Township resident out $56,000 in dating scam

A Bloomfield Township resident reported to police on Friday, January 31, that he had been the victim of fraud, after sending over $56,000 to several women he thought he was dating on a dating website. The resident, who lives in the 5000 block of Westwood Court, walked into the Bloomfield Township Police Department to report he was a victim of fraud. He told officers he had sent over $56,000 to several internet identities over the past several months. He explained he was registered on the dating website Zoosk, and since November of 2019, he had video chatted with several potential “dates.” During these chats, the women would claim they needed assistance in “claiming an inheritance” or in “attempting to leave an abusive boyfriend,” in which there were extenuating circumstances where they would need the township victim to send them large sums of money to resolve. The women all claimed to need money for overseas travel expenses, hospital stays, or car repairs, the victim reported to police. He finally realized he was being swindled when one of the women he had befriended asked for $7,000 in Apple gift cards. Bloomfield Township police report the case is currently under investigation. The Bloomfield Township Police Department would like to remind the public that these scams are popular on dating websites, especially those that cater to the senior population. If you have a family member using a dating website, please discuss these types of frauds with them to avoid being a victim.