Manu Fernandez, known as Manu Vet, a Spanish veterinarian whose identity is used by scammers
Manu Vet is mainly known through his Instagram account, which had more than 100,000 followers in 2023, a big audience for someone who is not a media personality. He mostly posts photos of himself, often with animals, probably those he cares for at his veterinary clinic.
Little more is known about him, and Manu Fernandez is a common name. Yet these are the photos that some scammers stole to create fake profiles. A few photos left online are unfortunately enough to end up with fake profiles in your image, as happened to the man we nicknamed the bright-eyed scammer.
How the scam unfolds
With fake profiles in the image of Manu Vet, the scammers contact many people on social media or dating sites with a stock phrase such as “I just saw your profile and would like to get to know you”.
If someone replies, the seduction phase begins. The scammer tries to move his contact, for example by claiming to be a widower raising a child alone, or a man whose wife left him for his best friend. He usually claims to have a good job, such as running a car import/export business, and above all to be looking for true and sincere love.
Once the contact is hooked, or in love, comes the money request: a tragedy has just happened and the only way out is for the victim to send money. Never send money to a person you have never met. Learn more about romance scams and see the photos used by scammers.
Contacted by a profile using these photos?
Tell us in the comments below: the name the scammer used, the site or app where they contacted you, and what they asked for. You can attach a screenshot (JPG or PNG). Your report helps other people recognize the scam.
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