Boston Police Warn About String Of 'Catfishing' Robberies
BOSTON (CBS) – Police are warning Boston residents about a string of robberies stemming from a social media scheme known as "Catfishing."
Boston Police said there have been six robberies in just over a month at locations in Mattapan and Roxbury.
The robberies begin when victims arrive to meet a person they've been in contact with on social media or dating websites.
Detectives believe the online profiles are made for "Catfishing," social media activity where a false account is set up to deceive another person.
Police said residents should be on the lookout for similar profiles, adding that often the accounts use profile pictures of attractive people to lure victims.
The profiles often seen "too good to be true," police said.
"The bottom line is it will probably happen again until they're caught or enough people understand that it's a scam," former Boston Police Commissioner and current WBZ-TV Security Analyst Ed Davis said.
Other red flags are that the person won't have Skype or a webcam to talk and they will have an online profile that seems to be new or incomplete, Boston Police said.
"If you agree to meet someone based upon online contact, make sure it is a public place," police said. "Don't agree to meet anyone at their residence. If you think you might be a potential victim of a 'Catfishing' scheme, contact your local Boston Police District immediately."
Davis agreed with the advice given by police.
"I would never meet anyone that I wasn't absolutely certain of who they were in a remote area or a secluded area," Davis said.
