Several years ago I began posting about a common blackmail scam. I called it the “counseling scam”. It works something like this:
- Men go on dating sites
- They meet a woman online
- The woman asks to exchange phone numbers
- Texts and pictures Are Exchanged
- The “father” then calls and says she’s underage and asks for money
- The “police” or the “lawyer” call and say it’s been reported but money can just be paid
The money would go to pay for something like the following:
- Counseling costs for the child
- Paying for a broken phone or laptop
- Medical bills for self-harm committed by the child
- Expenses from a car accident
The story will be that the underage girl is so upset about having been in contact with an adult she met from a dating site that she has to be in counseling, broke her phone, wrecked her car, or hurt herself. These are just the most common examples, the scammers can and will come up with new variations, so the exact story you hear may be somewhat different.
Scammers operate from well-known dating sites like seeking arrangement, or sugar daddy. They claim after someone has been in contact with the woman that she is underage, and therefore you are now guilty of attempted human trafficking, child pornography, or some other type of crime.
Part of the scam is having not only having a scammer play the part of the father, but having someone else play the part of a law enforcement officer or lawyer. They will get names of real police officers or lawyers from the Internet, and use those names in communications. They also can use software to alter their caller-id information to make it look like the calls are coming from the actual police station. The scammer you are talking with may have talked to dozens or hundreds of other people just like you, and may be very good at sounding credible.
So what should you do?
- Do not communicate further with the scammers.
- Do not give out any personal information.
- Do not pay any money to the scammers.
If you are concerned about your involvement in any situation you are welcome to contact our office for a consultation. We do charge a consultation fee that is required to be paid up-front before you speak to an attorney regarding this matter. Consultations can be either by telephone or in-person in our office. All communications you have with our office are confidential.We normally can arrange for an attorney consultation on the same-day. To schedule yours call (888) 301-6004.