Police warn of scams after woman conned out of $6,000

SPRINGFIELD — A 53-year-old woman called Springfield police Thursday morning to report she might be a victim of a “catfishing” scam, a term used when someone pretends to be someone else online, Springfield police Lt. Scott McKee said Friday.

The woman told Springfield police she had given a man she’d never met in person more than $6,000 since they met in an online dating website in August.

He told her he worked for NATO and was stationed in Syria. The scammer convinced the woman, who thought she would be moving to Boardman to live with him, to send him money several times.

She told police she was preparing to send him another $5,200 this week, but her bank denied the transaction and alerted her to the possibility she’d been victimized.

“The sad part is there’s nothing that can be done,” McKee said.

“There’s always a common denominator for the people who are victims in this. They never see it coming,” McKee said. “He’s been working on her since August. They establish a relationship, they develop trust, and then they provide money. The common themes are always hardship, medical expenses, travel expenses, and they need your help.”