An “online friend” I have known and talked to for over a year has offered me financial assistant, should I trust it?

[RyanEC]

A recent environmental catastrophe happened 60miles/100kilometers from where I live upstream from the Ohio river.

It was a train derailment in East Palestine Ohio it has been in the news.

An online friend names Diana was concerned about me and has offered me financial help if I need it.

Diana is the daughter of an English lord so she has the funds to back up that promise.

As yet I don’t need help and don’t wish to become a financial burden to anyone.

I trust her absolutely because I have talked to her often for over year; and she has told me our conversations helps her though health problems she has.

But I understand why some would say this seems like a scam.

This is a few examples from our conversation after I revealed the disaster was relatively close to me.

[KostasKouvalis]

Well, scammers usually ask YOU to give them money, not offer you some. I am curious how on earth you found yourself friends with English loyalty, but that's beside the point. Just tell her thanks but no thanks.

Hopefully you'll be okay. Just don't go swimming or fishing.

[RyanEC]

On Twitter I follow a lot of European nationalist.
She was one of the British nationalists I found and eventually befriended.

[KostasKouvalis]

Oh good Lord!🤦‍♂️

[RyanEC]

What?

[WaterIsland]

Not always. Sometimes scammers start out with suggestions like PayPal, and then say it doesn’t work or the transaction got declined. Then go for asking for bank account information, then drain your account.

This is pretty clearly a scam.

[KostasKouvalis]

@WaterIsland That's a good idea actually

[WaterIsland]

@KostasKouvalis Yep, it’s super messed up. I’ve even heard examples of they try to make it go through PayPal or something, then say it doesn’t work, and accuse the person of scamming them, and request their bank account information to prevent them going to the police. Even tho nothing actually happened.

Scams and hacking are as much of a mental and social game as a technical one.

[KostasKouvalis]

@WaterIsland JESUS! English people are generous, but not this generous. The whole thing seems fishy. Royalty usually doesn't talk to average Joes.

[WaterIsland]

@KostasKouvalis Yep. There is a REALLY common scam of a middle eastern prince who wants to send people money since he doesn’t have a US bank account 🤦🏻‍♂️. This is basically the same thing just different regions. Totally a scam.

[RyanEC]

She isn’t royalty just aristocratic.

[KostasKouvalis]

That's the same thing to me

[KostasKouvalis]

It's probably a scammer. My cousin was manipulated by an Italian girl in the UK claiming to be a descendant of the Medici family. With all due respect, I doubt someone of that status would converse with a commoner. Just proceed with caution

[WaterIsland]

Here is the thing. @RyanEC is already starting to fall for the scam because he believes the “status” of this person. People say whatever they want. The fact that you blindly believe it, is on you. The fact that the “status” of this person is even a factor in this question says it all.

[Anonymous]

Have you asked for proof of her status? Have you guys video chatted and she showed you her mansion house? You got to make sure she isn't a catfish. You said you found her on Twitter, does her account have over 100k follows, is she verified? How do you know she's real? You've got to fat check her.

[KittyKat90210]

I wouldn't trust it. Even though it could be sincere I would never take that risk with someone I don't know personally

[goaded]

I wouldn't take it even if I really knew the person unless I was really struggling.

[WaterIsland]

The odds of this being a scam are so incredibly high.

[RyanEC]

But I knew her for over a year.

[WaterIsland]

That DOES NOT MATTER. And let’s be real here. You don’t know her. Not really.