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Meet the unlikely duo fighting Facebook’s rampant romance scams

Not all heroes wear capes.

 

Matt Silverman

 

chris boylan

Tech

Posted on Nov 12, 2018   Updated on May 21, 2021, 1:55 am CDT

When Bryan Denny, a retired 26-year U.S. Army veteran, started getting marriage proposals from strangers on Facebook, he knew something was up. Thousands of scammers were using stolen pictures of him in uniform to trick well-meaning Facebook users into sending money, iPhones, and gift cards overseas to a military hero with an honest face.

Kathy Waters’ family friend was among the victims. Denny and Waters now spend their free time busting fake accounts and pleading with lawmakers and Facebook for a solution.

This week on 2 Girls 1 Podcast, Alli and Jen (actors who perform weird internet stuff on stage) talk to the dynamic duo about their crusade to stem the epidemic of Facebook romance scams.

Listen to the show:

If you (or someone you know) has been the victim of this kind of scam or identity theft, you can contact Kathy and Bryan via their website or Facebook page, and sign their Change.org petition to urge lawmakers to impose more accountability on social media platforms.

This week’s episode is supported by Penguin Random House Audio, which publishes thousands of award-winning audiobooks every year, including some great holiday suggestions like Harry Potter, Crazy Rich Asians, and fun listens by your favorite comedians. Download Penguin Random House Audiobooks wherever you listen to your favorite audiobooks (Audible, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.) or check out this page to browse their latest selection.

2 Girls 1 Podcast is also supported by listeners. A lot of time and resources go into research, booking, editing, and publishing this show. If you love internet culture as much as we love ’casting about it, consider a contribution of $1 or $2 per month to help offset our production costs. Become a patron of #2G1P and earn some cool perks while you’re at it:

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Subscribe to 2 Girls 1 Podcast wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts and get new episodes one week early on the free TuneIn app!

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If you enjoy this podcast, consider sharing it with a friend or two, and use the hashtag #2G1P. We’ll be watching!

2 Girls 1 Podcast is hosted by Allison Goldberg and Jennifer Jamula, and is produced and edited by Matt Silverman in New York City. Production assistance is provided by The Podglomerate.

Want to hear more from the Daily Dot? Check out the Upstream Podcast, tackling the week in streaming entertainment, and We’re All Gonna Die, our weekly politics roundtable.

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*First Published: Nov 12, 2018, 6:15 am CST