There is a story in the latest issue of my local Better Business Bureau newsletter about a woman who had a 16 month online relationship with a man who cheated her out of $7,600.http://mobile.bbb.org/article/BBB-Warns-of-Online-Dating-Scams--Local-Woman-Is-Heartbroken-and-7600-Poorer-34132If you are single and run a business you may be tempted to give the online scene a try. I hope it works for you, but be very, very careful.Prominently displayed on your profile is your age. If you are 60, 70, 80 years old, it doesn't matter how well you have taken care of yourself. It will be a deal killer for almost anyone a few years younger than you are. (If you are wealthy you can get a young one and have fun until your money is gone and then she (or he) will probably be gone as well.) It is hard running a business alone and I understand your need for companionship away from your business. But, be careful.I have several online accounts and get emails every day from women who express an interest in me. Unfortunately I am not interested in them. If I date someone, I am comfortable with it being platonic and staying that way until such time, if ever, that she tells me she wants to go to the next level. I want to be with someone who I will say Yes to when and if she asks. Being a male, it has to be someone that is attractive to me, has a voice that I enjoy listening to, is intelligent, can survive a week at Disney World with me, and who can hold her own in a spirited discussion. And, if things went really well, somone I would consider marrying.I received an email from a woman, with a local address, a few weeks ago. She seemed interesting and we started corresponding. Turns out she is living in a foreign country and wants to come back to Omaha but needs a place to live.I was open to this but suspicious. She claimed a connection with a local church so I asked for the name of a church official as a reference to verify she was who she said she was. She immediately came back with an excuse that said she wasn't really active, had her plane ticket and just needed to have a place to live when she returned to the states. I sent one more email which she never answered. (Her picture is still on the dating site.)Last week I received an email inquiry from a company wanting to order several thousand dollars worth of my products. Shipping wasn't a problem as a courier would come to my store and get everything. (That is a red flag.) I emailed back and requested a credit card number, address where the bill is sent and the name and address of the company he represented. I immediately received an email where the sender sounded outraged and demanded to know why I needed this information. I responded and have not received a reply.This happened once before and the order was for $3000. I contacted security at the credit card company and found out the card was stolen. They told me that a small retailer had just processed a very large order using the same card.One other thing to be leery of is companies that guarantee to put you on page 1 of Google and other search engines. Before you say yes, speak to someone you trust who understands SEO (search engine optimization). He or she will probably tell you not to waste your time and money. Sometimes we get lucky and things work out, but, remember the old saying: "Trust but Verify." You work hard for your money, don't let a con artist steal it from you.Ron NixonOwner RWR Innovations LLC
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