A Scottsdale resident has come forward to share how he was defrauded out of thousands of dollars in a sophisticated scam that began on a Christian dating app. The man, who requested anonymity due to the traumatic nature of the incident, said he hopes that by speaking out, he can prevent others from falling victim to a similar scheme.
According to the victim, the scam began last week when he matched with someone claiming to be a 22-year-old woman named “Kayla” who had recently relocated to Phoenix. Shortly after initiating contact, she asked to continue the conversation via text, a request the victim considered routine.
“She said she wasn’t on the app much and asked if we could text. I gave her my number without thinking twice. It didn’t seem unusual at all,” he said.
However, red flags soon appeared. When “Kayla” asked for a photo and he didn’t respond, she later sent him an unsolicited, sexually provocative image. Concerned, the man replied that she should be more cautious. She dismissed his concern, texting, “I’m just a young girl looking to express myself lol.”
The following day, the situation took a disturbing turn. He received a call from someone claiming to be a detective with the Tempe Police Department. The caller alleged that the man had been communicating with a 15-year-old girl and that her father had filed a complaint. The supposed detective claimed there was sufficient evidence to charge him with soliciting a minor and possession of child p*rn*graphy.
“As you can imagine, my heart sank,” the victim said. “He told me, ‘Son, I have enough to charge you.’ My whole life was flashing before my eyes.”
The fake officer then connected him with a man posing as the girl’s father, who described a violent confrontation with his daughter after discovering her recording an explicit video. The father claimed significant property damage occurred during the altercation and pressured the victim to send money to cover the costs and avoid a police report and criminal charges.
“There was mention of a broken glass table, a shattered patio door, and a destroyed laptop. It all sounded real,” the man recalled. “I believed I was speaking on a recorded line with the police present, so I complied and sent the money.”
He later learned the entire scenario was fabricated. Authorities confirmed it was a scam and that the perpetrators likely operated from outside the United States. The victim said the scammers used spoofed phone numbers and AI-masked voices to convincingly impersonate police officials.
“I was emotionally blackmailed and financially extorted,” he said. “If this can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.”
The man is currently working with his bank in an attempt to recover the stolen funds but continues to receive threatening messages demanding additional payments.
Scottsdale police confirmed that while such scams are not widespread, they are becoming more sophisticated by combining elements of romance fraud and impersonation scams. Investigators advise anyone who receives a suspicious call claiming to be from law enforcement to hang up immediately and block the number.
