Nigera Scam moves to Dating Websites and Personal Ads
UPDATE 12-2-09
Many of you would like to have these bogus photos posted. Please right click and save the images to your desktop and then email them to me also if any of you would like to forward me these fake emails and letters I will post them on this blog. Many of you found me through the fake letter I posted, so lets help other people and bust these scumbags!
Email me at scammerphotos @ askmepc.com
UPDATE 11-11-09
Since I wrote this article, so many people have contacted me about this problem.
Many people have fallen prey to these tactics.
This is not just on Yahoo Personals or Match.com or Catholic and Christian Dating Websites, this is happening on all kinds of personal dating ad websites everywhere.
Just read the comments and you can see how large this is.
Please remember, NEVER send money to someone you meet online, never.
This is one of the worst things you can fall for.
These people do not have phone numbers, you can never speak with them, and if you do, make sure you get a call back number, because they may hire someone to call you. This scam takes in MILLIONS of dollars every year.
This scam runs in so many forms it is hard to believe.
Tell your friends and please let the sites you have been betrayed on know what is happening.
Someone needs to guard the gates a bit more carefully. This is a tragic scam that hurts millions of people each year.
I was able to experience this firsthand. I recently put my profile up on Yahoo Personals and I had a few people who contacted me. One person sent me his email and I emailed him at r.hall@yahoo.com ( if any of you want to send nasty emails to this scammer, feel free.) I was very suspicious when the profile of this so called guy named “Randy Hall” was suddenly removed from Yahoo. He said he had a daughter and was widowed.
I got an email back later that seemed a bit weird, especially when the guy did not talk about anything in his profile and
was calling me “dear”. That is weird, my hackles were up and I was highly suspicious.
Note to all women, that is so Nigerian scammer lingo. In all their scammy emails (you won the lotto, bank fake email in dire need, I am a solicitor…etc..) they talk like some British Baron from the 19th Century!
I sent him a curt and very short reply back asking for more details like where he lived and what did he do for a living and why did he take his profile down in only 2 days, and OMG, check out the phony idiotic email that came back.
I started laughing when I read it and immediately knew my instincts were correct-SCAMMER!- I will post his scam email here so hopefully when other 13 year olds or disgusting old crooks sitting in a room in Nigeria try to pull this crap on another person , they will know they are being set up by one of the oldest scams in the book.
Read the letter and I will then explain to you how the old Nigeria scam works.
Hi Linda
Wow, what a letter! I wasn’t sure if I’d hear from you. I’m so glad I did. First, thank you for the compliments. I really appreciate all the nice things you said and the fact that you’re still willing to give me a try.It’s really hard to find a person that is interested in a possible long term relationship and not just a one night stand. I am looking for a best friend and partner. I don’t hang out in bars or date just anyone. I never thought I’d try online dating but here I am. ..Linda , I already let you know that you’re a truly genuine and open person…I am very open, honest and caring….My late Mom was from Kansas and My dad was from, West Africa cos he was brought up from Nigeria … they both meet in Rome , ITALY , where i grow up and they instilled many wonderful values in me.My Late mom raised me to be fighter and always come out on top and that is what i plan on doing.I would be 39 years by Jan 28th . My Dear Linda , am still having Difficult with my laptop for me to send more Pictures of me to you , hope this wont stop us from talking here and carrying the conversation to High level ..I am also a happy, outgoing person..I love to laugh and spend time with friends..Can you tell me how your day went?? what do you normally do at your Leisure time ??? .my favorite activities are basically anything to do with being outdoors..camping is one of my favorite things to do and also trying my hand at new things and I want you to know more about me ..first of all,I have now lost my mother and only have my father. my Late mother and father were married for 43 years and I think that is truly wonderful thing and I want to let you Know that i relocate from Elsmore ,Kansas to Powell St, San Francisco anytime from now which I let you know that i just got a 1story 10 home yesterday .I want this also very much..although my life is full of love , there is the most important element of life that is missing from mine..my life companion.this person must be sincere, honest, understanding and family oriented.I also want someone that is always serious all the time…that is able to just “have fun” and balance this with responsibility..someone that is adventurous,loves the outdoors and laughing…I want someone that can appreciate quality in life but also the most simplistic things in life., but I want to share my life with someone..I do not date a lot because I do not enjoy going out with so many different people….when I do go out on a date it is only because I am quite attracted to that person (in all aspects…not just physically), I think it is of extreme importance to be on the same levels with someone you are to share your life with.i.e intellect, sense of humor and also similar goals in life.these things all add up to admiration, loyalty and friendship..I would like to find this so that I may begin the second journey of my life in which i let you know i my profile so please ask me whatever you would like…I think you are someone that is seeking the same as I and so I would love to pursue this friendship with you to see what happens…only if, at the very least, we would both have gained a great love.of course, hopefully more…;-)..Linda , Let’s I forget , I wanna let you Know That I would be Living the state for Now cos i heard a Called from The Dr that’s in charge of My dad sickness from The Hospital there In Nigeria That My dad is not really good that he want to see me ..I was so shock when I heard That My dad is not good and Been The Only child of My dad i think i need to see Him cos he’s the one left for me now ..To cut this short ,I am On My way to Nigeria Probably In the next 8 – 12hrs cos I have book my plane . so don’t hesitate to mail me and I will reply you back …..But Most especially i will soon be back to state soon I look forward to hearing from you again soon..Please feel free to say anything and I would Like to know know thing about you like :
What are you doing for Living ??
What do you seek for in a relationship?
What sort of relationship you seek for?
What are the basic qualities you seek for in a man?
What interests you to me ?
What do you do for fun?
Do you like public intimacy?
How long have you been single?
What’s being single like?
How do you treat your man?
Why do you need a man?
Can you love this me even though you continue talking to me ???
What is love to you?Would you hit your man for any reasons?
Got to go now and Hope to read from you soon
Randy
YUCK!!! Here are the people who are talking to you.
Nigerian Romeo Boiler Room Rip Off Scam
There are tons of “tells” in this email.
Bad grammar and spelling are usually the first giveaway in all scammer emails.
For instance the scammers often misspell stupid words. A good example of this is the fake bank alerts email I recently got that had in the subject line this, ” your accuont will be locked.”
I delete about at least 10 fake Paypal, eBay and bank alerts a day. A popular one recently has been “buyer dispute” from eBay, since I have not used eBay in about 3 years that was an obvious one for me to catch.
Here is the Nigerian Scam in a nutshell. It is called 419 or Advanced Fee Fraud.
I have included some information about some other common online scams for your protection.
Please never send any money to strangers, never login to any place through an email, always find the real bank online or login to eBay or Paypal at their own websites.
Most companies now accept these fake emails by forwarding them to “spoof@—–” ebay, paypal, Citibank, whatever place you supposedly got the fake email from. This helps them keep track of them too.
Be careful out there. The internet is literally open to the entire world and there are many evil people waiting to prey on you and this latest personal scam is a new low of these disgusting crooks!
1. Nigerian Letter Scam
This is probably one of the best known online scams but it still manages to get people to part with their hard earned money. Invariably you receive an e-mail, usually written in capital letters and starts out like this:
“DEAR SIR/MADAM: I REPRESENT THE RECENTLY DEPOSED MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE FOR NIGERIA, WHO HAS EMBEZZLED 30 MILLION DOLLARS FROM HIS STARVING COUNTRYMEN AND NOW NEEDS TO GET IT OUT OF THE COUNTRY…”
The letter says the scammers are seeking an accomplice who will transfer the funds into their account for a cut of the total–usually around 30 percent. You will be asked to travel overseas to meet with the scammers and complete the necessary paperwork. But before the transaction can be finalized, you must pay thousands of dollars in “taxes,” “attorney costs,” “bribes,” or other advance fees.
However, there is no minister or money other than the money you paid in advance. Victims who travel overseas may find themselves physically threatened and not allowed to leave until they cough up the cash. This online scam is also referred as Nigerian 419 Letter, where the 419 stands for the section of Nigeria’s penal code that this online scam violates.
2. Lottery Scams
In this online scam you will receive an email informing you that you have won a lottery or that the XYZ lottery company went into a draw for the distribution of unclaimed money and your email address was selected. You will be asked to make a payment, often in cash, for the money to be released and sent to you. Unfortunately, there is no money and you never hear from the XYZ company again.
Remember, if you have not purchased a lottery ticket it is unlikely that you could have won anything specially if you need to pay to claim it. Lottery companies and agencies do not work that way.
3. Online Auctions
Unfortunately, as online auctions sites have increased in popularity so have the online scams associated with auction sites. Here the scammers place fictitious products for sale and once the auction is over, the highest bidder pays for the product which he/she never receives it. These online scammers are extremely difficult to trace. However, most auction sites have a strict rule and once a scammer is identified, they can no longer use the site.
Another form of this online scam is seek out potential buyers through auction sites. The scammers then send them an email informing them that they can offer them the product the buyer is trying to buy on the auction site for less money. If you fall prey to this online scam, you can say bye to your money and you will never see the product.
4. Online Investments
This is one of the most high risk, high return and popular scheme on the internet. Most of these are scam where you’ll have the operator running away with you investment before you knew it.
A lot of these schemes are also what is commonly known as “Ponzi scheme” where early investors are paid high returns to entice more funds to flow in. Basically, in this scheme investors are paid using the funds that it is attracting until such time it collapse under its out flow of funds. The victims are usually the later investors.
Click on “Ponzi scheme” for more info. One of the example of such scheme that is still operating is the Swiss Cash Fund (1948). Following are some related links:
- Malaysia Central Bank warning
One can still make some good returns in online investments as long as the pay out is not unbelievably high. Usually, a return of between 5% – 7% is a good measurement that it may be a legitimate concern.
The GOLDEN RULE to follow when hunting for opportunity on the internet is to be vigilent and always do your research and due diligence checks to ensure that the opportunity is a sustainable entity. If you are one of those high risk takers — do it with your extra, never, NEVER borrow to take a risk!
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Tags: Bank scams, catholic dating scam, christian dating scam, Citibank, dating scam, eBay scam, Fake People Personal ads, Match.com Christian and Catholic, match.com scam, Nigeria Scam, Online Safety, Paypal scam, personal scam, Personal Scammers, Rip off artist target lonely, scams on dating websites, Yahoo Personals, Yahoo Personals Scammers
well this sucks really bad, i’ve been talkin to this drop dead gorgeous girl from myspace, just joined, we exchange letters everyday.her name is Olla Demilio..everything sounded great…from madrid,spain both parents dead, in nigeria on business, a nurse with UNICEF, ready to come back to states.talkin about meeting and being together when she comes back, long term, everythings goin good, last night she said that she would be going to airport today to book her flight to be with me, then today i noticed her online on yahoo messanger so i said hey is that you,and she asked who i was..i said its mike, it took probably 10-15 minutes after i said is this olla for her to come…we were talkin about her coming, she asked me for money for the cab, told me she loved me, as we were supposedly getting really close.i told her i couldn’t help, she played it real good. she replied asking that i didn’t wanna speak to her anymore cuz she asked for money. i said that i just didn’t wanna get scammed and she like flipped out, sayin forget about it…if my dad were still alive i wouldn’t need your money, and so on.i got her calmed down, and within a few sentances as we were talking good again she asked me for the money,if i was gonna help again, i replied yes again. then she asked when she would get the money like a 3rd time within minutes,i asked why she kept askin as this was starting to scare me.she said just to make sure..she gave me a number to call her but number didn’t work, although she stated earlier that she didn’t have money or a calling card, she said that she will call me when she wakes up at 6-7 am their time, which was 9-10 here in sacramento, like now no call…but i looked up her name and all this popped up…thanks everybody for your knowledge of this scam and bringing it to everybody’s attention…i was gonna risk sending the money in exchange for love, so it looks like i woulda been screwed big time!i will try to post her pic on here for everybody to see,thanks guys-mike
I placed my profile on yahoo 1/15/2010 and it appears that I am having the same issues, I already have had 2 scams going on at the same time and both are in Nigeria. Both men are good looking and appears to be educated but both within a couple of emails have asked me for money. The first one finally stopped contacting me and the second keeps tying to contact me but I do not respond. I am now on my 3 contact and after 12 days he has has traveled to Nigeria on business and was attacked and lost everything…. Ok…here we go again… The sad part about this is the first profile was local…. I did delete my profile about a week ago because after 3 scams, I had it..
ive been talking to a man he calls his self LAKE MOON, EMAIL LAKEMOON_4YOU@YAHOO.COM I CAUGHT ON RIGHT AWAY HE IS WORKING IN AFRICA ON A JOB HE IS A PROFESSIONAL ROAD CONSTRUCTOR HE HAS A 7 YR OLD DAAUGHTER , I WAS STUPID GAVE HIM MY # AFTER AWHILE HE CALLED ME AT 4:30 AM CRYING STATED MARY FELL DOWN THE STAIRS AND NEEDED MONEY FOR A OPERATION 350.00 I TOLD HIM NO GOT IN A FIGHT TOLD THEM SCAMMERS OFF HERES THE FUNNY PART . I WROTE HIM A LOVE LETTER TELLING HIM HOW SORRY I DIDNT BELIEVE HIM. IVE BEEN PLAYING HIM NOW ITS UP TO 1000.00 BUT NOW I TOLD HIM I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL . THEY ARE SO STUPID. LONG EMAILS EVERYDAY LOVE LETTERS WE ARE GETTING MARRIED LOLOL KINDA RELIGIOUS, HE HAS HIS DAUGHTER CALLING ME MUMMY ALREADY NOW I READY TO EXLODE ON HIM AGAIN BUT I FIGURE THE LONGER I TALK WITH HIM . HES LEAVING SOME ONE ELSE ALONE ….VERY CUTE MUSCULAR, SENT PICTURES OF DAUGHTER WITH LATE WIFE . NOW HE HAS IN PHONE # AND PICTURE POSTED ON MY MESSENGER OF COURSE HE WANTS THE 1000. BECAREFUL OUT THEIR IM SO GLAD I CAUGHT ON BECAUSE WOW HE WAS DROP DEAD GORGEOUS LOLOL.
oh yeh its on yahoo it just hit me i am woman but i was helpin my brother with talking to girls and one tried that scam on me look out for passiontiffany01@yahoo.com
Got hit with the same crap this week. This time it was a Patric Gracious Zambruther and it was the California story. He is from Italy, came here when he was 10. Married his high school sweetheart. They were married for 16 years. He has a 12 year old named Bob. His wife and parents died in an accident together many years ago. He has dated a few times since then including to a woman that cheated on him with his best friend that he took as a brother. He moved here to Bangor, Pa and has only been here a week. He is currently in Florida on a business trip where he is looking for Arts and “status.” He was quick to answer any question I had of him but never really asked me anything about myself or if he did then he asked me the same question later on as well. His spelling was atrocious for someone interested in the “Arts” and he had no sense of humor whatsoever. I said to him after 2 days of him searching for “status” and him not finding what he was looking for in Florida that I would have to get my kids to sculpt him something out of play-doh. His reply “Hmmm, ok” I got alot of those responses and “hmmm ic” as well. Never any LOL or any jokes back. Not sure what got my hackles up but after 2 days of chatting, including emails back and forth from work, I asked him his last name and googled him. Found the website for the art gallery and then this site. Confronted him with the info and no response back. Will be letting Yahoo personals know as well.
That photo was stolen off the web. None of these images are real. Please people do not fall for the images.
Everything is fake, they steal images and other things. I am so sorry for your situation.
These criminals are cruel and hurting people.
Yes I was scamed by a woman named Joleena she said she lived in England and her father died five years ago she was going to Nigeria to take care of her fathers propertys there , and needed 150.00 for pocket change after she arrived. after she arrived there she said that I was supposed to get ahold of the Barrister and that her father had 4.9 million in a sealed trunk and needed to send it to me and to send her a small portion and that after she would come and live with me in the states. After all this I looked to the town and there I found the news of Ophra and the scammers,
I played sorta sceptical and then she told me to F.O. and she was so hurt and so saddened by all this she was going to hurt herself………………. Bla Bla bla. be carefull not to get scammed and the picture’s were very professional taken of her now I am out of her life and she is GONE
Thanks for your Site
I did receive one from a Tiffany and another, Linda. I exchanged emails with Tiffany I have a hunch this is too good to be true. After a few emails – she has not gone to the stage where she wanted money – the last one she wrote about my mother and she spelt mom, ‘mum’. I realized this right away because I have not mentioned my mother. She died three years ago. Probably this guy gotten mixed up with so many exchanges of email. The word ‘mum’ is not an American word. It is British and most commonwealth countries, and are formerly British colonies. Be careful of scams from Eastern European countries. They produced fake H1B visa pasted on the passport.
My brother was contacted by a scammer and it was really sad. Because even though he didn’t give “her” any money he did get hurt. He has never really done much dating and so he was really trying hard and putting himself out there, just to have the first person he really clicked with turn out to be a scammer. We were able to look up the IP address from her e-mail by using this web site: http://aruljohn.com/info/howtofindipaddress/ and discovered that it was out of Nigeria.
It was the same kind of MO that has been listed by other people here. Both her parents were dead, she was from Spain, but moved to the US when her parents died, but was currently living in the UK working with UNICEF. When suddenly she needed money and had no one else to turn to. She was going by the name Olla Demilio Smithson but her e-mail came through as Olla Own (ollasmith28@yahoo.com – feel free to send her all the junk mail you want). T
My mom has been using Yahoo! Personals and seems to get one new scammer every other day! My favorite thing to do is screw around with them using her profile. I even documented a couple of cases here: http://illustriousauthor.com/conversations-with-yahoo-personal-scam-artists/ I linked to your post in my article since you have more serious information about how to spot these guys.