On 7/23/2024 a woman came to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office and reported that in May of this year she began talking with a man on the dating site Tinder using the Kevin Cooker. The woman stated that the man told her he lived in Nashville and as they continued to have a phone relationship he told her he was going to South Africa to do construction work. During one conversation he told her he had gotten jumped, and his wallet was taken.  The woman said he asked her for money May 29,2024. The woman stated that she sent him $10,000.00 through Bit Coin via Crypto (five thousand at a time). The woman also sent him money several other times with the last time being July 9, 2024 for $10,000.00. The woman has sent $100,550.00 total. This includes approximately $600.00 on gift cards via Apple, Amazon, and Google.

Ladies and gentlemen out there.  If you encounter a situation such as this one, no matter how close they say they live currently or even if you meet with them it is in your best interest to cease all communication with the individual and report the profile immediately to Tinder and the police. If someone is asking you for large quantities of cash it is a scam, not a relationship.  There are expert emotional manipulators out there that will take you for every last cent you have and as soon as the money runs out so do they.  Please be safe and guard your hard earned money from these thieves and do everything possible to expose them for what they really are so they do not move on and hurt someone else.