Police warn public of catfishing robbery scheme in Mattapan, Roxbury
Boston police are investigating a string of robberies they believe are related to catfishing schemes and have warned the public to be cautious when arranging to meet someone they’ve previously contacted online.
In the past five weeks, six people have reported that they’ve been robbed after arranging to meet someone from the Internet at his or her home — either in Mattapan or Roxbury in the reported cases, according to police. When they arrived, a man approached them and robbed them at gunpoint, police said.
Authorities believe that these robberies are related and that victims were contacted and lured to a location with false online profiles.
Police ask that those using social media or dating sites to meet someone look for signs that the unknown individual could be catfishing them. These include a profile that seems “too good to be true,’’ if the individual refuses to appear on a web cam to speak, and if his or her profile seems incomplete or recently created. Police also encouraged people to arrange to meet in a public space rather than a private residence when meeting for the first time.
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