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In wake of ‘TikTok Trickster’ arrest, BBB warns of romance scams

Brenton W. Fillers, 54, is the alleged "TikTok Trickster" who was arrested at UK Chandler Hospital over the weekend.
Fayette County Detention Center
Brenton W. Fillers, 54, is the alleged "TikTok Trickster" who was arrested at UK Chandler Hospital over the weekend.

The man alleged to be the Tik Tok Trickster was arrested over the weekend at UK Chandler Hospital on a fugitive warrant. 54-year-old Brenton W. Fillers faces charges in at least four states. But the romance scam several women say he pulled on them is a growing problem, according to Heather Clary, the spokesperson for the Better Business Bureau of Central and Eastern Kentucky.

“And they get you all next excited and happy to be in the romantic situation. And then they drop the bomb. They need you to lend them money, send money overseas, anything like that. And of course, at this point, you're probably willing to do that.”

Clary said romance scam artists live overseas. She said they try to establish trust quickly.

“First of all, it's just too hot to be true, too good to be true. And a hurry to get you off of whatever site you might have met them on, and lure you into something else like Google Hangout, or even just texting, moving fast.”

Clary said many romance scam artists create fake social media profiles – so the millionaire seen on a yacht may not be the person who’s suddenly asking for money.

John McGary is a Lexington native and Navy veteran with three decades of radio, television and newspaper experience.

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