Detective Samantha Cooper of Rogue Daters is helping singletons by exposing online dating frauds who take advantage of people looking for love on dating sites.
The 52-year-old, who has exposed dozens of fraudsters, goes through photographs, conversations, and bank transactions to find out if her client’s date is a scammer.
Samantha said: “Online dating can be a lovely thing and it’s brought so many couples together. But scammers need to be eradicated. It’s something I’m very passionate about and that’s why I set up the business.”
After being lied to by so many people she met online, Samantha decided to set up Rogue Daters to help innocent singletons.
Samantha said she met a guy online after her divorce and they decided to meet in person in a pub.
When the man showed up, she realized he looked nothing like the one she’d been messaging.
She said people use old photos and lie about almost everything to get the attention of the person they are trying to con.
Samantha said: “It hit me how vulnerable I was. I’d received a settlement after our divorce, I had a house, some money and I wanted to protect my children.”
“I had good computer skills and was smart enough to do a few basic online checks before meeting anyone. But I wondered if everyone was as careful as I was. It’s so easy for people to be taken advantage of.”
Samantha, who previously sold cosmetics from home, then decided to be a private investigator and set up Rogue Daters.
She did a home study course in private investigation and in 2017, she got her first client.
A woman contacted her as she was doubtful about the man she had been dating. The woman said the man was a lawyer who set up a charity to raise funds for an earthquake in Haiti.
She worked for him and when asked to get paid, he ghosted her.
When Samantha started her investigation, she found out the man was not a lawyer, he didn’t even tell his real name, he was a bankrupt illegal immigrant, didn’t have any charities, and the worst thing was – he was a convicted a pedophile.
Samantha said: “It was incredibly hard to tell her the truth. “This lady had a young daughter and he knew where they lived. It was heartbreaking. She thought she had a future with him and I had to bring her whole world crashing down around her.”
Another client met a businessman online from the UK who told her he needed £45,000.
Later, Samantha found out the man doesn’t really exist.
She exposed dozens of scammers who were trying to take advantage of her clients after meeting them online and pretending they love them.
Samantha said: “But these scammers can be very, very sophisticated in their methods and often they target people at vulnerable times. She is certainly not alone.”
She believes one can find love online but warns people to be careful and do some research before meeting them.
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