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charlotte craig

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I know that a lot of people who use such forums are genuine but for the genuine ones please beware. There are a lot of people who use these forums who are not genuine at all - I have had some approach me on this forum. They claim to be lonely, they claim to be sad, they try to get sympathy, but their real motive is to get your email address and then switch the chat to there, where it is not monitored, then try to get you to give them money or meet them or help them out in various other ways - they may ask you to or they may give you a sob story in the hope you offer - but remember that all or much of what they tell you is lies anyway. Some of them are not very good at trying to con others, they contradict themselves in their stories and fantasies, or they tell lies that are so obvious you laugh, but some of them are very good at it, if you are not used to dealing with people or very trusting or feeling very down and lonely you could easily fall for it.
 
That's sad. :(
I'm poor, I make less than 15K a year, but I don't ask people for money.
I'm against doing so.
It's mostly got something to do with the way that I grew up.
My family is like that. And as much as I love them, I actively try to be nothing like them.
If I give out my email, it'd probably be one of the two or three alternate emails I keep. One of which I specifically have to catch spams and advertisements.
 
Just out of curiosity, did these lowly peasants actually manage to get your email and actually tried to get money from you....or are you just assuming that they are lowly peasants who are beneath you?
I'm not saying there aren't any honeysuckle stems here, but let's be honest, you certainly seem quick to call people losers if they are "beneath" you or want to have a conversation with you....
 
My family is like that. And as much as I love them, I actively try to be nothing like them.

I'm starting to feel that way at times in regards to my own background, myself.

The more I think about it, the more I'm starting to think my background was somewhat dysfunctional in its own way - just not the in-your-face obvious kind. The older I get the more I realize that we got some stuff really wrong.

I'm also starting to realize that I am a VERY different person than my parents, in some regards - not all, but some, and some of those are VERY important to me.
 
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I'm also wondering if this is really that common though?

I've been here for a while and no one has ever done this to me.

I've only seen someone on the forums whose story wasn't adding up, once - not counting the spammers and scam/phishing accounts, and the extreme mental illness cases and/or pseudo-religious posters, none of which have been active in some time.

But that's just my experience. Online caution is generally a good idea until you get a good feel for someone and determine that they are trustworthy.
 
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I'm also wondering if this is really that common though?

I've been here for a while and no one has ever done this to me.

I've only seen someone on the forums whose story wasn't adding up, once - not counting the spammers and scam/phishing accounts, and the mentally ill and/or pseudo-religious posters, none of which have been active in some time.

But that's just my experience. Online caution is generally a good idea until you get a good feel for someone and determine that they are trustworthy.
Common? No, not really, but I do know of a few cases of it happening.
 
The person who targeted me on here recently made a beeline for me because they had read posts by me stating I own businesses etc. They were after my money. If you post anything along the lines of having some that is often what happens. I get it a lot in real life too. I've even had strangers known on my front door nagging me for money. It happens to me, not to the poor person in the tiny place down the road. They wont waste their time trying to get money out of someone who has not got that much. I've also had people nagging me for a job, again, if you do not own a business and employ and pay staff you wont get it.
 
I'm starting to feel that way at times in regards to my own background, myself.

The more I think about it, the more I'm starting to think my background was somewhat dysfunctional in its own way - just not the in-your-face obvious kind. The older I get the more I realize that we got some stuff really wrong.

I'm also starting to realize that I am a VERY different person than my parents, in some regards - not all, but some, and some of those are VERY important to me.

My parents are hippie addicts. Unfortunately, no, I'm not emotionally exaggerating it.
My father drank himself out of the job, into a hospital and rehab for 3 months, he got out, and went back to drinking. He ended up in the hospital because he fell while drunk and broke his hip, had to get a pin put in.
My mother is a diabetic amputee with a list of medical problems I could probably write a small children's book about. But she's also addicted to opiates.
My sister's recovered from opiate addiction, 13 long years. But she has mild brain damage from it.
My family isn't bad people, they're not, but they are troubled people, with some unrealistic expectations about life.
 
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My parents are hippie addicts. Unfortunately, no, I'm not emotionally exaggerating it.
My father drank himself out of the job, into a hospital and rehab for 3 months, he got out, and went back to drinking. He ended up in the hospital because he fell while drunk and broke his hip, had to get a pin put in.
My mother is a diabetic amputee with a list of medical problems I could probably write a small children's book about. But she's also addicted to opiates.
My sister's recovered from opiate addiction, 13 long years. But she has mild brain damage from it.
My family isn't bade people, they're not, but they are troubled people, with some unrealistic expectations about life.

I'm sorry to hear that, it sounds rough to live with and see that happen to those you feel close to and care about. And also rough for you if you're not like that, to not get sucked into it just by being around it. I imagine it makes it hard to keep your head clear in the midst of all that chaos.

With me, I don't really want to say here, but I'll just say that it's both very frustrating, but at the same time very mundane. It didn't start out too bad, but the situation kind of degraded over time.

I just hope I haven't made too many mistakes myself, that I'm doomed to repeat it.
 
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The person who targeted me on here recently made a beeline for me because they had read posts by me stating I own businesses etc. They were after my money. If you post anything along the lines of having some that is often what happens. I get it a lot in real life too. I've even had strangers known on my front door nagging me for money. It happens to me, not to the poor person in the tiny place down the road. They wont waste their time trying to get money out of someone who has not got that much. I've also had people nagging me for a job, again, if you do not own a business and employ and pay staff you wont get it.
Actually, real life scammers won't give two cents if you have money or not; I've been the recepient of hundreds of fraud attempts, incredibly few here but several dozens weekly to my email address, which is a very old email. I don't know exactly what the tenure of the conversations were and with which members, but I find it very peculiar you've been on here a few months and mention several, whereas we've been here years and have had perhaps...one? Two? If even that?
You've often voiced your disdain or lack of appreciation for people without money, their lack of intelligence (if you don't own a business or pay staff you won't get it, see above) on materialism. Perhaps you're reading too much into what may be clumsiness at interpersonal interactions, which IS a real problem for many here, instead of actually wanting to extort you.

While I understand what you're saying, accusations of that nature remain incredibly serious and, when denounced in such a way, incredibly easy and broad. I have some degree of skepticism.
But, putting such skepticism aside for the moment, let's move forward on the premise that you're right. It's never bad advice as a general rule, any time, anywhere on the internet. You have repeatedly mentioned being wealthy, a business owner and have a certain downlook on those who cannot. Keep in mind thos is a public forum, no account is required to read threads on here, only to post. You may have unwittingly attracted said attention by the very nature of your posting. Very few people here mention anything about their financial situations, the focus is much more on personal issues.
 
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Awh I am sorry this happened to you, to be honest it happens to me a lot on here, i’ve even had to tell close friends i dont buy gifts and stuff for people online that i’ve never met. Its hard, because you wanna be a good friend and help but you never know who’s just trying to take advantage. I hope in these hard times you are all puling through and don’t need to resort to begging or scamming to feed yourself✨
 
My parents are hippie addicts. Unfortunately, no, I'm not emotionally exaggerating it.
My father drank himself out of the job, into a hospital and rehab for 3 months, he got out, and went back to drinking. He ended up in the hospital because he fell while drunk and broke his hip, had to get a pin put in.
My mother is a diabetic amputee with a list of medical problems I could probably write a small children's book about. But she's also addicted to opiates.
My sister's recovered from opiate addiction, 13 long years. But she has mild brain damage from it.
My family isn't bad people, they're not, but they are troubled people, with some unrealistic expectations about life.
My family were no better than yours. In some ways far far worse. I cut them out of my life as soon as I was old enough to move out and be an independent adult.
 
Actually, real life scammers won't give two cents if you have money or not; I've been the recepient of hundreds of fraud attempts, incredibly few here but several dozens weekly to my email address, which is a very old email. I don't know exactly what the tenure of the conversations were and with which members, but I find it very peculiar you've been on here a few months and mention several, whereas we've been here years and have had perhaps...one? Two? If even that?
You've often voiced your disdain or lack of appreciation for people without money, their lack of intelligence (if you don't own a business or pay staff you won't get it, see above) on materialism. Perhaps you're reading too much into what may be clumsiness at interpersonal interactions, which IS a real problem for many here, instead of actually wanting to extort you.

While I understand what you're saying, accusations of that nature remain incredibly serious and, when denounced in such a way, incredibly easy and broad. I have some degree of skepticism.
But, putting such skepticism aside for the moment, let's move forward on the premise that you're right. It's never bad advice as a general rule, any time, anywhere on the internet. You have repeatedly mentioned being wealthy, a business owner and have a certain downlook on those who cannot. Keep in mind thos is a public forum, no account is required to read threads on here, only to post. You may have unwittingly attracted said attention by the very nature of your posting. Very few people here mention anything about their financial situations, the focus is much more on personal issues.
There are lots of scammers who will target anyone because they do not know who has rich pickings and who has slim pickings. But those with rich pickings get it a lot more, believe me. I have had people ON HERE approach me for money in private messages. I know two others on here they targeted. Cenoto Girl posted her it has happened to her - a lot. And they are not wrong and imagining things either. The individuals on here read the messages and carefully select who to target and don't bother with most. I find it weird that on the one hand you say I can set up and run a business better than you but on the other you say I must be wrong about the messages I get and when it comes to that you know better than me. How can I be brighter than you about something which is very difficult yet more stupid than you when it comes to reading a short message? My best friend has no money. She is penniless. But we are great friends. Why? Because she never nags me for a job, somewhere to live, money etc like so many others do. She likes me for me not what she wants me to do for her. As for looking down on people who cannot... wrong again. Who choose not to and then come to me expecting me to do it for them, or who are jealous of those who tried a lot harder yes. I had to leave school at 15 with no education whatsoever, no money, no help or support and I succeeded. You could do the same if you put the same time and effort into it and concentrated on that instead of other things. You made your choice I made mine.
 
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Awh I am sorry this happened to you, to be honest it happens to me a lot on here, i’ve even had to tell close friends i dont buy gifts and stuff for people online that i’ve never met. Its hard, because you wanna be a good friend and help but you never know who’s just trying to take advantage. I hope in these hard times you are all puling through and don’t need to resort to begging or scamming to feed yourself✨


Hi CG dont worry I know what I am doing, I posted to warn others not to get advice or help or sympathy. I deal with far worse things in life without any help. Lots of people in real life contacting me for a job, home, money etc - begging - I get it everywhere. Obviously such people will target those with a business or whatever rather than those who are unemployed if they know who is who. I get them knock on my front door nagging sometimes. Common sense tells you they would not bother to knock on my door asking for money if I was poor. I am sorry it happens to you a lot on here too CG and hope you always say no. Remember they only want your money not you, they won't be your friend or like you if you give to them.
 
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My family were no better than yours. In some ways far far worse. I cut them out of my life as soon as I was old enough to move out and be an independent adult.

I can't cut them out, is the thing. They bother me less as time goes on though. In part because I got involved with some really shady people when I left, in a part of my life I just don't talk about over or around recordable mediums directly. Long story short, to a degree my own family is afraid of me, because of my involvement with those people and the effect it had on me. So in a weird way, I have to walk and live between the lines of all of the things in my life. I'm not driven by money or love, not anymore at least. I'm internally self-driven by my own survival among my own conditioning within my own parameters with my own resistances upon myself. I have weightless thoughts, most of the time. I think, speak, and write almost entirely from a stream of consciousness or through improvisation. In does wonders as a creative outlet. Writing though, at least gives me the option to proof read if I feel it necessary to do so. As opposed to talking to people, in which I've learned that I just have to be careful what I say. Social skills were never my forte, but given that I was ambitious enough in my 20s, I don't really feel the need to develop them further. An excess of materialism doesn't appeal to me, nor do hopes and dreams anymore and I've learned to be okay with it given that I experienced all that I could within rational reasoning of my hopes in dreams. Sssooo I'm conditioned for having rocks thrown at me by life, and I'm primed for efficiency by learning how to utilize very little for maximum capacity. I figured out how to do this through the practice of emotional detachment. I have no vices outside of necessities. I do have a limitation on how much bullshit I'm willing to tolerate, but I've gradually increased that comfort zone by pushing the boundaries of it and putting myself in uncomfortable situations. I operate well under mundane pressures, perhaps largely in part due to my rather niche and atypical background of previously being involved with the aforementioned shady people.
 
I work on the principle of getting and making sure I have money and love, then the rest is all fine. When I had to move away from my family it was only hard work and making money that made that possible. Moaning, feeling sorry for myself, or sitting around doing nothing all day wasnt the answer. Be happy.
 
There are lots of scammers who will target anyone because they do not know who has rich pickings and who has slim pickings. But those with rich pickings get it a lot more, believe me. I have had people ON HERE approach me for money in private messages. I know two others on here they targeted. And they are not wrong and imagining things either. The individuals on here read the messages and carefully select who to target and don't bother with most. I find it weird that on the one hand you say I can set up and run a business better than you but on the other you say I must be wrong about the messages I get and when it comes to that you know better than me. How can I be brighter than you about something which is very difficult yet more stupid than you when it comes to reading a short message? My best friend has no money. She is penniless. But we are great friends. Why? Because she never nags me for a job, somewhere to live, money etc like so many others do. She likes me for me not what she wants me to do for her. As for looking down on people who cannot... wrong again. Who choose not to, yes. I had to leave school at 15 with no education whatsoever, no money, no help or support and I succeeded. You could do the same if you put the same time and effort into it and concentrated on that instead of other things. You made your choice I made mine.
Who CHOOSES not to. You're British, I'm French. At least learn to spell. Alright, let's drop the pretenses of politeness. I think you're a stuck up, arrogant, condescending British female Carlin. You're abrasive, irk MANY people in a bad way then out of the depths of your arse, throw out that people are out to get you because they know you have money. Why do they know? You won't shut up about it. So my advice? SHUT UP. No one cares about your money, unless you MADE THEM.

Don't put words in my mouth. I said I was SKEPTICAL. I didn't say I know anything better than you. In fact, it's probably quite the opposite. But considering the amount of venom included in anything you post towards ANYONE who has the unmitigated GALL (Did I spell that right? Scusez pardon) to write something you don't agree with, I sure don't want to know.
What makes you think I HAVEN'T done the same? Why are you assuming than anyone who doesn't view life in the seemingly same extremely narrow, judgmental prism you seem to view it in is automatically to be pitied? Because that IS what you're insinuating right? That I'm to be pitied for the choices I made?

...I pity you. I'd never want to reach 65 and be so bitter.
In conclusion, get over yourself, lady. If you're here with the rest of peons, you're not that happy either. Instead of crapping on everyone that tries to criticize you, even those out of good faith, maybe if you actually LISTENED, it would help.

Except me. I'd appreciate, and I know it's coming, to be put on your ignored list. I got 10 bucks riding on it 😈
 
Awh I am sorry this happened to you, to be honest it happens to me a lot on here, i’ve even had to tell close friends i dont buy gifts and stuff for people online that i’ve never met. Its hard, because you wanna be a good friend and help but you never know who’s just trying to take advantage. I hope in these hard times you are all puling through and don’t need to resort to begging or scamming to feed yourself✨
CG - don-t forget that we need air, food, warmth and shelter. Nobody needs a new handbag or bottle of perfume, those things are pure luxuries they can do without. And if someone genuine is going short of food they should get a job - they could do four jobs at once if necessary , I had to for years , it wont hurt them to pay their way in life or go without. Nobody has to scam, it is a choice, normal proper work is a better choice for them and others. It's lazy people who choose scamming instead.
 

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