Online Scam is a worm that is biting deep into the digital revolution. Within a few years back, we have seen a tremendous increase in the digital world.
People who saw the future of digital solutions back in the days are now billionaires today. But it didn't come without its own problems. One of the greatest problem it created is the decrease in trust. This days, people rarely trust others both offline and online because of the fear of being scammed. People fall prey everyday to people who deprive them of their hard earned money. This is a problem, and i believe creating awareness is one of the best way of reducing this problem.
We need to educate the vulnerable ones more, so they will be able to detect this scams on time so as not to part with their hard earned money.
So i will be researching and updating on some of the tricks this trick-stars use to defraud people of their hard earned money. If you have anyone, you can also share with us as comment.
Today i want to write on the love Scam Format. This is one of the ways scammers use to defraud people of their money. It could be deployed to men, women, young boys and young girls. The most vulnerable people to this scam are men who are seeking for younger ladies online and older ladies who are either divorced, unmarried or widows seeking for younger men online. Truth is, there is definitely nothing wrong with people going after what they want. Afterall, what we all seek is peace, joy and happiness and what gives us these things we crave for is absolutely personal to each individual.
So i actually got this format online from: https://www.scamwarners.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1843
Lets now run through this format, analyzing it as we go, this is how a love scam can turn to a basic advanced fee fraud;
STAGE ONE: INTRODUCTION & RAPPORT STAGE
Here, the scammer tries to get in touch with their victims. The typically start with introduction like the example below;
"Hello,
Well, I know you must have received about 20 emails like this everyday, so I have been thinking really hard about how to make mine stand out. I think your profile makes you worth emailing,and i really enjoyed reading what you wrote.I thought we may share some similar interests and I would love to learn more about you. I'm Jennifer Williams from GA, I am a very sensual, sexual and passionate woman. I love life and see the glass half full. I am always mesmerized by the ocean and want the person I am with to feel a connection also. I love to be fun and spontaneous and enjoy each day finding something joyful to smile about? Drop me a line and we can go from there.This is my personal email address just incase you feel like emailing me or better still come catch me online @ Yahoo Instant Messenger and here is my Yahoo Messenger screen name; jennyluv_sera ....kindly get back to me telling me a bit about yourself ok. Enjoy your day and I look forward to hearing from you!
Jenny."
Now after this, if the victim replies to the message or mail depending on the platform they are using, they enter the next stage
STAGE 2: FAMILIARIZATION/ TRUST BUILDING STAGE
Here, the scammer tries to get to know the victim the more, and start building the trust which will enable him or her to scam the victim. It starts like this;
"Hello,
I will want you to please tell me more about yourself before we go on with this conversation,i am a lady that need to get to know more about the opposite side before moving on.so i will be very happy to know more about you if you can answer all my questions with all honesty of heart...
what is your name ?
How old are you ?
what do you do for fun?
what do you do for a living ?
what your marital status?
Tell me about your past relationship if married before ?
How long did your last relationship last?
Do you have kids ?
How many kids do you ?
Will you like to have more kids if you finally get a woman of your dream?
What is your best colour?
what is your best food? want to know if you are a vegetarian or you like junk foods?
Do you live alone or stay with friends?
Do you smoke?
Do you drink?
what was your may motive of join the Dating Site?
And how long have you been on the dating site?
what are the qualities that you like in a woman if a woman is what you really need in your life?
Do want long relationship?
Do you want just someone to be with for the main time and nothing serious for now?
I will be waiting for your reply as soon as you can take good care of yourself Jenny."
When the answer comes, the scammer continues to work on the victims brain to establish trust.
It continues below;
Hello ,
I think i will also have to answer all the questions i asked you, by so doing you will know much about me and if you which to ask any other thing i will be here to answer you to with all honesty, so
I am Jennifer Williams I am 32 years old I love mostly outdoors for fun, like i love reading, listening to music and clubbing,I love dirt bike riding, snowboarding, taking my boat to the lake, wake boarding and fishing and i also love visiting new places and lot more....I am personal assistant and i worked for my late fathers company, he had an oil investment company based in the UK. I am single and never marriedI am not married for once , but i have been into a long time relationship which laid me into hard times and it hurts me so dearly and i don't want to be hurt by any man like that again..my last relationship lasted for 2 years and and some months
I don't have kids I will love to have kids if i can find a very good and loving man of my dream
my best colour is Blue and i can also go with Yellow
I love vegetable and shrimp.
I stay alone .
I don't smoke but i drink socially
I mean motive of joining the dating site is just to meet someone that can match my dream man and my charming knight .
I just joined the dating site last week
The Qualities i want in my dream Man is to always love me that will be caring, funny, intelligent, romantic,faithful,honest,that have sense of humor and the most
important thing is Love
I don't want only a long time relationship but a life time Soulmate.
And i also need a serious man in my life
I think now you know much about me too , i will want to ask you some other question later if you still interested,i will be waiting for your reply .Jenny
Hi ,How are you doing? Its such a great pleasure reading from you, well here is a little about me and what I have been told about myself...I love restaurant,camping,snuggling by a campfire & making love under the stars,or in the confines of a cosy tent setting. Either way its a very sensual way to spend a great weekend.My other interest include swimming, reading novels,writing poems, cooking, movies, riding, boating & fishing in the Gulf. I like the simple things in life.What's important is being true to who you are & not being afraid to show it. I value Humanitarian works and charity and this is the reason why I have dedicated myself into it.I have a strong faith in God and would want someone with the same belief.Someone that can be a comfort to me & wouldn't be afraid to learn on me for the same. Honesty is very important.I'm looking for someone that is not afraid to show open affection. I'm a little bit shy and I need someone that is easy to talk to until we get better acquainted. I want someone that is positive and loves life, looks on the bright side.I'm loyal and honest. Most of all I want to have a partner thats just that,a partner. I'm looking for a man thats as good a friend as they are a lover.That combination along with honesty & a strong faith in God go along way in a successful relationship.I'm not a woman of unlimited worldly means,but I am true to the core. A true friend & faithful to the man that shares my values. Family, friends, faith & a strong desire to satisfy my man both physically & emotionally. I was born in GA, but was raised in Paris because i lost my mom since my child birth and i was handed over to my grandma when my grandma remarry to a french man she relocate to paris, I work with my dad has his personal assistant before he met his death
on 9/11, present am out of GA am in West Africa because i was invited here with some group of people, I learnt Art and Crafts and Fashion designing and also run a charity organisation too, I have a strong belief in The God that I serve and this why I always have it at the back of my mind that he is always there for me.. Tell me more about yourself, I'm looking forward to reading from you.. and also would love to have a chat with you...
Take good care of yourself and have a lovely dayJenny.
STAGE 3: ESTABLISHING A RELATIONSHIP
Here, trust has already been build, the two parties are now going along well online. The scammer now takes it deeper by establishing a relationship that looks real which will solidify the trust in such a way that the victim may have to forget its an online relatonship and would now be craving to have an offline version of the relationship. It goes like this;
"hey,
After All about myself and getting to know more of you , think we should get to know some other thing about eachother.I will want to know your main motive on here and i will also want to know if you are looking for just a friend or someone more than a friend to you ,i will want to know if you need a serious lady in your life. i still have a lot questions for ask you as time goes on because i will not like to waiste my time with anybody online because i don't want to get hurt anymore. so get back to me as soon as possible with all honesty of heart.Just give a piece of your mind on your reply.
I will be waiting for your mail
Thanks
Jenny Care
Thanks so much for your mail, i want to ask you this questions and i want you to keep up the honesty you have been showing to your mail and what you tell me about yourself.This are very important question to me and to any relationship before going into it .I want you know if you do believe in LOVE and if yes can you just tell me what i means to you ? bcos i believe if you don't know love or believe in Love you can not love and be loved in return by anyone.we all know LOVE is the root of all relationship . so tell me what love is to you if you truly believe in it and if you really looking for a soulmate or a second half.i am a very loving woman and i believe so much in love .
Get back to me cos i am getting more interested in getting to meet you in person.waiting for your reply
OXOXOXJenny.
I love the way you have been putting how much love means to you but to me LOVE means alot because i believe so much in LOVE, I'm talking about fate here - when feelings are so powerful it's as if some force beyond your control is guiding you to someone who can make you happy beyond your wildest dreams and i believe Love is not about finding the right person, but creating a right relationship. It's not about how much love you have in the beginning but how much love you build till the end.Must women in the present days don't love but lust because they don't really know about love and they are not loving.
I believe you should never question if you are in love or not, because if you were you wouldn't need to ask and i also believe the best way to love is to love like you have never been hurt.And i wish to love that way for now and till life end on my side.so i will love to tell more about my past and presently before we go on .
Jenny
STAGE 4: INTRODUCTION OF THE SCAM: Here the scammer introduces the scam to the victim who already has an established relationship. It takes a strong will to identify that its going to be a scam at this stage. It goes like this
"Hi ,
I wouldn't know what you want in a relationship. But i guess the most important thing is being honest with each other. Though i feel reluctant talking about myself and my current situation to you as i dont know how you'll feel.But i guess its important you know all about me and the situation i am in so that we'll know if we can go further. I've had loads of bad experiences in my past relationships and i wouldn't want to fall into the same problem anymore.I will like you to give me your words that you really love me and that you want to make a new life with me,cos i have been used before and i wouldn't want to be played on again.I am telling you all this, then you can decide if you still want to meet me or not, so that we will not waste each other's time, when you get this mail,kindly give me a response to let me know if you are still interested or not.
I never grew up to know my mum as she died immediately after my birth. I lost my dad on 9/11 in New York, i'm the only daughter of my folks.I grew up in Paris, My ex-boyfriend,David Gareth used me alot and treated me so badly. He absconded with my dad's money which was kept with me after a completion of a contract in EAST UK,When my boy friend got absconded with the undisclosed sum of US dollars, this brought the first brokeup between me and my dad before is death,because he thought we had the deal together, but not knowing that i'm innocent about this. So my dad has been harsh and tough on me about this.
After all these happened to me and caused by my Ex boyfriend, I joined a dating site (www.couple.com) where I met an African guy online here who promised heaven and earth that he wants to marry me and make me happy in life; "I never knew I was going from Fry-pan to Fire". The African man told me of an investment opportunity in Africa and he convinced me to come along with loads of money when coming down. On getting here, all his intention was to take away the money from me, play me and leave me on my own.
I came from the United States with all the money I've gotten from my Dad's business and contracts remuneration. Because the African guy told me of an idea to invest in West African sculptures here. When I got here, he made all possible means to get the money from me and get away with my money.When I noticed this, I took the money and
my travelling boxes and deposited it with a Security/Insurance Company here in Africa in order to safe myself and my assets. Thereafter I left the guy's apartment to a hotel where I am in right now and from which I am communicating to you right now. I don't want to fall into another terrible situation again after all these that I have faced and I am not ready to be used this time. I need to be very very careful of whom i will go out with or date this time. I will need some words from you, which will prove to me about your interest in me and what exactly you want out of our relationship. I am very eager to have a date now, since i would be coming back to the State as soon as possible you want me to, provided you will treat me in an orderly manner. Well, let me hang on here till I hear from you. I hope you will understand my situation at this time and I hope you will come to my rescue and be of whom i expect you to be. I really need to be loved cos i deserve it.I need a man that would always be there for me, who will be like a father and husband to me, i will reciprocate true LOVE as well.
Jenny
STAGE: SCAMMING/BILLING STAGE: This is the final stage. Here, the scammer bills the victim and if the victim has been following along, they tend to pay the money at this stage. Meanwhile, the scammer already has the machinery in place to collect the money from the victim...It goes like this;
Dear,
Its a great pleasure reading from you.How are you doing?I really want to get out of here to come to the State.I really need your help and trust to get me out of this mess.I want you to have my words as i promise i wouldn't dis-appoint you,i will really appreciate your assistance towards this.Once i get there, we will arrange things in order and we can start a new life together.I want to believe that you will not let me down.
Babe as i have told you what brought me here from the States. I came in here with a total sum of $10.5millionUSD including the money i got from my dad's business and contracts remuneration. While i was coming here, the African guy told me to come with enough money for investment and i even go to the extent of selling my inherited
house just because i want to leave the State .Now, i'm in need of your help, I've gotten enough money to run myself when I get to the State, i want to come over to your end and we can start a new life together, I don't want to live here anymore.As you know i'm a foreigner here and its absolutely dangerous for me out here. Thats why i need your gesture assistance. How i want you to help me? As i'm scared of being setup by this African guy,i had to act fast for safety.I put this money in a box and got it locked up with a security code known to me only.I deposited the box with some of my travelling luggage with a Security and Insurance Company who render private diplomatic delivery service and i told them that the two boxes are my travelling luggage, which I want to send forth to the State because i'm returning home, then i paid them up their custody and security fee, but i did not tell them that the boxes contain money in order to make everything secure and safe. I want the boxes sent to you while i catch up with you as soon as it is been delivered to you.Babes we would meet and we can start a new life together.Every arrangement for the delivery is perfect, I have obtained customs papers for private freight and there are seals on the box showing that it is a private delivery and check performed, it is free from customs checks, it will be delivered at your door step by the diplomats of the security company, you do not need to burn out to receive it. And the boxes have security codes lock known to me only, only me can open the boxes, except if I tell anyone the Code, so the Boxes cannot be opened on the Way of delivery to you.
Therefore, I want you to contact me as soon as possible, so that I can give you all my deposit details and information for you to make the Clearance from the Security Company as my fiancee who is to receive my boxes in the State.Once the box gets to you,i will let you know the lock codes to open the boxes and the instructions, then you can open the boxes in order to have some money sent to me for my flight to the State. Once I get there, we shall invest the money together and start a new family, provided you will not disappoint neither take advantage of me. I hereby promise 30% of the total fund for you to meet any personal needs and i can get something done with the balance.I am counting on you with trust and i'll appreciate your trust towards this.I hope to hear from you and to meet you in person.Please write me as soon as possible, so that I can give you the deposit details and the contact of the security company to arrange the shipment asap.With all care,
Jenny
Hey,
So all you will do for me to get the boxes, is to write to the security/ company as the recipient of my travelling luggage , just tell them you are my fiancee and you want my travelling luggage sent to you in USA. Because i told them that it is my travelling luggage, and i have locked the boxes with a security 4 codes, which prevent it from been opened by an authorized person. So i deposited the boxes with the security company as a Private shipment (free from checks) and it will be deliver to your door-step, you do not need to burn out to receive. Therefore, below are my deposit details and the contact of the security company. You can write to them to inform them that you want the boxes delivered to you as soon as possible and ask them how much the clearance fee will cost. I did pay them already the Deposit Fee Security Fee Shipment Fee, only the clearance fee is to be paid. Please, bear in mind not to tell the company that the boxes contains money, only say travelling luggage of,(Miss Jessica Baxter)
N.B: Without you including this Depositing details in your mail, your mail will not be acknowledge.
DEPOSIT DETAILS:
Deposit Ref#: GSC-POL-0669-PRVT3450
Clearance Sort Code: PRVT-3450-69GSC
Deposit Certificate #: 3450/PPPOL/234NG
Depositor: Miss Jessica Baxter
CONTACT DETAILS:
Contact Officer: Jude Peters (Custodian Managers)
Emails: infovisionlinkinsurance@mail.com
Custodian Mangers Direct Phone: +2348063474560
So, you can write to them and get back to me asap. Please Baby you will help pay them the clearance fee,and as soon as the boxes get to you, i will let you know the code and you can have your money from the boxes and then send me money for my flight, so i could come over and meet with you.
I wait your message as soon as you contact the security company.
Jenny
Finally, the victim pays the money here and the scammer either dissapears or finds another lie to get another money from the victim.
This is basically the patter that is used in scamming people online. Its basically the same pattern of establishing trust and then defrauding the victim.
Like i said before, the older people in our society fall victim to this scheme because the may not have been educated on this trend. The only education they have is
learning from their mistakes. They learn it the hard way when its not supposed to be that way. I beleive with proper education, this scam trends online will be
drastically reduced
Now over to you...do you have anyone you would like us to know? share with us as comment.
PEACE