow that will always be there form doing good time and bad time.And i think you are the woman that my heart desire so you can meet me on my yahoo messenger so that we can chat there this is my ID s_____@yahoo.com add me there now im online now so i will be expecting you .Your profile is more to say about. Yours in Love, ......M_____ (name and ID left out) If you receive messages like these be very cautious about pursuing any contact with the sender. All anyone needs is your name and address and birth date to open a credit card in your name, thereby stealing your identity and ruining your credit. Sometimes they will even offer you a job, and if they can get your resume, they can get most of the info they want, then they have only to ask "what's your sign?" in IM chat to try to get your birth date. If you have experienced any of this, you may want to do a free credit report on line..... XOxo~D