Conned: Four People Who Fell for Internet Scams

Most people know not everything on the Internet is true – these people learned it the hard way.

Don’t get shamed by an online scam. Learn from these people who found out the hard way that if something online seems too good to be true, you should log off before it’s too late.

1. Offer: Imaginary Cat – Only $3,000

The fine print:

A cat lover did what all cat lovers do: she went online. After seeing a hairless kitten – otherwise known as a sphynx – on an adoption website she contacted the poster. He said he needed $3,000 to cover all the fees and he would ship the cat from Kansas. The woman sent the money via Western Union, but instead of going to Kansas it went to Cameroon, Africa. And instead of getting a cat – she got scammed. Maybe this was how the original Sphinx lost his nose.

2. Offer: A Killer Companion

The fine print:

42-year-old Troy LaFerrara thought he would find companionship via a Craigslist ad. Instead, he found himself with a cord around his neck and a knife in his stomach.

LaFerrara thought he responded to an ad from a woman, but it was actually posted by newlywed couple, Miranda and Elytte Barbour. The husband and wife team used Craigslist to find someone to murder together. Now both will be looking for companionship in prison.

3. Offer: OBO Doesn’t Mean Murder

The fine print:

Agustin Rosendo Fernandez wanted to buy a $30,000 car off Craigslist. After going for a test drive with the seller, Fernandez decided to take the car and keep his money. Fernandez stabbed the seller, ditched his body alongside the freeway, and stole the car. He had a few days to joyride before being caught. When police investigated the car, they found it gently used and freshly bloodstained.

4. Offer: Scamming a Nigerian Prince

The fine print:

Who actually replies to the emails sent by all those Nigerian princes? Turns out, there is a whole online community that does. These “scambaiters” respond to fishy emails instead of deleting them. Their goal is to waste as much of the scammers’ time as they can and get a few laughs. While the scammers may live thousands of miles away, the stakes are still high, and scambaiters have to be careful not to make sure the joke turns deadly.