Scammers - local, and national ones like Magical Katrina

edited May 2020 in General

She sent me a message through here, apparently just before getting banned, as "buffyswan" (she may have more accounts), with a long list of things she does for money, like phone, text, video chat, with a Patreon link and her number, so I text her what she means exactly, and she starts trying to upsell me aggressively on all of this stuff, much of it for a lot of money for very little apparent experience, gives me all these links... it's hard to think she wasn't real, but the way she kept jumping to conclusions and misunderstanding and getting upset when I questioned something, and then didn't even understand the word "patronizing" (when she had a Patreon haha) makes me think she's not the brightest bulb in the pack or this was someone else just trying to hock for her (I'll bet it's that)... she is a real performer but she's going about this in a terrible way that counteracts her sweet intelligent image online.

Anyway, did anyone else run into this with her? I'm trying to better identify scams, and she just went off the rails when I tried to clarify things or ask questions... it's terrifying thinking how easily someone can get scammed out of money, and it hurts my feelings to get berated over trivial things or the nonsense she was saying... (I had to block her, she was blowing up my phone so much, I feel like I just got attacked by a pack of wild hyenas).

Previous to this, last week someone local here messaged me to contact her, and we texted and she seemed super-legit, was saying things that seemed legit to my location and counter-productive to a catfisher, but ultimately would not show me a selfie of herself in the place and time she said she was in, and after a few days said that her birthday was coming up and she could not get work off... and would make her feel better if I bought her a gift card... and then it basically became all about that. She then showed me a photo of a local Walmart receipt with an iTunes gift card with the number scratched off, I'm guessing from some sucker that bought it and showed it to "her" (him?). I later determined that the phone texts were coming from a computer from another country... and I'm debating sending all of this info to police, but I don't know if that's really worth it.

Thoughts? Please leave your scammer notes here because I want to better identify them before it's too late. Thanks!

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Comments

  • [Deleted User]MacaronCuddles (deleted user)

    There’s a pro here named BuffySwan. Wonder if it’s her?

  • edited May 2020

    Sorry to hear about your poor experience. That gift card is a classic tactic scammers use - they often want iTunes, Amazon, Steam, Walmart, etc gift cards as it's often easier for them to launder money that way and go undetected. Some reasons for them needing money could be because they need to "pay for their babysitter", or for a plane ticket to come visit you, or they are in financial difficulities of some kind and guilt you in some way to helping. Definitely need to be mindful of scammers - if they pronounce their deep love for you within a day of messaging, chances are it's a romance scam. They employ various confidence tricks to lure you in.

    Be weary of anyone asking for any money upfront, especially if they are not an approved professional. Always verify identity by asking for a recent picture, ideally a candid one where they can show their username/todays date etc.

    I personally doubt buffyswan was a scammer, but her actions are certaintly questionable. What kind of things was she trying to sell exactly? From what I remember she had pretty good Karma before she got booted off.

  • Aren't professionals screened? If so you can just turn to professionals and not worry about it.
    Otherwise, if someone's communicating with you off here, you can probably try talking on the phone, this way you can get a sense if they are a woman, since that's what they are telling you. And then, if it is, just don't call the police. They are probably dealing with enough already.. remember you're the one who doesn't have to go crazy for a gift card.
    In fact, maybe don't call the police anyway.. there's tons of scams in the world, and this one probably can't hard someone for too long, no one is going to send more than they can afford for a session before moving on. Even if someone is scamming lots of people, I can give you 20 scams that are more detrimental per person for you to call on if you're worried about scammers.

  • I think the person who texted me as buffyswan was just hired help, they were impatient, fast-talking, interruptive, misunderstood a lot things I said, jumped to negative assertions and ridicule, and just flew off the handle when I had to repeat myself, and then accused me of a bunch of stuff while insulting me. That's not how a professional treats someone they solicited, that's how someone acts when they're just looking for as much money as possible as fast as possible with little to no regard for their patron... and how do you not know what "patron" means when you're using Patreon?!

    It was really disconcerting, worst experience I've had here (attitude was like "do this or you're a jerk"). It did kind of remind me of the scammer last week who turned like that when I didn't immediately agree to send money.

    So I don't know, maybe "magical Katrina" and "buffyswan" are real, but they sure behaved like money-grubbers. I don't want to be anywhere near people like that, they're worse than used car sellers, it's obvious they only care about the underlying activity as a way to get money, and treat people bad when things don't go according to script I guess. It just makes them look not even human anymore, just like glassy-eyed robots. That's not in alignment with the site (that I've seen), so maybe she deserved to be banned.

  • There is a Magical Katrina in L.A. who bills herself as Magic/Circus/Entertainment. She also has her own website. She looks to be into burlesque as well which has always been the thing in L.A.

  • Yah I think that's her... really pathetic. Her photos and descriptions weren't reflected in her behavior on the phone. Maybe I saw what she really is underneath now, and everything else is just a show. I can accept someone else being that way on her behalf, but it's really irresponsible and makes her appear desperate at this point.

  • [Deleted User]MacaronCuddles (deleted user)

    I have cuddled with BuffySwan in the past when she was living in Northern California. She didn’t appeared as shady or scammy to me. Wonder if her account was maybe hacked.

  • @davebutton I don't see anything pathetic at all.

  • [Deleted User]SanFranResident (deleted user)

    She also tried to upsell me on a couple things. It's not my favorite thing in the world. That said, while some aspect of what she did presumably broke site rules (hence she was banned), I don't think it can be considered a scam in any way. Did she try to trick you out of your money? If not, it's not a scam.

    Try to have some level of empathy; keep in mind that many cuddlers who were relying on cuddling for all/most of their income are now in a tight spot and are trying to find a new way to make ends meet.

  • @davebutton
    If your gut is telling you it’s a scam, trust your gut and cut off communication. Don’t waste your time. The police won’t do anything.

  • I am not a fan of mud dragging when the person is not able to answer for themselves . I would say if you had a negative experience with someone who ended up not being like you thought it def won't be the last . Report them if the person is still around , and try to focus energies on something more worth focusing on

  • I’m curious about the up sell your talking about. What were you inquiring about? From what i gathered in the op was that she detailed bannable offenses on her profile. I’m not sure you mentioned sexual favors or not, but i got that impression. If she was also directing you to pay for patreon it seems you already knew you were dealing with some sort of out law.

    I guess I’m confused as to why you went down the rabbit hole of something that clearly lead to a certain place. Especially texting off the site. All the signs of something shady.

  • @BooksnTeas

    I feel barely feel any pity for people who prey on others like that. If in need, they can beg openly, or genuinely ask others for help. As opposed to presenting things that aren't true and scamming people of their money. Unfortunately from scam documentaries I saw, many didn't seem in need, though were hateful, racist, etc., who scammed others. I don't know what the screening process is regarding pros. Though part of the issue is that those who don't even have the pro badge, pretend to be pros to scam others and/or the site.

    @davebutton

    sorry to hear you're dealing with that. Perhaps, you can wait until this difficult time passes so that the police could focus on dealing with more serious cases. Though either way, if you're considering, I think it's worth trying. From place to place the laws differ regarding this. I know of a similar case, the conversation went like this:

    Person called the police regarding someone who really seemed to be a scammer.
    Police: "have you actually been scammed?" Person: "no, I think this was trying to scam me, and I'm concerned of others falling prey to it"

    Police: "we really can't do anything about it then, though you can try contacting so and so.

    So contacting the police could be of help.

  • I wonder, how is it that she had tons of good reviews?

  • edited May 2020

    @Chris04 "good reviews" don't mean someone will never act bad. There have been* plenty of people who their neighbors and family think are angels* and are later to the shock of many are found to have done hideous things. So these types* of people know how to build a front, and like @davebutton touched on, perhaps previously someone more experienced and, for a lack of a better word, calm tempered than* her was running the account. Then as the person moves on to bigger scams, they put a new, less experienced* one in charge. Though it could also simply just be how some of them do* things by trying to scam and when it doesn't work, throwing a fit.

  • @Lovelight
    I've made an appointment w pro Cuddlers, they're
    Beautiful souls, amazing amiable people. And yet don't have has many reviews like Katrina did.
    ( I mean she had tons of good reviews)
    Which makes me wonder.
    1.
    She prob made the up her self....

  • In the UK, our most famous ( alleged ) serial pedophile is Sir Jimmy Savile ; who was previously considered one of our greatest philanthropists. It is those we most trust, who can betray us most severely.

  • A pick-pocket once said that they don't consider it stealing, other people are simply giving them money. We won't get very far if we try to change their nature.

  • [Deleted User]SanFranResident (deleted user)

    Again, I want to state that I don't think Katrina did anything dishonest or scammy. She messaged people and asked if they would subscribe to her Patreon or pay for other services. I completely understand why this may be a turnoff for people, as it's not really what this site is supposed to be about... But it is in no way a scam and the comparisons to pick-pockets and pedophiles are just bizarre. Presumably Katrina had a lot of good reviews because she was a good cuddler. Let's stop piling on one person with all the negativity and speculation over basically nothing.

  • @geoff1000 I think you meant "infamous".

  • @geoff1000 "A pick-pocket once said that they don't consider it stealing, other people are simply giving them money. We won't get very far if we try to change their nature." So true, I do however believe that some, perhaps a few, depending on the crime can be helped, and do help themselves. However it can be a lot navigating through the ton who it's set in their being to do evil. We can't really change someone who's unwilling to help themselves change.

  • @Lovelight
    Yes, infamous.

    However, he was famous, before he became infamous.

    It is the same as when very high level secrets are leaked, it is always by someone who was very highly trusted ; to have access to them.

    Our most infamous serial killer was Dr Harold Shipman, again highly trusted.

  • @geoff1000 I thought it was Jack the Ripper.

  • @snuggleme123
    Jack the Ripper, 5 - 11 murders, never identified, and may have been several people.
    Maybe best known outside the UK.

    Dr Harold Shipman, convicted of 15, suspected up to 250.
    USA might have a worse shooting problem, but UK manages badly enough without that.

  • How did we go from the defamation of a cuddler to serial killers? I am sure if Jack the Ripper were around he would take a stab at the answer.

  • . . . and Harold Shipman would give the discussion a shot in the arm.

  • Sounds like a mystery Richard Chase could sink his teeth into.

  • This post is something else lolll it still amazes me how guys or anyone gets scammed... you just cant be that trusting to a complete stranger.. it’s common sense

  • Post went off topic.

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