Catfishing Scam Victims

The Orphanage Photos Found on His Kitchen Table

Imagine discovering 47 photographs of smiling children and 63,400 dollars in wire transfer receipts on a kitchen table, but the homeowner is nowhere to be found. This chilling scene hints at a dark romantic scam that preyed on a lonely man. What secrets did these items hold about George Tate's disappearance?

In this episode, we delve into the meticulous life of George Tate, a payroll administrator in Caldwell, Ohio, whose quiet loneliness led him to a dating app in January 2018. We uncover the elaborate deception orchestrated by a man named Jerry Perry, whose fabricated identity as a humanitarian worker running an orphanage in Malawi masked a sinister agenda.

Person: George Tate
Date: April 14, 2019
Location: Caldwell, Ohio
Status: Missing
Case: Romantic Scam

- Christine Cook found George Tate's gate propped open at 6:14 AM on April 14, 2019.
- Officers discovered 47 photographs and a three-ring binder with $63,400 in wire transfer receipts on Tate's kitchen table.
- The receipts documented 18 months of payments to "Blessed Path International Ministries."
- George Tate, a 52-year-old payroll administrator, joined a dating app in January 2018, 11 days before matching with "Jerry Perry."
- The first wire transfer of $1,100 was sent by George Tate in May 2018 for a supposed customs fee.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].

The Geranium Was Inside. Then It Wasn't

In this episode, we delve into the unsettling case of Frances Rogers, a speech-language pathologist whose quiet life in Alderton, Ohio, was targeted by an intricate operation. Discover how a fabricated identity, a series of calculated encounters, and a seemingly minor detail about a pet's medication schedule exposed a sophisticated scheme.

Person: Frances Rogers
Date: March 14, 2019
Location: Alderton, Ohio
Status: Unresolved
Topic: Romantic scam

- Frances Rogers, 44, worked as a licensed speech-language pathologist in Alderton, Ohio.
- Her geranium, always kept inside for eleven years, was found on her porch on March 14, 2019, with a handwritten note.
- Frances had not missed a single dose of medication for her cat, Bertie, in four years.
- In late September 2018, Frances was introduced to "Michael Mueller," a supposed 51-year-old civil engineer.
- A reverse-image search in February 2019 revealed the man in a photo sent by "Michael Mueller" was actually Daniel Asante, a real project manager in Accra.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].

My Charles: The Lie in the Love Note

Imagine burying a zip-top bag of photographs, marked "My Charles," only for the man in them to be a complete stranger who has never heard your name or set foot in your country. This is the chilling reality of a methodical woman named Marcia, whose careful nature was exploited in a romance scam that cost her seven months and thousands of dollars. How did a seemingly trustworthy nutrition coach become the center of a deception that unraveled far more than one woman's loss?

In this episode, we delve into the story of Marcia O'Connor, a woman who meticulously planned her life but fell victim to a sophisticated online romance scam. We explore the timeline of her relationship with "Charles," from their first interaction on a nutrition app to the moment she realized the man she loved was a phantom, and how her fraud complaint exposed a larger network of deceit.

Person: Marcia O'Connor
Date: February 3, 2022
Location: Sutter Pines, Grover, Tennessee
App: NutriPath
Loss: $4,800

- Marcia O'Connor was 28 years old in winter 2022 and described as methodical.
- She joined the NutriPath app in July 2021, a nutrition and wellness coaching app costing $12 a month.
- Within 48 hours of creating her profile, she received a message from "Charles.M.Nutrition."
- The relationship lasted seven months, with calls averaging 90 minutes by November.
- Marcia filed a fraud complaint with Grover PD on February 15, 2022.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].

The Unsent Letter Found in Sallow Creek

Imagine finding a sealed plastic bag in a frozen creek, containing 41 printed emails, a photocopied badge, and a handwritten letter that was never sent. This discovery ignited a federal fraud case that unraveled 14 months of meticulously crafted lies. What hidden depths of deception could such a find reveal?

In this episode, we delve into the story of Rachel West, a resilient rancher in Garner County whose life took an unexpected turn after connecting with "Jerry Parker" on a professional networking platform. We explore the intricate setup of a romance scam, from its initial digital footprint to the moment a fabricated UN badge arrived at her ranch, and the first financial request was made.

Case: Federal fraud case
Person: Rachel West, Jerry Parker (alias), Doug Fessler (photo source), Pat Engel (choir director), Denise Berry (detective)
Location: Sallow Creek, Garner County, West Africa, Billings Montana, Boise Idaho, Atlanta Georgia, Raleigh North Carolina
Date: January (bag found), February (first connection request), April (UN badge arrived), May (CD matured), June (first financial request)
Status: Case closed after nine months

- Diane Weaver found a sealed plastic bag with 41 printed emails and a photocopied badge in Sallow Creek.
- Rachel West, 54, managed a 680-acre cattle ranch in Garner County after her husband Tom's death.
- The "Jerry Parker" profile claimed to be a civil engineer based in Billings, Montana, with 212 connections.
- The photograph used by "Jerry Parker" belonged to Doug Fessler, a 61-year-old retired structural engineer from Boise, Idaho.
- The WhatsApp number for "Major Osei," used to contact Rachel, was activated six days before the first connection request.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].

The Wednesday Window: He Knew When You'd Be Gone

Imagine discovering twenty-two pages of printed documents, sealed in a freezer bag and staked into frozen ground, detailing the intimate life of a young woman. This chilling discovery reveals a meticulously planned romantic scam, where every personal detail shared in confidence became a weapon. How did a man Lori Roberts believed loved her use her own words to orchestrate a terrifying betrayal?

In this episode, we uncover the story of Lori Roberts, a twenty-two-year-old woman navigating grief and rebuilding her life, whose consistent Wednesday evening routine became a crucial piece of information for a predator. We explore how a seemingly innocent online chess community led her into a relationship with "Grant Berry," a man who didn't exist, and how her vulnerabilities were exploited.

Person: Lori Roberts
Age: 22
Location: Aldover County, 40 miles southeast of Columbus
Relationship Status: Single
Occupation: Remote data entry, medical billing contracts

- Denise Wallace, a licensed county surveyor, found 22 printed pages in a ziplock bag, staked into frozen ground on December morning.
- The pages were attached to a $12 nylon camping tent peg, hammered six inches inside a property line.
- Lori Roberts had moved into her upstairs unit 14 months after her father died of a stroke.
- Every Wednesday for 18 months, Lori drove eight minutes to her grandmother Edna's ranch house for dinner and gin rummy.
- Kevin Moss, 37, from Youngstown, used the identity of "Grant Berry," a non-existent financial consultant from Portland, Oregon.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].

He Watched Her Walk: The Cancer Scam's Unseen Predator

Imagine a man who meticulously tracks your daily routine, knows your deepest vulnerabilities, and then uses that intimate knowledge to orchestrate a devastating romantic scam. On November 9, 2022, a pump inspector found a wire transfer receipt for $14,200, revealing a cancer scam that had been building for nearly three years. What dark secret did this receipt expose about the man who watched Nancy Rafferty's every move?

In this episode, we uncover the chilling details of a sophisticated cancer scam that preyed on Nancy Rafferty's loneliness after her breast cancer diagnosis. We explore how a private Facebook group for cancer survivors became the hunting ground for a con artist who used a stolen identity to build trust and exploit vulnerability, leading to significant financial loss.

Person: Nancy Rafferty
Date: November 9, 2022
Location: Boone County, Indiana
Amount: $14,200
Scammer's Alias: Marcus Veil

- The scam began after Nancy Rafferty's Stage II breast cancer diagnosis in spring 2019, followed by surgery and chemotherapy.
- Nancy joined "Survivors Forward," a private Facebook group with roughly 400 members, created in 2016.
- The scammer, Curtis Gray, used photos stolen from the memorial page of Dennis Albrecht's daughter.
- Curtis Gray had been moving through six states for seven years, leaving financial wreckage.
- The first wire transfer from Gray to Rafferty was for $3,000 in March 2021, which she later returned, only for him to send it back with an additional $100.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].

The Fox River Lie: How 31 Letters Stole Her Life

Imagine falling in love with a person who doesn't exist, a romance built entirely on paper. This is the chilling reality of a romance scam that unfolded over nearly a decade, leaving a woman in a small Minnesota town sixty-four hundred dollars poorer. How does a person fall in love with a lie told entirely in ink and paper?

In this episode, we uncover the story of Gina Cox, a woman whose structured and purposeful life in Duncrest, Minnesota, was upended by a pen-pal service. We explore the subtle anomalies in the letters that should have raised red flags and the profound impact of a carefully constructed deception.

Person: Gina Cox
Location: Duncrest, Minnesota
Date: October 14, 2019
Amount: $6,400
Service: Letters Stole Borders

- Jennifer Watson discovered 31 bound envelopes near Pelham Reservoir.
- Gina Cox, 61, worked as a dietary services coordinator at Pelham Reservoir Hospital.
- She volunteered at the Duncrest Food Shelf every Thursday for nine years.
- The scammer, "Scott Stein," claimed to be a 47-year-old civil engineer from Stuttgart, Germany.
- "Scott Stein" mentioned childhood memories of the Fox River, which runs through Illinois and Wisconsin, not Germany.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].

The Last Promise: How Kevin Stroud Stole Gary's Life

Imagine witnessing a private, terrifying moment through an open door: a young man, Gary Phillips, pleading for a visit, while a voice on the phone demands an account number. This chilling scene, observed by a 14-year-old papergirl, was the culmination of a sophisticated romantic scam. What hidden promise was written on that yellow legal pad, underlined three times, and what did it mean for Gary's life?

In this episode, we uncover the meticulously planned operation that targeted Gary Phillips, a systems information management graduate, and how a seemingly genuine connection online led him down a path of financial exploitation. We explore the methods used by Kevin Stroud, the architect of this elaborate scheme, and the "Intimacy Scripts" that fueled his deception.

Person: Gary Phillips
Age: 25
Location: Elmridge Heights, Calloway, Indiana
Education: Indiana State University, Systems Information Management
Con Artist: Kevin Stroud

- Cynthia Hicks, 14, witnessed Gary Phillips on Mercer Street on the fourth Thursday of September 2021.
- Gary Phillips graduated 22nd out of 430 students from Indiana State University.
- He lived alone in a duplex on Mercer Street since January 2021.
- Gary connected with "Dean Allen" on a social network in late May 2021.
- The "Intimacy Scripts v4.2" file was found on a laptop seized from Atlanta, Georgia.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].

The Sunflowers, The Laptop, and Her $83,000 Secret

Imagine finding a laptop abandoned on a gravel road at 6:15 AM, its screen glowing with a photo of a man holding sunflowers. This strange discovery in Dellwood County, Wisconsin, quickly escalated into a federal case, revealing an $83,000 romance scam. What secret did the laptop hold that led to this staggering financial loss?

In this episode, we uncover the story of Connie Lewis, a dental hygienist who meticulously rebuilt her life after a difficult divorce, only to fall victim to a sophisticated online deception. We explore how a connection request from a man named Marcus Webb led to a series of transfers totaling $83,000 and the unexpected twists that followed the laptop's discovery.

Person: Connie Lewis
Location: Dellwood County, Wisconsin
Amount: $83,000
Case: Federal case file

- A laptop was found on a gravel road in Dellwood County, Wisconsin, at 6:15 AM on a Tuesday.
- The laptop's wallpaper showed a man holding a fistful of sunflowers.
- Connie Lewis, a 48-year-old dental hygienist, transferred $83,000 in eight installments.
- The transfers occurred from February through August, with the last one two days before the laptop was found.
- The initial discovery was made by Rebecca Petersen, who had driven the Millhaven Cutoff for eleven years.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].

The Parrot, The Post-it, and The Perfect Predator

Imagine finding a cage with a full water dish and a note detailing a parrot's feeding schedule, but no bird, and the person who wrote it is inside the house, unable to function. This chilling discovery hints at a deeper, more sinister story of romantic fraud and isolation. What could drive someone to meticulously plan for a pet's care in their final conscious moments?

In this episode, we delve into the unsettling case of April Sharp, a woman whose life was meticulously ordered until a series of losses left her vulnerable. We explore how a seemingly innocuous online connection in a grief forum became the groundwork for a devastating scam, revealing the calculated methods of a predator.

Person: April Sharp
Age: 32
Location: Millhaven, Tremont Circle
Pet: Pistachio, a 16-year-old yellow-naped Amazon parrot
Profession: Archivist

- April Sharp held a master's degree in library science.
- Her mother, Diane Sharp, was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's.
- The parrot, Pistachio, had a feeding schedule of 7 AM and 11 PM.
- April managed her mother's care for approximately two years.
- The man calling himself Keith Boyd asked for $4,500 after seven months of online interaction.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].