Are you chatting to a genuine online dater or a Nigerian scammer? Become an online dating investigator and use these 5 Tips to spot a Nigerian dating scammer.
Before you start playing hot and frisky or declaring love to someone from an online dating site do a little research to find out if they are a Nigerian dating scammer.
First of all make sure you understand what the 419 internet dating scam is and how it works.
Remember these scammers are everywhere, not just in major online dating sites but also on forums and in chatrooms about every topic there is.
Even very small niche dating websites can occasionally let one slip through the net depending on how experienced the scammer is.
Now let’s start investigating this too good to be true, dying to get married to you person.
1. Trace the Dating Profile Photo
Is the dating profile photo just too good to be true, does it look like a model? If so it probably is.
The photo I have used on this post is one a Nigerian scammer stole from a model agency website and was using on online dating profiles.
However more sophisticated Nigerian scammers are now using very ordinary holiday snaps they find around the internet.
So either copy the images from their profile if the website hasn’t blocked the copy feature or ask the person to email you their photo’s .. now go to TinEye.com and upload the photo’s.
Tineye is a reverse image search engine and will find the image online even if it has been altered.
This will tell you where the original photo was uploaded, eg a model agency website or someones photo album.
Romancescam also has a photo database of known scammers. Just go to Scam Digger upload the photo(s) and it will compare them to the ones in their database.
2. Check Email Adresses
The Nigerian scammers favourite email and chat provider by far is Yahoo, I would say that over 90% of the scam profiles I reject from my dating site are using yahoo email addresses.
Look out for addresses with 4u, 4luv, 4life, 4love, 4ever at the end .. eg lillian4u@yahoo.com, it’s no guarantee but does ring alarm bells.
3. Track the IP Address
An IP address will give you the location of the web server they are using, if it goes back to Nigeria or Senegal for example then you might want to rethink your budding relationship.
IP addresses can be routed through certain websites so you would see a UK or US ip address but you can track back to the original.
This excellent blog post will take you step by step through tracking the original IP address of an email sender in GMail, Yahoo and Outlook.
Once you find the ip address just go to a free ip locator website and paste it in the search box.
This then lists the country, region and city of the server the sender is using .. clever isn’t it.
4. Search Profile Information
If the person you are chatting to has a well written profile, with a good standard of English grammar then copy and paste a couple of phrases and do a google search.
I’ve just tried it with one of todays scammers profiles on my dating site and the phrases originate on a US blogs about me page.
5. Ask to Chat on Webcam
Be persistent about this. These scammers will send you up to 30 photo’s of ‘themselves’ (they are often all photos of the same model taken from an agency website) but a webcam will show you who you are talking to.
Of course they won’t have a webcam, even if you send them money to buy one they will reel off excuse after excuse as to why it won’t work but that is what you want.
The more they refuse to show themselves the more suspicious you will get and the aim here is to protect you from these people.
May 29th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
It’s sad that there are so many people willing to target innocent people online like that.
It’s different, but I have also notice a lot of people use old pictures on their dating profiles. That I think is counter productive.
May 31st, 2009 at 10:46 am
Hi Peter
You are right, using old pictures is just silly .. If you put a photo of a model up then you would expect the person you meet to be disappointed when they meet you, so why would it be any different with an old photo of yourself?! I would prefer to put a reasonable picture of myself up and then anyone interested might get a pleasant surprise when they meet me.
June 8th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
could i just ask, can a scammer obtain your details if you watch them on THEIR web cam?
June 11th, 2009 at 2:36 am
Hi Jane, great question. I have had a chat with a hacker and this is his response:
99% of time no there is no danger but you must use trusted sites like Yahoo or MSN as they have defence for this. If you use an adult dating site then there is a good chance. What they do is write a file so when you press the link to accept their cam it also downloads a file to your computer and they can take control of your computer, grab your passwords etc. Make sure you only use dating sites that are not full of spammers, so ones that check every new member and use ones in your own country not worldwide, coz that’s a hackers dream.
Hope that helps Jane.
June 21st, 2009 at 8:26 pm
Could you suggest genuine dating sites pls as I am contemplating in joining one for over 4 years now but I am scared and very hesitant. Thanks Favo
June 24th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Hi Favo, can you tell which country you are in and some of your interests and then I can hopefully recommend a couple of good sites for you.
July 29th, 2009 at 3:30 am
Hi Sally,
Thank you very much for sharing…I’d found your article after being scammed by a guy who boasted himself as a Scottish and currently live in Aberdeen. After follow your advice by tracking the original IP address of an email sender in Yahoo, The truth is now he live in Malasia. Fool me ^_^
Anyway, thanks again …
July 29th, 2009 at 8:35 am
Hi Anya, I am so pleased to hear you found out in time but please don’t think you were a fool, anyone can get caught out by a scammer they are very good liars.
August 1st, 2009 at 1:40 am
this site is very help and the 5 tips too…i wish i new more before i got involved with my scammer.
i did research the email address and got the ip and saw it was coming from california when he was suppose to be in europe…but i just thought that this is where yahoo was…dumb me. i researched the photo on scam digger but nothing…i will try tineye.
thanks so much
August 6th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Hi N Love w
If you send me your email address through the “ask a dating question” link at the top of the blog I will send an email and you can send me everything you have on this guy and I’ll see what I can hunt out. If you have his original dating profile writeup that will be a good help.
August 16th, 2009 at 9:57 am
Anya, the scam man in Aberdeen did he have a name. This is important if you can help. thanks
chris
September 10th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
But I heard that communication to such scammers through webcam is also harmful. They can collect some vital data from our computer while we get connected to their webcam. So it is advisable to use reliable webcam services. If they suggest some dating website to see their webcam, don’t accept the invitation and use only reliable webcam services like Yahoo or MSN, otherwise don’t.
.-= Gilbert@Nigerian Dating Scam Forum´s last blog ..hi =-.
November 27th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
I’m having the same problem with scammers from Nigeria And Senegal. Even for me is very easy to find them for some reasons most of our members reply to them with honesty. So i was forced to delete from .htaccess all Africa countries. Sad but true.
December 1st, 2009 at 10:45 pm
Know how you feel Alex, must be very frustrating for genuine people in those countries, everyone will just assume they are scammers. I don’t understand why but members do seem to respond to them even though they are so obviously scammers, maybe it’s because I am not looking for someone so I can read the emotional stuff in the cold light of day?!
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:04 pm
From my experience, a professional will have no problem covering up his tracks including the things you mentioned above, but it’s still a good idea to take precautions just to be on the safe side.
-Adam
.-= Adam @ How to Lose Weight´s last blog ..10 Tips to Help You Lose Weight =-.
December 16th, 2009 at 10:10 pm
Hi Adam
You are right a professional spammer will be much better at covering his tracks but a vasgt majority of spammers are not professionals and they are easy to spot if you know the signs.
December 21st, 2009 at 3:02 am
I caught my scammer out i got his ip his mobile no and his address in nigeria. Funny sounding woman onn the phone. From the start something wasnt right it must have been my 25 years in the police God are they something else. I kept playing along and he tripped up on several things Yes Yes
December 21st, 2009 at 3:06 am
Further to this where can i deposit photos he may use again the may help someone else out.I am now talking to a russian seems nice glutton for punishment eye. Hope she is genuine she sounds nice we will do necessary checks
January 3rd, 2010 at 4:15 am
Hi David
If you google “report dating scammer” you will find a number of databases you can post their details and photo’s and thanks for caring about the next potential victim.
Beware a lot of Russian women met online are also scammers .. that said there are more than double the number of single women then men in Russia so many of them just want to find a good husband .. check check and double check and please dont flash the cash until you are totally sure (if they ask for a gift on your first meeting run away).
January 1st, 2010 at 8:50 pm
This may seem unbelievable, but it is true. My husband had a Nigerian friend (female) that he knew for 4 years and did not tell me about until this October after I pressured him about his late night “IMing”. He not only met her in Dubai on a fake business trip (I later found out from a mutual friend that work had cancelled this trip and my husband went anyway to meet her). While in Dubai, he bought her a £1500 18k gold diamond 1.15 carrot ring that he denied was for her. After I found the bank statement and the receipt attached to her picture. He lied and said it was an investment. An investment which he said a friend was holding for him in Dubai. Why a ring, when they sell gold bars as investments there. But little does he know that I know it was for her. He told our daughter he HAD met her there to make sure she was real. This Nigerian told him she is a Christian lady. She knows he is married, BUT I don’t think a lady, much less a Christian would meet a Married man at a hotel and accept a Ring when he still has a wife and child in his life. Even though lately our marriage has not been a happy one, this is still wrong. Our friends have warned him, but he will not listen. As we are sure she does not love him, but he would be her ticket out of Nigeria. We will be separated shortly, but if he thinks it will be a quick divorce, he is in for a rude awakening, as my friends said I should tie things up in litigation for years. Because he told her our personal business, she weaseled herself into our life and even asked did he get the divorce papers yet. She would IM him “my soon to be husband”. Don’t hold your breath, Lady and I use the “lady” term loosely. If you can offer any advise, please let me know. Many thanks
January 3rd, 2010 at 3:55 am
Hi Linda
So sorry to hear of your dreadful situation.
So how did she get to Dubai, did he pay her ticket? That really would sway me one way or the other (scammer or genuine). There is the possibility that they were friends online and internet love developed.
Visa hunters tend to be a longer term deal than scammers out for money, who will give up after a few months if they are getting nowhere but visa hunters tend to be in for the long haul (albeit with numerous people at the same time).
He has clearly chosen his path and it’s for him to walk it now, if you have decided there is no longer any hope for your marriage. A majority of visa seekers make very good husbands/wives for about 2 years until they get long term residency and then they head for the hills but I doubt your husband would believe anything at the moment which suggests she is not an angel.
My concern at the moment is you. Why do you want to tie this in the courts for years? Is it to protect him from her or punish him or punish her or in a hope he will return his affection to you in time? Be honest with yourself, what would you really get out of such an action long term (other than a bitter divorce and years of being reminded of his betrayal)? Would it not be better to simply move on to the next phase of your life and leave him to his fate, perhaps they deserve each other (wink).
If you are hoping I can show him what she is up to then you will need to use the contact form and send me your email address and any information you can find on this woman, I can then do some digging. This can work, I was recently contacted by a reader who was concerned about a relative and 2 hours later I sent them my msn chat with her “great love” showing him now using her details and declaring he had never met anyone like me, blah, blah, blah.
Sally
January 3rd, 2010 at 8:40 am
Yes I been scammed again the russian was staying in the US not rssia I getting sick I am a honest decent person looking for what we all want but by god since using the internet I have met the biggest load of !!!!!! I have joined several sites well what can you say about some of them I think I will go to the pub maybe meet a nice barmaid. My hunt goes on David
January 5th, 2010 at 12:10 am
Hi David
What sort of sites have you been joining (eg Match were sold and the scammer level has exploded on their site, the new owners just couldn’t give a monkeys, are you joining free or paid sites, do you go in to forums and chat rooms … so many reasons you might be meeting scammers)? Online dating does work (a couple just deleted their profiles on my site today because they are sure they no longer need our services woohoo) but of course it depends how you go about it and how carefully you choose a site.
Try picking one which only accepts members from the UK (because scammers do exist in UK but not at the levels they do abroad) and test out the admin … are they actually moderating the site? If they are then the chances are the scammers will be much thinner on the ground.
Don’t give up .. she’s out there.
Sally
January 6th, 2010 at 11:12 am
Hi Sally,
Many thanks for your help with this (husband and Nigerian woman). I guess I feel a little bitter because in the 18 years of marriage he always promised to be here for me and even though we had issues in the years, no mention that this could be an open marriage. So imagine my surprise when I realized this was happening. I wish him the best because he is a good person, but I don’t think someone you meet on-line can really live up to what your image of wonderful is. Especially when you were only with them for one week. He has now become deceptive and almost arrogant. And that is not the man I married. Once I situate myself, I will give him his divorce and maybe the truth will come to light or maybe they are meant for each other after all (wink). Meanwhile my daughter and I have re-shuffle our lives. This lady asked him to come down at Christmas for the holidays. Forget about me, but he also has a daughter and I think this was a selfish act. I asked him not to go at Christmas, so instead he left for Nigeria yesterday for 11 days. Even though my daughter and I will be gone at the beginning of February, he chose to leave instead of spend the remaining time with her. We have a little issue with that. He says he loves us very much. And I just can’t forget this 18K ring (which he is still lying about) and the hotel bill he has to pay since his work cancelled the trip. Especially when our account doesn’t have alot of money in it anyway. I can forgive, but can’t forget this. Not after 18 years of commitment. Please reply to my email if possible and will supply details of what I have on this woman. Sorry, I can’t find the contact form. Again thank you so much for your previous reply.
January 10th, 2010 at 5:54 am
Hi Linda
I’ve checked my email account and nothing from you. My blog records email addresses but I never use them without permission .. as you have asked me to respond to your email I will take that as permission and email you directly.
January 18th, 2010 at 4:18 pm
I just faced with the scammer. His name is Marcus Hannas and his email address is jennyhannas@yahoo.com, yesterday he told me that his son needed undergo operation coz leukemia and he asked me to donate just 1 pound then I said 1 pound is meant to nothing then he asked how much you can help I said 500 USD I told him that this morning I will transfer to him just give me your bank details. But I didn’t do coz after his mail i called him, his voice and phone ring was different then I got a bad smell. I knew that he is a scammer for sure. And today he tried to call me for 9 times and 2 times of email, complained that why I didn’t trust him even he sent me a little boy picture lie on the bed in the hospital. I told him that this boy pix is not your son coz this boy got a black hair while you son picture got a blond hair. Really funny..
His mobile phone number is +447045748831
Account Holder’s Name Manisah Bte Abu Samah
January 19th, 2010 at 5:25 pm
Hi Nongao
A black haired parent and blonde child is not a clear indication of a scammer but the other details you provided all point to a scam.
I have removed the bank details from your comment as these will not help anyone if they are contacted by this person or persons.
Well done on spotting the scam before you sent money.
January 26th, 2010 at 8:14 pm
Wow, seems there’s been some really bad experiences here.
@Linda – Really sorry to hear your story.
.-= Lisa@Slimming tea´s last blog ..Cho-Yung Slimming Tea Review =-.
February 19th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
Wow, I didn’t realise these scams even existed. I’m really sorry to hear all of your stories. I can’t believe there are people out there who would do this kind of thing.
February 22nd, 2010 at 2:39 pm
I am just sick about a scammer I encountered or rather he encountered me. I joined a dating website because I lost 135 pounds in the last 10 months and was ready to meet people. I’ve never done online dating at all and this guy, Michael Scofield (the main character on Prison Break) spent weeks grooming me and asked me yesterday for funds to finish a construction job and when he mentioned the name of the company, tinapa, i googled it and it is a nigerian business center. i put his profile in quotes and googled it and found it on 2 other dating websites. i forwarded everything to the fbi but i don’t know what he can do to me, he knows my full name, my date of birth…i feel completely duped, humiliated. the wall around my heart just got higher. i never sent any money but i can’t believe i fell for a great picture (of an innocent victim) and smooth words.
March 1st, 2010 at 8:52 pm
Hi Kate
Is this your scammer? http://www.romancescam.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=19104&p=131234
It is unlikely he will do anything, basically you have rumbled him so he will move on to the next potential victim and not give you a second thought.
Very well done on the weight loss and please don’t give up on online dating, just choose your site carefully, spend time communicating through the site before you move to personal email address or phone and investigate anyone you talk to so you know who they are before you get too involved.
Don’t feel humiliated, these people know what they are doing … they do it for a living. Learn from the experience and use it to detect warning signs in the future.
April 7th, 2010 at 6:00 pm
i ‘ve met theman in dating website ,and his mobile number is the same as nongyao’s case but he is mix urope irish and austria.he live in manchester u.k,,is he scamer? but he scan passport front page to make sure ,,,i very confused that why he have the same number as Manisah Bte Abu Samah nongyao said before
May 3rd, 2010 at 2:42 pm
Hi aom
If he has the same phone number then I feel very sure he is a scammer. Anyone can send a copy of a stolen passport page and what proof do you have that he lives in Manchester UK, other than his word?
Think clearly .. have you seen him on webcam and is the person you saw the same as the passport photo? Why would an honest man have the same phone number? If you have been chatting to him at the same time as nongyao then can you trust what he has said to you?
April 19th, 2010 at 12:30 am
Hi I read all kinds of things on beware of scammers.But i would like to get information on how tell if a creator is or not the scammer that has the dating site it is very possiable that they can be supplying the scammers. Would like a reply Don.
May 3rd, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Hi Don
It would be very difficult to find out if the site owner themselves is a scammer. I would start by doing a Whois search to see who owns the site. Then start reading all the small print .. do they display a physical address or phone number, can you contact the owner?
I’m actually reluctant top state how I would research a site as this would simply give a “how to” guide to any scammer wanting to start their own site.
May 5th, 2010 at 5:31 pm
Can you tell me how to trace an IP Address please.
May 5th, 2010 at 8:09 pm
Hi Rosalyn
Go to section 3 in the article above – click the first link (the words tracking an original ip address) and this tells you how to get the original ip.
Then click the second link (ip locator) and put in the ip address, it will tell you where the ip is from.
May 12th, 2010 at 3:40 am
Yes, I have always doing that by tracing the email of the person to date me by using the FREE email header tracer tool from IP2Location and identify the IP address be valid before further contact to unknown person.
For anyone interesting to learn how to trace email, can try out this http://www.ip2location.com/emailtracer.aspx . I feel it’s easy to learn and quite useful.
May 17th, 2010 at 1:14 pm
Dear Sally – Does my dating profile USername sounds like SCAMMER? plz advice
May 17th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
Sally, OOPS sorry my dating profile username is HARDNBIG4U does it sounds like a SCAMMERS do i need to change my username pllz guide… Thanks. From Muscat Oman.
May 17th, 2010 at 3:11 pm
Hi CoolBoy
Anyone that uses 4u in their username would make me look into their details carefully, as so many scammers use this in their profile.
To be honest your username doesn’t make me think of scammers but of players, someone just looking for online or offline sex with as many people as possible.
I like the username CoolBoy though.
May 31st, 2010 at 5:07 pm
I have been chatting online to a man who says he is in Italy where a lady he met online scammed him. He says he has every penny he owns in security boxes and was supposed to give it to her. He cottoned on in time but she supposedly has connections and he’s frightened of picking these boxes up and leaving the hotel to come home. He wants me to email the security firm on his behalf and have the boxes delivered to me and give me the code to open them and send him the cash to get home. I’m very unsure of this and have fobbed him off so far. But I would hate to think that he could be in real danger. Do you think he could be genuine? He hasn’t asked me for bank account details or money up front.
Rosalyn
May 31st, 2010 at 8:14 pm
Hi Rosalyn
No I don’t think he is genuine, I think it’s a scam and in reality you do too but being a decent person you are allowing yourself to worry about the what if’s and that is what this type of scam relies on.
This is why I KNOW it is a scam … if he was genuinely in trouble we would have to assume he doesn’t have a family member or friend or work colleague in the world that he can call for help and how many people do you know in that situation?! Instead he is trying to get a stranger from the internet to help him … if you were in this situation you would call someone you know and trust, not a stranger. Even if he doesn’t know another human being in the world he could call his Embassy in Italy, the local police or simply call the hotel manager and ask for help … it makes no sense to ask you, a stranger in a different country, for this kind of help, when we are scared and in trouble we don’t turn to strangers we turn to people we know from experience we can trust or people in authority.
This is just a scam and many of us have fallen for the nagging what if’s in the back of our minds, but once we have been scammed our brains scream at us “I told you so”. Please don’t fall for it, just cut off all communication.
Remember anyone you meet on the net that starts to talk about needing money or being in trouble and needing help to get at their money …. run away, just switch off your computer and go for a nice walk, they just aren’t worth getting upset or worried about.
June 4th, 2010 at 3:13 am
Hi Rosalyn
as I have informed on the other blog, I was tried to be scammed by a “lovely” man..I have posted some of his romantic letters and there is no doubt your “friend” just want your scam you. As I told my “loved one” why m if you are such an important businessman, do not have a bank excecutive to help you with the cash problems you are having in Nigeria. According to him his wallet was misplaces and had to cancel credit cards and he needed $4500 to pay an exit tax otherwise he would be arrested so he was pretending that I withdraw this amount from his “false account” and wire transfer to my account and then send him this amount by Western union. When I said i wont do it as i did not have the money and i did not want to touch his account, he told me how much you have to send me… i noticed he just wanted anything , whatever i could send him. By the way Sally I can see you have a great experience in this theme. Could you advice me of a good dating website around my country, Costa rica as I dont want to quit on my search for a good person. I will
June 4th, 2010 at 3:58 am
I would like to share with you my last email to my scammer when I realized he was actually a fake. I did not know there people like this out there, i actually did not know about the “scammer” I am from Costa Rica and found this site after triying to be scammed. i started to look for chat fraud, even with his name collins clemente, etc, and that is how i got here. Now i am so happy to having found you people and specially for trusting my good intuition. Besides this i would never send money to anyboday i dont know, being or not being a scammer, a reationship should not be based on an economic basis, why should i give money to a complete stranger… Bellow my message to Collins after receiving his telephone call at 1;00 a.m. then another one at 6:00 a.m. to ask for money. I told her i was planning to go to the bank with my sister who is a lawyer and who works with banks (which is true) and he was very worried of why I had told another person about the situation.
“By the way….”sweatheart” i forgot to tell you that besides having a sister who is a lawyer and who has close contact to banks as she works with several, I also have another sister who is a travel agent selling airfare, so I asked her to reconfirm your flight information (of course I told her you are a client, she does not know anything about “our relationship”. I sent her your flight information last night after your call as I already know you were trying to cheat me but just wanted to be sure. She has very good contacts with the people of KLM…and what a surprise… you have not bought any ticket to Costa Rica. In fact, the guy who gave her the information told her, it was very weird as every week a travel agency in Costa Rica was asking about the same, about your reservations, so I am wondering if , besides me… you have been also cheating someone else in my country. He said you have reservations for Manila but still without paying them neither.
I am sorry to inform you that in Costa Rica there are very intelligent people. If you thought that because of being a small country in Central America, people here are natives as they ones you said there are in Africa, you are very wrong, there are very intelligent people and I am one of them. If you thought I was a stupid who would believe every “beautiful love story” who would be impressed with a 300.0000 euro account which is probably not yours and who would be so stupid enough as to wire transfer money from my account to a person I have never even seen in my life and then transfer from an account I don’t even know who the real owner is…. You are very wrong my dear. I am not that stupid . My bank executive told me how dangerous it can be for any person to do that and she said if you do not know him, don’t do it. (of course I had no plans to do it at all). Everyday I get requests from foreign people wanting to send wire transfer or wanting to buy electronic tickets paying with credit card and I know they are cheaters. How can a businessman of your type with a 300.000 euro bank account will not have a bank executive or a lawyers in your country to do this for you. Even with my small bank account I would have never given you nor anybody else my confidential bank information. I must confess that for some time you made me dream as you are a very professional writer. I think it is easy for you, you already have the drafts and you just change the names, but I must say your letters really impress anyone. I am very happy and thank God for being the woman I am , I am not a rich person but I live well and I will not let anybody take advantage of me. I am a business woman and I know how the world works outside, I know there are lots of people like you trying to cheat honest people like me. Now I pray God for any other lady you may have been in touch with and hope she has been as intelligent as me to realize you are a cheater .
You thought with all those beautiful letters and a love and marriage promise you would have convinced me of acting as a stupid wiring money and expecting you to pay for it upon your arrival . you forgot I work in tourism and I don{t even to this with my clients with whom I share a lot of emails , nor would I do it with a complete stranger who has sold the “perfect man image” I always thought it looks so good to be true. I always had my feet on ground although I also dreamed but after your called last night it was like the message God sent me to open my eyes. I must say that I started doubting since your first letter as I got two of them very quickly and I said to myself…”either he writes too fast or he has a draft he sends to every woman” and when you called last night I noticed you were so interested in getting that money from me… you were keeping saying “I was the woman of your life…and I could feel you were laying…
You do are a professional…. But a professional cheater but not as intelligent as I am …sorry baby. I do hope someday you are caught by authorities so that you stop playing with other people{s feelings .
Despite all this… I thank God for the opportunity as this kind of experiences make me stronger, make me even trust myself more and open my eyes even more to be aware of people like you.
I think it is no need to say that I don’t want to hear from you again in my whole life “Callins” or whatever your name is!!
June 6th, 2010 at 1:45 am
Thank you so much for providing all this information to help others Sony. This blog has many visitors trying to work out if the person they met online is a scammer and I hope your information can help them to decide and avoid being scammed.
June 7th, 2010 at 3:48 am
Wow….scammers galore. I’m fairly certain the man I met at chemistry.com is a scammer. Didn’t occur to me at first so yes I stupidly wired him some money. Not much thank goodness. They are so good…he never actually asked for money. Just described a difficult situation that seemed so plausible. No more money though!
I’ve researched his IP address and about half the emails seem to originate in Lagos. He’s supposed to be in Manchester, U.K. Not a single email is routed through Europe or England. I would like to know if this is possible. If he’s online in England shouldn’t at least one of the IP addresses by located there?
He’s good, very good. I actually enjoy chatting with him. Very funny. He’s supposed to be Italian/American but raised in Italy. His English is mostly excellent though he makes a few errors. I’ve tried to trip him up several times but he is very consistent. There is that voice in the back of my head saying “what if”. I really like the guy he appears to be but have deep fear that he isn’t real.
I have looked for the pictures on tineye.com…nothing. Have looked on scammer websites…nope. This doesn’t mean he isn’t a scammer though. I’ve decided to take the wait and see approach. No more money but enjoying chatting. Two things can happen. He can actually be real and have bought a house here. That would be great! If this is the scenario then he should be back by last week of June or first week of July.
If he is a scammer then I expect him to start describing financial difficulties again. If this happens…I’ll drop all contact and block him from email. I’ll take it as a lesson learned and think of the money as paying for entertainment. He hasn’t gotten much of a return for the amount of time he has invested in chatting to me. My ego has been boosted and it helped me over a rough time …divorce….anniversary of father’s death. He has been kind, supportive, entertaining. Like I said…if he’s a scammer then he is damn good. My eyes are open though. Will watch all of my financial accounts. He has none of that information but who knows. He may have associates that will try to steal my identity.
Here is my prediction in case he is a scammer. The next “problem” he will have is cashing his paycheck. He will ask me to deposit the cashiers check and send him the money while keeping a portion for myself. HA!!! Not happening buster.
June 7th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Hi Mimidarlin
All emails can be routed through a proxy server but the fact that they originate from Lagos is a dead giveaway … nobody would be in UK and route their emails through a proxy server in Lagos.
I hope you do stick to your plan because many people have had the same plan but been convinced to send more money based on the “what if” factor. Please let us know how it goes.
June 20th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
Dear Sally, I have just traced an IP address and it has come up as a private domain, does this mean I may actually have been contacted by a genuine soldier from Afghanistan as I would think they would block for security reasons. If he is genuine he is the first.
Rosalyn
June 20th, 2010 at 5:19 pm
Hi Rosalyn
Private ip addresses can be obtained by anyone, so don’t let this convince you he is genuine. Did you track the email message header back to the originating ip? If not here’s how http://windowsxptricksforu.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-to-track-original-location-of-email.html
Remember the email can bounce through 3-4 countries before it hits your server, so make sure you trace the original ip address.
If you want you can copy and paste the full header into an email (use the Ask a Dating Question link at the very top of this blog) and send it to me, I will see what I can discover.
There is no reason this person cannot be genuine but please have your wits about you and scrutinise every email for signs it may not be genuine (like falling in love in 3 days via email. All military personnel have access to military email accounts (you’ll know it’s military because of the address), so just ask him to send you a short email from this account to make sure he is who he says he is … any genuine guy will not mind doing that.
June 20th, 2010 at 5:23 pm
Just so you all know …. if you check an ip address and it comes up as Sunnydale California, this is where Yahoo and we all know Yahoo is a scammers best friend … so don’t be fooled and trace the original ip address from the email full header.
July 12th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
I think a person who thinks looking for love over the internet must be scammed in order to find love.
If you are looking for love, then look outside your home, in ur school, in a hospital, mortuary or anywhere. Why look on the internet anywayz.
The internet, is a business place, so anyone trying to look for love there, is looking to being a client, therefore must be scammed if not sharp enough.
Chairman says so!!!
July 12th, 2010 at 5:31 pm
Hi Chairman
Well it’s an intersting comment but not one I can agree with. I know many people who have met in online dating sites or social networking sites and been happily married for years now.
Scammers are everywhere not just on the internet. The internet gives them the ability to create an alias in 5 minutes but that can be done offline as well.
Also don’t agree the net is a business place, I stay in touch with friends all over the world through the net.
July 12th, 2010 at 5:38 pm
This person makes me so angry, I was so lonely and being disabled find it difficult to get out and mix. I didn’t go on to the dating sites to be scammed and firmly believed I would find the love of my life on there.
I was constantly bombarded with scammers but just as I was about to give up hope in the space of a week I found my now best friend and the love or my life. I met him a lot quicker than I would recommend to anyone because his mate died and as I knew how he felt I up and went to his side to support him. It was as though we had known each other all out lives, no awkward silences.
I am so grateful to this site for helping me to discover the scammers, it has taught me so much. I think anyone who joins a dating site should have this website address given to them.
Thanks Sally for everything.
Rosalyn x
July 12th, 2010 at 5:47 pm
Congratulations on finding your Mr Right Rosalyn and thank you for the kind words about this blog. I hope your relationship goes well and it brings you a lot of joy in this life.
See Chairman, internet dating can work, you just need the right tools to avoid the scammers.
July 20th, 2010 at 12:20 am
so don’t be fooled and trace the original ip address from the email full header. this kind of acction can be debastaited.
July 24th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
More ways to spot Nigerian (or African) spammers.
1. home cities are listed alot in NY or LA
2. discrepancies in grammar and capitalization errors. I have noticed these guys capitalize words in the middle of sentences for no reasons. The often use commas to end sentences where we would use periods.
3. Here’s a biggie. They talk about trust, God, love, honesty alot. They’re looking for a type or person to scam and of course people who are religious and have been hurt are the easiest to scam.
NEVER give out personal information when in doubt.
When in doubt, there is no doubt!
July 29th, 2010 at 8:25 pm
I watched something about this on dateline with Chris Hansen. He was showing a lot people in the U.S being used as intermediary shippers of merchandise that wouldn’t ship to the buyers own country, and all of the people doing the shipping were supposedly in some sort of e-relationship with the people they were shipping to. It’s shameful that someone would use others loneliness and pain as a tool for manipulation, when will we learn…
August 7th, 2010 at 10:46 pm
you guys are quite right,its so dissapointing,but some fellas do these things
August 9th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
A few missing tips! I cannot think of a single scam email I have received from Nigeria that has not had 1. Terrible grammar and 2. Reference to god is some way. “May god be with you” “You are blessed from heaven” “May you find happiness in your love of god and all you do” etc etc.
OK so reading the above comments I see that these have been mentioned.
Another thing to remember is that anyone can fall for these people. A professor at a large USA university got scammed for several hundred thousand last year and closer to home, my father in law got scammed for 60k a few years ago and he is a perfectly intelligent fellow.
September 7th, 2010 at 9:17 pm
@Lucas
I saw that episode too. It is really amazing how cold these people are. They do not discriminate any ethnicity, gender, or age. If they can get you to fall for it, they’ll try to drain you. All you can do is be aware and use the old saying, “if it’s too good to be true, it probably is”.
September 21st, 2010 at 11:37 pm
I don’t like that scammers are identified as Nigerians. Not everyone in Nigeria is a scammer and there are scammers all over the world. This is a very prejudist remark which then causes racism. I think black people have experience more than enough of that. I met my husband on skype and he is a Nigerian and I’m Canadian. He wasn’t a scammer and I was educated enough to tell a scammer from a good person. This business of saying scamming and Nigerian in the same sentence has caused many problems. There are plenty of people in Nigeria that are good, honest, educated and wonderful people. Yet, people are now painting everyone with the same brush in Nigeria. Since I married my husband, my sisters, niece and mother don’t talk to me anymore because he is a Nigerian and Nigerians are scammers. Many of my friends believe the same thing. This has to stop. How would all Canadians and Americans like to be called scammers because we have plenty of scamming going on in those countries? It makes me sick that people look at my husband and think he is scamming me. He’s and educated petroleum engineer and comes from a great, highly regarded family. He is judged immediately because of his country of origin. He’s innocent and so are most other people that live in Nigeria. Please change this title by removing blame from an entire country and place it where it belongs.
September 22nd, 2010 at 6:28 am
Hi Janet
I accept what you are saying fully and have said many times that not all Nigerians are scammers but Nigeria has a serious problem with the 419 scam and until efforts are made to bring it under control I will not change the title because people must be warned.
It is the same as Russian brides, which are a similar problem. Is Russia to blame or are all Russians bad .. of course not but the problem exists so must be identified to save victims.
My husband is from a North African country and we too are looked at with the “married her for a visa” look and yes it is hurtful but I have to accept that so many men from his country do marry Europeans simply for a visa and then divorce them as soon as they get indefinate leave to remain. When his country makes moves to stop this practice then I will anticipate the looks to change and not until.
September 22nd, 2010 at 2:26 pm
The government in Canada is not doing much about the scamming going on in my country. If this is not racism, then why are there not sites that are called ’5 tips to spot a Canadian/American Dating Scammer?’ I’m a Canadian and the scamming going on in my country is pathetic. Crap that is sold on TV, radio and other media,work at home and make a fortune scams and dating in my own home town was far more frightening than flying to Nigeria alone. 419 is an Advance Fee Fraud and the government has brought in EFCC – Economic and Financial Crime Commission and it has stopped. It has nothing to do with dating and is the letters most of us received saying we are the inheritors of millions of dollars and that we need to send money in order to get access to it. Rarely are those letters sent out now and everyone knows about it anyways.
September 24th, 2010 at 8:11 am
Hi Janet
Racism? It is so sad when people pull that card out of the hat as soon as they feel in the least offended, particulalry given the real racism which is rife in the world. If my comments were racism, given that black Africans are a race, I would also explain how to spot a South African scammer or how to spot an Angolan scammer. The reason I do not have such posts is because the problem of this particular type of dating scams is centred around one geographic location … Nigeria.
Whilst I admire your desire to defend your husband’s country I would suggest you read some of the comments from dating scam victims on this blog before making inaccurate sweeping statements suggesting 419 scams are nothing to do with dating and have all but ceased. They are in fact an integral part of many dating scams, as comments here can clearly show. The request for a sum of money which will be paid back with a massive profit (in order to set up their future life together is the usual explanation), once the inheritence/boxes/business deal/mining deal/whatever comes through is quite common in dating scams. This is the very essence of a 419 scam.
I agree that our governments should do much more to identify and stop scams within our countries. I also write a countryside blog about British farming where I regularly blog about the food labelling scams withing Britain (where a product with zero meat in can be sold as a meat product and something from the otgher side of the world can be called British). Perhaps if I had a blog about electronic equipment or fashion I would blog about all the fake products coming from China .. or would that be racism in your book? However this blog is about dating and while certain groups of Nigerians make a business out of scamming people in the dating scene then I shall continue to blog about it.
September 22nd, 2010 at 7:18 pm
Sally,
Leave the website exactly the same because I have mentioned to you before, all the ones (Nigerians) I met are Crooked. So if the shoe fits…..
September 27th, 2010 at 3:21 pm
“Is he ADAM DESMONDS Or is he (NOT) A Scammer; Coz he is ‘pleading’ he is innocent & being ‘labelled ‘ with all the other Nigerian-Scammer’s. I Need to Know the ‘TRUTH’
September 30th, 2010 at 10:48 am
It’s impossible to say if Adam Desmonds is a scammer or not without any information about him.
I would certainly be asking myself why he has a plural surname!!!
Of course all innocent people will say they are not a scammer but all scammers will say the same.
September 29th, 2010 at 4:45 pm
i would like to know how to find out where the person is generally located that i am chatting with on yahoo messenger. is there anyway to do this?
September 30th, 2010 at 10:41 am
Hi Rebecca
I don’t use Yahoo but as far as I can find out he IP you would get during chat is Yahoo’s own IP address but if you send a file or use webcam then you can get the person’s real IP.
Send them a large file … just get a funny pic off the net and make the picture quite large so it takes time to send. Tell them you saw something really funny on the net today .. wait I’ll send it to you …
then while it is sending the file go to your command prompt – Start > Run > type in cmd and enter …. or Start >Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt
in the command screen type
netstat –n
then enter key
look for Active Connections
You would then need to understand what the different ports do but if you only have Yahoo open then simply copy all the IP addresses you see and check them out … do any go to suspect countries?
If you don’t understand my instructions simply google netstat -n and you should find better instructions.
October 5th, 2010 at 4:19 am
Author of the damn article is very stupid… are you tell us it only Nigerians? Sick puppy!
October 5th, 2010 at 10:38 pm
Author of the damn comment is very stupid … the post deals with Nigerian scammers, would you like me to deal with your country and write an article about scam online trade deals out of China? Sick puppy, get a hobby.
October 7th, 2010 at 1:05 pm
Interesting article. Thanks for the tips. Could do without the racism in the comments though.
November 20th, 2010 at 5:48 pm
hi
I just got scammed recently and i’m really heartbroken
barely a few days after we met online, he confessed that he loves me, and i said i love too. i thought he could be the one, though i feel a bit unsure, i do read about online dating scammers but i still let my feelings flow. a lot of things about him are very vague. he called me ‘honey’ and ‘baby’ and even addressed me as his wifey. i felt so happy and i thought this guy is really in love with me too.
he’s good looking and romantic. he said all the nicest things to me and wrote me poems almost everyday. we even talk on the phone everyday day, night and day. he was supposed to come to Singapore but he has to do some business in Egypt. and because of some issues, he has to fly to Nigeria. and then something come up. the minister was asking for money and he has not enough of it since he has paid for his products etc. he called his dad and his friend and they gave him some, but its still not enough to cover the costs. he’s shortage of 6K. and he’s asking me to pleasseee help him. he will pay me back once he comes to Singapore. i dont feel good about sending him my hard earned money, so i create a lot of stories that the bank doesnt allow it etc. and now … i’m just heartbroken. i know its only been 1 month that i got to know him, but the connection that we had was amazingly unbelievable.
thats my story now. seems foolish of me to fall in love with him so fast, even though i know about online dating scammers, but i’m lucky i didnt send him my money. sometimes i just wonder what if, he was telling the truth? that he was really in trouble?
i havent heard from him for 2 days now. and i’m crying myself of heartbroken.
November 24th, 2010 at 4:04 am
Hi Angel
Sorry to take so long to post your comment, I was unwell last week so hadn’t been online.
Your story is exactly the same as so many I hear and that is why these scams work. Of course you will quickly have feelings for him, he tells you everything you want to hear, have been longing to hear for a long time and he offers you the love and emotional security you desire … it’s amazing what a few nice words can do to a woman. They also make plans with you and include you in their current wife, so they talk about you being their wife or the mother of their child and talk as if you are already together in your future life …. this is all designed to make you trust them and feel responsible for them.
The “what if” is perfectly natural, it’s just your heart and mind still wanting that perfect man who loves you so much. He is a scammer, we know that from the story he is telling so please resist the temptation to contact him just to hear those nice words again … you think you will not but it’s amazing how many women get sucked back in to the scam.
November 29th, 2010 at 8:11 pm
The smartest thing is to never give anyone any money if you’re into online dating. Stay local and meet up in person at a public area. Dating sites do work if used correctly.
December 9th, 2010 at 6:53 am
Thank you for this information. I was able to check the ip address of the emails I received and identify them as coming from Nigeria when the scammer said he was from LA. He has been pursuing me relentlessly for a month. Thank you again. (match.com)
December 9th, 2010 at 6:59 am
Thank you so much for this information. Even after I was scammed I still tried to talk myself into believing him he was so convincing. Now I was able to track the IP address and see the emails came from Nigeria when he said he was from LA.
I have had to change my phone number, email, and my bank card information. I’m just sorry I didn’t see this site before I got my heart and my wallet broken. (match.com)
December 9th, 2010 at 9:59 am
Hi Diane
That is perfectly natural. Scammers offer you the dream romance you only really find in films so of course a part of your mind wants it to be real, even after you know it isn’t. This is why you hear of people being scammed multiple times by the same scammer, because they want it to be real so they let the “what if’s” of their heart over-rule their heads.
December 10th, 2010 at 4:21 am
Thanks Sally! It doesn’t make me feel any less stupid but certainly more cautious and it won’t happen again. I reported everything to the police, changed my phone number and blocked his emails and then he started sending emails from another address saying it was his son and that his dad was on the edge of death since I changed my number and begged me to give him my new number so he could talk to me and promised he wouldn’t give it to his dad unless I told him he could. I guess being married for the last 20 years and then losing my husband 3 1/2 years ago has left me pretty sheltered from this sort of thing. But now I am very aware. I researched and found how to check the IP address from all his emails and when he said he lived in LA and that’s when I started talking with him every single email he sent me was either from the UK or Nigeria. Also found out that the Nigerian scammers usually don’t capitalize their “i”s and that was typical of his emails and chats.
December 10th, 2010 at 4:33 am
Is there a place to post the pictures and profile my scammer used to see or warm anyone else that may encounter him? I feel sorry for the innocent, nice looking and probably very genuine man who got his pictures stolen and used in a scam.
Thanks
December 10th, 2010 at 9:04 pm
Hi Diane
There are a number of websites you can leave the scammers details and upload the photo’s but the most popular is http://www.romancescams.org/
You can also leave the name phone number and email address here.