I met this really nice-looking guy through an online dating service. He lived clear across the country. He wrote back to me and said he didn't like using online stuff like email to communicate. So, he suggested that I give him my phone number or he could give me his. I obliged, and soon we were on the phone talking. We had wonderful conversations that lasted for hours and hours, day after day. One day he said that he needed some money. He said he was out of work for that week and had no one he could borrow money from. I sent him $325.00 to help him out. Then, a few days later, he said he was hard-up for rent money. So, I told him to leave the state, come to mine, and stay with me. He said he would love to. So, I bought him a plane ticket and was set for him to come. The next day, when he was supposed to show up at the airport, he never did. He didn't bother to call and let me know that he had missed his plane. I forgave him when he explained that he was scared of such a big move. It was only a day later when he started to complain again about not having the money for his rent. So, I sent him an additional $600.00. He has been scarce ever since. Let this be a lesson to any women out there who believe they have fallen for a guy who needs so much help. Keep moving on. I may have lost $1300.00 in three days, but I learned a very valuable lesson. In the end I made out, especially when I consider how much I would have lost if he had come out to live with me. -- Patrice, 29