‘I was in love with him’: Portland woman says Tinder match scammed her out of more than $40K
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A Portland woman is ringing the alarm bells after she says she was scammed out of tens of thousands of dollars from a Tinder match.
After the person teased her heartstrings and asked for money with promises of eventually meeting in person, the woman says she now believes she was the victim of a romance scam, a type of internet scam that the FBI says has been growing in popularity in recent years.
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Even still, the FBI says these types of scams often go significantly underreported due to shame and embarrassment.
There were more than 64,000 reports of romance scams in 2023, according to the Federal Trade Commission, reported losses totaling $1.14 billion.
Scams pulled off via social media platforms like Facebook are nothing new. And the FBI says older Americans are at particular risk for scams. However, it’s important to remember people from all walks of life right here in Oregon can also be targeted.
Romance scams pose a particular threat because they result in the highest amount of financial losses, on average, when compared to other online crimes. Such scams have been surging in recent years with the proliferation of dating sites.
Katie Powell told KOIN 6 News that it took her months to realize the relationship she was in was a lie. Now she’s determined to save others from this fate by sharing her story.
“We were soulmates,” Powell said. “I was in love with him.”
She “swiped right” on the popular dating app Tinder, with her match introducing himself as Barton Nathan. They hit it off.
“I was ready to start my life with this man, you know? I thought it was legitimately true,” Powell said.
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Less than two weeks after meeting him, her would-be love started asking her for money. First it was $5,000 to pay for his expired visa so he could fly home.
“And he just kept making me feel bad for him. Like, how — why would I do anything to hurt you?” Powell said.
The online relationship continued as he claimed he was working abroad, sending constant messages of love and affection. But yet again, tragedy would strike, over and over. At one point, he shared a picture of himself in the hospital supposedly after a car accident, he claimed to need money for lawyers, or cash to finish up a contracting job.
His requests for money would always escalate. When she’d question it, he’d send proof of documents and photos to back up his claims.
If she’d tell him to ask his friends and family for help, he’d say, “I only have you. You’re the only one.” He had told her in the beginning both his parents had died.
“And you know, which made me feel like responsible to get him home,” Powell said. “And so I just continued to believe it.”
All in all, she gave him upwards of $40,000, in her efforts to help get him on a plane to the U.S.
“I was so emotionally invested that I wanted to believe him. I wanted him to come home, and that’s all I wanted. And the further I got into the debt and the money and the relationship, the more I wanted him out.”
He continued to manipulate her for every penny, telling her, “Babe, if you give up now, what’s the point of all the sacrifice we’ve done?”
“And I was like, ‘goodbye,'” Powell said.
He replied: “I can’t lose you. I can’t lose you.”
Powell is now out of that relationship. With eyes unclouded by rose-tinted glasses, she now sees all the red flags and warning signs she ignored.
“And that’s what I want people to know is don’t follow the heart. Follow the gut,” Powell said.
Anyone is susceptible to this emotional-based crime. Powell explained the scammer always made himself out to be the “victim” and would manipulate her that way.
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Scammers quickly build trust, often proposing marriage or extravagant vacations. They make plans to meet that never happen. They seem genuine but eventually ask for money, typically claiming to be in the construction industry abroad, which excuses their absence and justifies requests for funds.
Scammers will quickly as you to get off the dating site and to chat on different messaging apps. They often avoid talking on the phone or video chatting.
If someone you meet online needs your bank account information to deposit money, they’re most likely using your account to carry out other theft and fraud schemes.
If you’re a victim and feeling alone in your loss, contact KOIN 6 News Investigative Reporter Elise Haas, who can connect you to Powell. She’s a single mom looking for a sense of community to help her recover from this.
GoFundMe: Katie Powell | Overcoming Romance Scam
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