The Reading / Listening - Online Dating - Level 1

A new Internet scam is tricking people who are looking for love. Conmen are using old love letters and romantic language. They buy "scam packs" online for just a few dollars. They include love letters, photos, videos and fake identities. The conmen then pretend to be looking for love on dating sites. The conmen write to their victim and when they become friends, they ask for money. They give many different excuses and reasons why they need money.

London police said 3,900 people got scammed online in 2016, mostly women. The average amount of money lost was $12,500. The average age of the victims was 59. A police officer described the damage the scams do to people's lives. He said the emotional damage is usually bigger than the lost money. He said people should never give money to strangers online, even if that person tells a very sad story. People should always be on their guard.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Online Dating - Level 0 Online Dating - Level 2   or  Online Dating - Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/old-love letters-are-being-used-con-online-daters-out-cash-1606131
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-38936509
  • https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/2842069/dating-sharks-rob-singletons-tips-stay-safe-online/


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. tricking people who
  2. love
  3. romantic
  4. for just
  5. fake
  6. pretend to
  7. The conmen write
  8. They give many different excuses
  1. be looking for love
  2. language
  3. identities
  4. to their victim
  5. are looking for love
  6. a few dollars
  7. and reasons
  8. letters

Paragraph 2

  1. 3,900 people got
  2. The average amount of
  3. The average age of the
  4. A police officer described
  5. emotional
  6. never give money
  7. even if that person tells
  8. People should always be on
  1. to strangers
  2. victims was 59
  3. the damage
  4. money lost
  5. a very sad story
  6. their guard
  7. damage
  8. scammed

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A new Internet (1) ___________________ people who are looking for love. Conmen (2) ___________________ love letters and romantic language. They buy "scam packs" online (3) ___________________ dollars. They include love letters photos, videos and (4) ___________________. The conmen then pretend to be looking for love on dating sites. The conmen write to their (5) ___________________ they become friends, they ask for money. They give many different (6) ___________________ why they need money.

London police said 3,900 people got (7) ___________________ 2016, mostly women. The (8) ___________________ of money lost was $12,500. The average (9) ___________________ victims was 59. A police officer described the damage the scams do to people's lives. He said (10) ___________________ damage is usually bigger than the lost money. He said people should never give money to (11) ___________________, even if that person tells a very sad story. People should (12) ___________________ their guard.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

AnewInternetscamistrickingpeoplewhoarelookingforlove.Conmena
reusingoldlovelettersandromanticlanguage.Theybuy"scampacks"o
nlineforjustafewdollars.Theyincludelovelettersphotos,videosandfak
eidentities.Theconmenthenpretendtobelookingforloveondatingsite
s.Theconmenwritetotheirvictimandwhentheybecomefriends,theyas
kformoney.Theygivemanydifferentexcusesandreasonswhytheynee
dmoney.Londonpolicesaid3,900peoplegotscammedonlinein2016,m
ostlywomen.Theaverageamountofmoneylostwas$12,500.Theavera
geageofthevictimswas59.Apoliceofficerdescribedthedamagethesca
msdotopeople'slives.Hesaidtheemotionaldamageisusuallybiggerth
anthelostmoney.Hesaidpeopleshouldnevergivemoneytostrangerso
nline,evenifthatpersontellsaverysadstory.Peopleshouldalwaysbeon
theirguard.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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