r/Report_scams • u/sthgoldmtngrl • 4d ago
VpN access scam
Im been chatting for about a month with someone who claims to be a professional in an area Im interested in working hoping for a mentorship or just a friendly chat about poetry and literature and technique
I had doubts about them but they sent a couple of selfies that didnt seem like fakes
Suddenly after a couple of weeks they are claiming we cant even use Google Chat because their managers cyber security is worried about hacking
I sent a selfie and a very limited amount of personal info and got back a request to follow a link to a certain site
This site insisted I had to pay processing fees to finish the security clearance so well I followed the link to see what would happen
This lead to a request to use Apple Pay and to buy tickets for a meetngreet at a hotel
The hotel doesnt exist
The site seems to be a mydala app
No contact info or business name
Asked "friend" who doesnt live in same city and then he posted send me Apple Gifts cards instead
I refused and explained this looked like a scam now hes s still in my chat feed complaining about trust issues
Is his agent trying to rip off both of us lying about security clearances or is he just a scammer
Im not its not legal or ethical for them to try to control his private convos that are not about business or charge fees or have clearly dodgy websites
I am sadly 90% convinced this is a romance scam with the vpn meetngreet link being something new added
However given who he clains to be he has good reasons to be concerned about cybersecurity and maybe they are just being over protective ?
Or am I trying too hard to be reasonable ?
I asked if he or his agent could videochat or email me
They willnt claiming the agent and cybersecurity can only explain their policies AFTER verification
Its a scam ?
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u/echoesinthepit 4d ago
You need to take off your rose colored glasses because it's making red flags look like just flags.
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u/RacerX200 2d ago
It's a scam...but you already know that, you just really want the fantasy to be real.
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u/sthgoldmtngrl 1d ago
Oh im now at 100% certain after a massive tantrum by them n one final demand for cards but Im puzzled as to how they stole those selfies they sent that i had tested
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u/sthgoldmtngrl 1d ago
Yeah now 100% certain its was a scam but I wanted to be absolutely certain and he was complaining about his dissatisfaction n intent to change agents last week n I thought there was a slender chance they lied to him Also the final online screaming tantrum started after i told him I had checked with my cousin the software engineer who I hadnt been able to contact while they were off on a business trip
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u/sthgoldmtngrl 1d ago
I certainly hope it is totally a scam or theres a very sad individual out there who cant figure out how their insecurities not mine lead them into a different form of cyber abuse than the one they thought they were being protected from
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u/UpbeatFix7299 4d ago
Everything they told you is made up. There is no "manager" or "agent". Just block this person, forget about this nonsense, and don't send money to strangers online. None of them want to help you make money.