A U.S. client had been talking to someone through an online dating platform for several weeks. The communication became emotional, personal, and consistent, which made the client feel that a real relationship might be developing. The other party described themselves as a successful entrepreneur and suggested meeting in person soon.
Shortly before the planned meeting, the person mentioned that a family member was facing a sudden medical issue and that they were struggling to cover the expenses. They implied that a financial contribution would be a sign of care and seriousness, especially since “they were close to meeting anyway.” This sudden shift in tone and the introduction of urgency made the client uneasy, so they reached out to us.
The client asked us to find out whether this person was who they claimed to be and whether the story they told matched reality.
We examined only publicly accessible information, including social media profiles and timelines, state corporate registrations, professional claims, digital footprint, phone and email metadata, and civil court filings. No intrusive or unlawful methods were used.
Here is what we were able to confirm. The company the person claimed to own did not appear in corporate registries in any of the mentioned states. The photos used across platforms were traced back to stock image libraries. The employment history did not match between platforms, and several years of alleged business activity left no trace in professional or social networks. The phone number was registered to a different name in a different state.
Nothing in the verified data supported the story described in the messages. Instead, the pattern suggested an attempt to establish trust, create a sense of intimacy, introduce urgency, and then transition to financial pressure.
After reviewing our findings, the client chose not to send money and decided not to proceed with the relationship, avoiding a situation that could have resulted in emotional and financial harm.
Personal details and identifying information have been removed to protect privacy.