Pennsylvania woman posed as military member on dating website, scammed victim out of thousands: cops
July 18 2021, Published 9:01 a.m. ET
A 63-year-old Pennsylvania woman was charged with ripping off a person she met on an online dating service by claiming to be a military member in need of money.
Pitt County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina received a report of fraud by a woman reportedly posing as a service member on a dating website who said she allegedly needed money to ship her belongings home from overseas on June 29.
The victim reportedly shelled out $7,500, according to officials.
Investigators charged Jo Ann Burkey of Greensburg with accessing a computer to defraud or obtain property, obtaining property by false pretense and attempting to obtain property by false pretense. She turned herself in at the Pitt County Detention Center on July 15.
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Police have not said what led them to believe Burkey was operating the account or if the victim got their money back.
Burkey was released after posting a $25,000 bond.
She is scheduled to appear in Pitt County District Court on Sept. 29.
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