Our client asked DIG to verify the identity of a person he met in an online dating app and to whom he had given money to help with her “fashion” business. DIG was provided with a copy of the woman’s driver’s license, passport, and access to her off-shore bank account, which our client had obtained on his own, trying to do his due diligence. It was immediately clear to DIG that the driver’s license was fake, the passport did not correspond to the lady’s story, and the bank account was blatantly false. The fashion business turned out to be a screen-printing shop. While no money was recovered, our client was advised to stop all communication with this person and to never give money to someone they have not met and even then, to be wary of new romantic interests asking for money, and asking DIG to do a background check before turning over any cash.
