We've all heard of fraudster Shimon Hayut, popularly known as the “The Tinder Swindler” following a well-liked Netflix true-crime documentary released this year, about his alleged systematic defrauding of romantic partners.
Roll in your curiosity, not about him although it might as well be...maybe?
A woman has been advised by Reddit users that she is likely being scammed by her boyfriend after she revealed his pressing request for a huge loan.
The woman, 32, wrote on Reddit “I've been dating a single father for three months. He's a single dad of 2 kids (6 & 12). I never met them (not yet) but I saw pictures of them. He says it's early for his kids to meet me. It's for their mental health and I respect that. I do send them (a bit costly) gifts every weekend and my boyfriend assured me that he will tell them eventually where these gifts are coming from.”
After ghosting her for a week with little to no explanation, the boyfriend reached out stating he was in hospital and one of his sons was in the hospital due to an injury.
Her boyfriend recommended that she send him gifts instead of the visit she had offered to make to his son.
“I felt bad for him. I could afford to visit but he said there was no need for me to do this; but suggested I send gifts instead as a way to cheer him up,” the woman wrote.
A bit suspicious, but who am I to judge?
“Later, he called me and said he had been working all day to find the money to cover his son's surgery. He asked if I could lend him $5000 so he could pay for the surgery after we had just spoken.
“I have to admit that he caught me off guard, but he explained that while he felt very heavy in making the request, no one else was willing to assist him except for me.”
At first, her partner recognized that his request was putting her in a difficult situation, but soon he began pressuring her, insisting that the surgery needed to be done quickly because it was crucial for his son.
“I started feeling pressured but he promised that he'll have me meet his son and other son right after he gets done with the surgery which is great but again the money is a lot, $5000 is a lot of money. I refused eventually and he got upset with me and kept on about how cruel I was, and how little I care about his kids and him but I swore it wasn't like this but he hung up on me saying he needed to get some fresh air.”
He later sent a photo of his son with an IV to the woman.
She then turned to Reddit to seek advice from strangers about her predicament.
He might be swindling her, according to online commentators who advised her against lending him any money.
One user wrote “Not The As$hole (NTA). You met this man 3 months ago. Honestly... seems like you are being scammed. Don't pay. Did he say what exactly is the health problem, and what is the surgery ?
Another user wrote, “I'm all for benefit of the doubt but 3 months in does not warrant expensive gifts for children I have not met or $5k for a surgery on one of [the] said children.”
“This is a scam. You have never met the kids. You don't have proof they exist. He sent you a picture of an arm with an IV that could be anyone’s. After you said no he started emotionally blackmailing you,” another person commented.
“You are also sending gifts to these kids every week?? This whole post is one red flag after another. You send him that money and you will never see it or him again.”
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