Plenty Of Fish / POF.com
Complaint 123821 Details

I put my profile on Plenty of Fish online dating site. Within 2 days, Michael Burke contacted me and said he had removed his profile in order to ``focus his attention on me``. He said to communicate through email account ([email protected]) and we began an indepth long-distance relationship with many emails and cell phone calls (011-601-02705427). He said he was a construction engineer, currently finishing a contract for the monorail in Malaysia, and would be coming home soon and we would start our lives together. He was raised in the States by his grandma as his own parents were killed in an auto accident when he was 5. He was briefly married but had raised his daughter, named Kelly, age 19, and she was studying abroad (Greece or Turkey). We planned for Michael to be home for his birthday on May 20 (1964), but as that date got closer, Michael said he wasn`t finished and asked for his birthday present (valued at 1500.00) to be sent by UPS to him, which I did. Michael sent me 2 dzn long stem red roses in a vase, with a card declaring his love for me. I thought I was so fortunate to have found a good man. For a while, things were good, then he informed me that he had underbudgeted for the plane ticket home, and for me to send money (1380.00) so we could be together. And I did. Days later, he had his plane ticket (he said) but he wasn`t allowed his pay until he paid tax on it, so again he pleaded I send money (2100.00). And I did. He told me to send it to Maxwell Johnson, a local business associate who was holding his pay but would release it once he received my money. Our future was depending on his return. He also said he would pay me back as soon as I picked him up at the airport and we went to the bank. Again things were good, with both of us seemingly excited for his return. He insisted he had sent three floral orders to me, but oddly, I hadnt received them. He said he would call the florist to see what the problem was. I never did receive anything from Michael, except the original order of roses shortly after we met online. Then, his demeanor changed; more demanding, accusations that I was losing interest, accusations that I was hurting him. He didnt write me emails anymore, and insisted he wanted to talk on the phone. And finally, the 3rd request for another 4500.00 to pay duty stamp clearance as his pay was more than 2M. He continuously asked me and all conversations started and ended with his plea for funds. I refused and as he became more agitated and less loving, I finally thought something was wrong. I googled bits from his `love` letter emails to me, and found that he had copied and pasted from previously posted works, and then I knew, sickened, that I had participated in a scam and my money was gone and he was a fraud. That night he called that he needed the money, and we continued our conversation online, with him urging me to take out a loan, and me telling him no. He became angry with me, and stopped all communication with me. I tried calling, leaving messages, and texting for the next 24 hours. Then, at 10:34 pm, tonight, June 9, I received a text from Michael. It said he wanted to let me know that he had an accident, was in the hospital and didnt have much time left. (How convenient for him). Communication with Michael Burke commenced April 1, 2012, and finished June 9, 2012.
p.s. I used email finder for his email address: IP 212.162.1.124,,,, Germany
Also: many times when talking to Michael on our cells, my voice would bounce back to me, and it would sound airy and tinny, just really odd. Other times, it was normal, as if talking to a neighbour. Michael had an accent, although he said english was his first language, (and a little french, he said). I couldnt place it.