Online Love Scams

Strange story about all the people who have been taken for thousands of dollars by online love interests they have never met:

“I more often hear from people who call on behalf of a relative or friend who is getting scammed,” said Chris Grey, director of public affairs for the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command who learned quickly not to contact the victim in these cases. “I’ve been cussed out that I don’t know what I’m talking about because they are so infatuated with this person they’ve never even met.”

Psychology experts liken this to the crushes or strong feelings of connection people develop for sports figures, rock stars, actors and other celebrities. It’s easy to project perfection on someone you’ve never met, particularly if, along with a pretty face, he or she is emailing, texting and calling every day or several times a day telling you how awesome you are.

“For most of us, there are pockets and maybe whole sections of our minds and hearts that are not really reality-driven,” said Stephen Seligman, a psychoanalyst and clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco.

That puts law enforcement officials in a bind when lovestruck victims so willingly and willfully participate in ruses. “People don’t want to know what’s behind the curtain,” said Mr. Grey. “They really don’t.”