Mate1.com
Complaint 160311 Details

I joined this dating site because they pushed me into it. I used the name WidowWoman and was inundated by over 200 responses, mostly from men far too young for me. I am a 78 year old widow. Most of these I just told them they were too far away and too young. Some asked me for money right away and I told them no and cut of conversation. I think this shows there are a lot of scammers on the prowl on Mate1.com. Finally a man near my age began a genteel conversation. Then he began the "I am really interested and I think I am falling in love with you". I have a copy of his profile I can provide. His name is Jerry Miller. I thought he was in New York. I responded to his interest in like manner. Soon we were telling each other that we wanted to meet because we felt that we had a great deal in common and felt that we were falling in love. Soon after that, he told me he was in financial trouble. Yes I was concerned, but this man is the most convincing liar in history. As it turns out, he is in Ireland, so he says and has bought crude oil. The "firm" has discovered that there is more oil than he has paid shipping for. Can I please send him $2500 so that he can take care of this and then he can get home to me. I challenged him on being a Scammer and he was properly outraged, made all the right responses, etc. In the end I broke down, and although I had to go to three different Western Union offices, I finally got the money wired. BUT, the wires did not go to Jerry Miller, because he said they would not accept his American ID. The wires went instead to the secretary of the "firm". Her name is Mopelola Ogundrian. Jerry gave an address for her in Ireland if that is helpful. I will call this in to Western Union but with the amount of time that has passed no recovery is possible I am certain. I do not know if it is possible to press charges against these two or not, but I will if allowed to do so.

Jerry further told me that he flew to London after paying for the shipping charges. I do not think this is true due to the fact that once he said he was in London he told me he needed an additional $10,250 for a demurrage charge on his oil shipment. While this may be a possibility, I doubt him for this reason. I suggested a Catholic Church for him to go to seek assistance. Also a bank that deals in oil. He told me he went to the church; he went to mass at 9:00; went back the next day & a Father Andrew went with him to the bank. The bank refused the loan, but the church loaned him $5000. Sounds good, right? Now all I have to get my hands on and send him is $5250. EXCEPT,I e-mailed the priest at the church who wrote back that there is no Father Andrew and the whole thing is rubbish. They have mass at 8:05, not 9:00. This is proof that Jerry is trying to scam me further out of first $10,250 then lowered it to $5,250.

Mate1.com also does not care what the men put as their "sexual preferences" because some of those who contacted me has all manner of horrible practices listed on their profiles. It was disgusting.

My dear husband passed away in January. I am living on social security and a small pension. Jerry took what little I had without a thought. I cannot afford such a loss.

Many thanks for hearing my story, not the first woman to be fooled - more by her heart than by a mans lies. If it helps prevent even one such as I from the same mistake, so be it.

Any assistance is vastly appreciated. God bless.
Margaret