A man claiming to play for the San Francisco 49ers matches with you on a dating app. His Instagram has 85,000 followers and a blue checkmark. There are videos showing what appears to be his football lifestyle. He drives luxury cars and seems to have plenty of money. So, would you believe him?
Domonique DuBose had her doubts. When she joined me on The CyberGuy Report podcast, she explained how she became suspicious of a man who allegedly used a fake NFL identity to pursue women and promote fraudulent investments. Federal prosecutors say Daejon Labrayae Love and an alleged accomplice received approximately $1.3 million from at least 26 women.
Love pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a felony charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and a public defender representing him did not reply to a request for comment. Magistrate Judge Jolie A. Russo ordered Love detained as a flight risk.
DuBose recognized warning signs and avoided losing any money herself. “Basically, I caught on right away,” DuBose told me. What she uncovered raises serious questions about how easily someone can fake an identity online and how you can spot the warning signs before it’s too late.
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‘TINDER SWINDLER’ ROMANCE FRAUDSTER PROMISES ‘SAFE’ DATING APP – USING INTEL FROM CON MAN PLAYBOOK
According to DuBose, Love’s Instagram account looked like something you might expect from a professional athlete. His posts showed him wearing San Francisco 49ers clothing and enjoying an expensive lifestyle. There were also videos from football-related locations, including footage that appeared connected to the Super Bowl in New Orleans.
“It looked valid. I mean, he had 85,000 followers. He had a blue check,” DuBose recalled. She even contacted a friend who had played for the 49ers.
Surprisingly, she says that friend initially supported Love’s story. Still, she continued investigating. “I looked at everything from the NFL roster for the Niners to IR to practice squad,” she explained.
She also searched his college football history, looking for evidence that he had actually played at the professional level. Another detail bothered her. Nearly every photo seemed to feature 49ers clothing. To DuBose, who knew professional football players, that constant display of team merchandise seemed unusual. Federal investigators later confirmed with representatives of the NFL and the 49ers that Love had never been employed by either organization. That’s what makes this case so troubling. A convincing social media profile can make someone seem credible long before anyone checks the facts behind it.
DuBose said she met Love on Hinge. His profile described him as an NFL receiver, but their first interactions made her uncomfortable. “It was really fast how he wanted to get my number,” she told me.
Instead of sharing her personal number, she took a precaution that limited how much information he could access. “I gave him my work cell phone number instead of my own phone number, and he started texting me.”
Then came an unusual flood of attention. Love sent several videos and voice recordings almost immediately. One recording played during our podcast interview included this opening: “So what’s up, beautiful? I had to shoot my shot with you.” The messages also included extravagant claims about his wealth and how much he wanted to spend time with her. For DuBose, the pace of the attention felt strange. “And it was just so fast. It was so rapid,” she recalled.
Some of his other claims raised even more questions. DuBose said he talked about coming from a wealthy Swiss family and having ownership interests involving Gucci stores. She struggled to reconcile those stories with his supposed NFL career. Rather than accepting the explanation, she kept checking.
Love’s supposed football career was only one part of the alleged operation. During our podcast conversation, I asked DuBose about his different identities. She explained that he appeared to have more than two, with different names and professional backgrounds depending on whom he approached. According to federal investigators, Love used several names, including Jon Love, Daejon Love, Avril Lyto Love and Jordan Love. His professional identity also changed depending on the person he approached. “He was a real estate investor. He was a day trader,” DuBose explained.
Prosecutors say Love used those claims to convince women that he had access to lucrative investment opportunities. His alleged accomplice, Taylor Jamie Chan, posed as a financial advisor who helped manage Love’s fortune, court records allege. Together, they allegedly used fake bank and investment accounts showing enormous balances. They also staged FaceTime calls displaying fabricated investment gains. Some women even took out personal loans after Love promised they would quickly be repaid, the affidavit says.
READ THE AFFIDAVIT – APP USERS, CLICK HERE:
DuBose told me that some women appeared to receive early investment returns, which encouraged them to invest more. However, federal investigators say none of the victims they interviewed reported receiving actual returns after sending money. When women ran out of money or started asking too many questions, prosecutors allege Love cut off contact.
The federal investigation has grown since the arrests. On Sept. 18, the FBI reported that 35 additional women had come forward claiming they were defrauded. Investigators were still working to verify those allegations. If confirmed, the number of identified victims would rise from 26 to 61. For DuBose, the emotional damage described by women who say they encountered Love has been particularly painful. She told me that some women described relationships lasting years. Others said they became deeply involved with someone whose identity they never fully understood. “There’s some that dated him for 11, 12, 13 years off and on,” she said.
Those longer timelines reflect what women reportedly told DuBose. They extend beyond the February 2022 start date of the alleged financial scheme documented by federal investigators. “It breaks my heart,” she told me during our interview. She was especially disturbed by the emotional vulnerability that someone could exploit when a person believes a relationship is genuine. “And using that to your advantage is just sick.”
DuBose also told me that she would like to confront Love about his alleged actions. After hearing so many stories, there’s one answer she still wants. “I want to know why.” The FBI has encouraged potential victims to come forward, even if they feel embarrassed about what happened. Investigators say reports from additional people may help them understand the full scope of the alleged scheme.
One of the biggest questions raised by this case involves the platforms where these relationships begin. A blue checkmark and a large online following can make an account appear trustworthy. However, verification features vary by platform, and confirming an account holder’s identity does not establish that their claimed career or wealth is genuine. DuBose expressed frustration about how easily someone can construct a false life on dating apps. “As far as the dating apps go, you can be whoever you want on those dating apps. And that’s the scary part.”
She acknowledged that some platforms offer identity checks. However, she questioned whether those checks could ever guarantee that someone was telling the truth about their background. That’s a concern worth considering. A person can use their real name and still make false claims about their job. They can also provide authentic photographs while exaggerating their wealth. For anyone meeting a stranger online, independent verification remains an important safeguard.
You can still meet people online while taking precautions against fraud. These steps can help you identify suspicious behavior before a relationship becomes financially risky.
If someone says they play professional sports or hold a prestigious position, check official organizational records. Don’t rely on social media search results alone. For example, NFL teams publish player rosters that you can check against someone’s claims.
Excessive attention early in a conversation may be an attempt to establish trust before introducing a financial request. Pay attention if someone immediately wants to move off the dating app or begins discussing a serious relationship before you’ve had time to get acquainted.
Communicate through the dating app until you feel comfortable. A separate phone number can help limit exposure, although it won’t eliminate every risk. Avoid sharing your home address or workplace details with someone you have only recently met online.
Look for inconsistent names or multiple profiles using the same images. A reverse image search may reveal whether someone has copied photographs from another person’s account. Our CyberGuy article explains how to avoid dating app scammers.
Be especially skeptical of guaranteed returns or requests to take out personal loans. Independently check any financial opportunity before considering it. Someone who genuinely cares about you should respect your decision to keep your finances separate.
Conflicting information about someone’s background deserves a closer look. Give yourself time to verify details without pressure. If the person becomes defensive or tries to discourage you from checking their claims, consider that another warning sign. DuBose continues taking precautions when meeting new people. She told me that she checks phone numbers and tries to establish whether someone is using a legitimate identity. “If you text me the moment you text me, I’m reverse checking your number. I’m making sure your name is valid.” A reverse lookup can provide useful clues, although scammers may use spoofed numbers or accounts registered under other people’s names.
A SCAMMER HAS YOUR NAME, PHONE NUMBER AND ADDRESS. WHAT CAN THEY ACTUALLY DO?
If you suspect someone has deceived you through a dating app, act quickly. Your chances of recovering money may depend on how you paid and how soon you report the transaction.
Explain what happened and ask whether it can reverse or recall the payment. If you sent money through a wire transfer or payment app, contact that service’s fraud department as soon as possible. Speed can be important when attempting to recover funds.
Save screenshots of messages and dating profiles. Keep financial transaction records that could help investigators. Don’t delete conversations before documenting them, even if the experience is upsetting.
File a complaint through IC3.gov and provide as much information as possible. Include the person’s usernames, phone numbers and payment details. You can also report suspected fraud to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Report the suspicious account so the platform can investigate and take appropriate action. Include any evidence showing that the person misrepresented their identity or requested money.
Criminals sometimes contact fraud victims again, claiming they can retrieve stolen money in exchange for an upfront payment. Be skeptical of anyone promising guaranteed recovery, especially if they request additional payments or sensitive financial information. If you have information involving Daejon Love or Taylor Chan specifically, the FBI requests tips through tips.fbi.gov or 1-800-CALL-FBI.
What stayed with me after speaking with Domonique DuBose on The CyberGuy Report podcast was how convincing this alleged deception became. We’re talking about someone who reportedly built an entire lifestyle around a career he never had. He used the credibility of a major NFL team and social media to get people to believe him. Some allegedly trusted him with significant amounts of money. During our conversation, I raised a question that I think deserves a serious answer. These social media companies can collect an extraordinary amount of information about us. As I put it on the podcast, “these social media companies know what toothbrush we’re using and when we’re going to buy a loaf of bread.” So why does it remain so difficult to identify someone who builds a false professional identity and uses it to target people? I also admire how thoroughly DuBose investigated the situation. Even when someone she knew appeared to validate the story, she continued asking questions. Her experience is a reminder that you should never feel pressured to trust someone simply because their online life looks convincing.
If a dating app verifies someone’s identity but that person turns out to be lying about who they are, should the platform share responsibility for the damage? Or do you believe people should be entirely responsible for protecting themselves? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
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