Police say a Bucks County man lost over $17,000 after a dating app match, a fake deputy's calls and a used credit card. Here is what to watch for.
A Bucks County man looking for love on a dating app lost more than $17,000, and police say the losses came in three parts: loans, a fake official, and a credit card. Perkasie Borough police arrested a woman this week in what they call a romance scam. She is accused of taking his money after they met online.
Police say the man met Nyima Williams on a dating app over the summer. They later met in person, and he began lending her money. Investigators say the first amount was about $3,000. She refused to pay it back, according to Perkasie Police Chief Robert Schurr. The man then went to police.
Reporting the problem did not end it. After he filed his first report, the man began getting calls and text messages from someone claiming to be a deputy in New York. That person demanded more money, and he handed over more than $9,000.
He went back to police with the new details. Investigators say that information helped lead them to Williams. Police also allege she took his credit card and used it for purchases, which brought his total losses above $17,000.
Williams is charged with theft, impersonation and other offenses. She is free on bail. NBC10 tried to reach her for comment, and no attorney was listed for her in court filings. The charges are allegations, not findings of guilt.
Police are now looking into whether she acted alone. "It's possible she is working with someone else," Schurr said. The material from police does not say who made the deputy calls.
Anyone who uses dating apps or social media, especially people who meet someone online and are asked to lend money. The case shows how a scam can grow. A small loan can lead to pressure from a second voice that sounds official. Someone can also quietly run up charges on a card you handed over.
Police say romance scams often go unreported because victims feel embarrassed or afraid to come forward. In this case, the man's decision to go back to police is what helped investigators.
The steps in the alert box above cover the basics. The key point is simple: money requests from someone you met online, or from a caller claiming to be an official, are a reason to pause and talk to someone you trust before you act.
If someone you met online asks for money, stop and talk to a friend or the police before you send anything.
The Attala County Sheriff's Office in Mississippi says scam calls are reaching residents, and a call that sounds official may not be.
Read more: Mississippi sheriff warns residents about scam phone callsScammers are posing as Texas sheriff's officers and claiming you missed jury duty. Caller ID can show a real police number even when the call is fake.
Read more: Fake jury duty calls spoof a real Texas sheriff's phone numberFake PayPal emails and texts, some posing as a security report, try to get you to tap a link and type your login. Checking your account directly avoids the trap.
Read more: Got a fake PayPal message? Skip its link and check your account yourself
