dating moneygram scams

Once upon a time Internet Dating was somewhat frowned upon. People would poke fun ridicule the idea with 'it's for geeks', 'its for socially awkward people who can't meet someone in real life', 'its for fat ugly people who are unattractive to the opposite sex'. The reasons would go on and on.
The Internet also used to be domain of specific types of people such as scientific ones who were perhaps computer programmers and the like. But with big business seeing the huge commercial potential it has changed.
It has become more and more accessible to everyday folk. People have been encouraged to take advantage of the benefit it offers. For example 'why not do you shopping online? It can save you time and money', with it the opportunity for moneygram scam has opened.
Now everybody uses the Internet, its a common everyday occurrence. Just like someone might buy a book from Amazon or order a meal to be delivered through the Internet, it is being used by everyday folk for dating.
While it has huge benefits, its also open to scams such as the one involving the use of money transfer through moneygram. Especially where the person on the other end has not been seen and not known to the seeker. These problems are not really an issue in everyday dating since the people usually meet each other in familiar situations such as social circles, work environments or recommendations from trusted and well known people.
In this type of scam the victim would contact the scammer or contacted by the fraudster following a registration with a dating website. Communication through email would take place just like a regular online dating for the parties to become acquainted. Usually the scammer claims to be abroad with a view to coming to the country of the victim. Eventually telephone communication would occur with pictures exchanges to become more familiar.
All these steps are taken by the scammer to build trust. However, after a while the fraudster will ask for funds to be wired via moneygram. A plausible reason is given as to why the need such as to care for a sick relative or for the travel costs so that he or she can visit the the victim.
Moneygram is very popular for these scammers to use as the funds are available instantaneously, often within 15 minutes of the transaction taking place. It also offers a real lack of traceability. When investigating its impossible to know who actually withdrew the funds. The money is not going into a bank account which provide a lead for tracing the scammers.
Once the money is wired it has disappeared into the hands of the scammer. They will continue the communication and continue the moneygram scams by asking the victim for money until rebuttal and contact is ceased.
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