Online friend turned out to be a scammer

Anonymous | 19 Mar 2023

Internet Love Scam

Request to befriend user @alex_wong810 on Instagram and ask for his WhatsApp number, which is +1 (418) 210-3506. He claimed to be a 45-year-old petroleum engineer from Hong Kong working in Atlanta, Georgia, with a work schedule of Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm, commuting to work by car. Initially, the conversation started with a simple greeting, but within a week, he professed love. Despite the unrealistic nature of his behavior, communication continued. However, upon closer inspection, it was evident that his story did not add up - the location of Atlanta was not near any sea, and the temperature and weather were incorrect, along with the time zone differences. Additionally, several Instagram accounts using the same profile picture as @alex_wong810 were discovered, including @alex_wong26, @alextan01_wong, and @alex10.wong. Consequently, I blocked and reported the user to Instagram, but some of the accounts remain active.