Second only to flight money, the Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) is the scammers highest paying income.
Also known as the Personal Travel Allowance, Travellers Allowance Fee, Travellers Assistance Fund, Travellers Assurance Fund and numerous other forms of “I have to have wodges of your cash or they won’t let me fly”.
Let’s get this over with now … THERE IS NO SUCH THING any more, anywhere, it’s an online dating scam.
First of all look at the wording Basic Travel ALLOWANCE, not basic travel requirement.
In the same way as we now have cigarette and alcohol allowances (ie the maximum amount you can take into/out of a country) the BTA used to be the maximum amount of local currency that could be exchanged and taken out of a country.
Why?
If poorer nations just allowed everyone to take as much cash as they liked out of their country the economy would be dead in the water in a week.
Therefore, poorer countries introduced the BTA to limit the amount of local currency that exited their country. This was scrapped 3-4 decades ago and replaced with other currency allowances but it gives the scammers an excellent legitimate sounding tool to get your money.
Something vital to understand is that third world countries don’t care who leaves or if they ever come back, the people that care are the country the person is travelling to.
This means that during the visa application process the applicant must prove to the visa section of the country they are visiting that they, or their sponsor, is financially able to pay for travel and expenses.
Very occasionally passport control at their destination country may randomly ask a traveller how much cash they have (this is usually when someone from a third world country arrives for a two week stay with 10 suitcases) and 50-100 pounds sterling/dollars or equivalent is more than adequate.
There is NO requirement, anywhere, for the person to show their government/travel agency/airline that they have 1000 pounds/dollars in cash … it’s a spinoff from the Nigerian 419 dating scam and a very effective one.
The usual amount asked for in terms of BTA is between 800 and 3000 pounds or dollars.
Let’s put this into context … on the Nigerian section of the Expat Blog we see:
the cost of living in Nigeria… a bit of an odd question as 90% of the population lives on less than a dollar a day.
So if you send them 1000 pounds (without calculating the flight money etc) you have just paid them 8 years basic living allowance.
Bet you wish someone would give you 8 years of salary free for just making a couple of phone calls and sending a few emails!!
Not hitting home yet?
Let’s try something more visual. At todays exchange rate 1000 British pounds is 241,127.33 NGN (nigerian currency).
Now go to Nigeria Car Finder and in the second hand car section leave everything as any and set the price to 250000
My search showed that your hard earned cash could buy a scammer:
1992 Honda, Accord … takes just 1 successful scam (flight and BTA money)
1993 190e mercedes, 1993 model … takes just 1 successful scam (flight +BTA)
2000 Mercedes-Benz, 200-Series … takes just 3 successful scams (flight and BTA)
Now then, do YOU drive a mercedes?
What about a home in a well-to-do area?
“Real estate for sale: 3 bedroom bungalow in cornerstone estate Price: 7 million”
So they just have to scam 10 people in the UK out of 3000 pounds for flight/BTA/hospital etc and bingo, they can live the high life without a mortgage … can you?
I’m sorry to be so brutal about this but you MUST understand that sending these people money is the equivalent of you having a half decent win on the lottery.
To make matters worse if you send them just 1 pound or dollar they will never leave you alone, you will have to change your online details, your home phone number, your mobile number and perhaps even move house to get away from them.
If you are reading this because you think you might be being scammed (requests for large sums of money to be sent through Western Union for BTA or flights) then I almost guarantee you are.
If you have already sent money then don’t feel ashamed, they prey on the humans most basic instinct, to love and be loved.
However, cease all contact immediately … don’t decide they might just be genuine so I’ll give them a couple of days, if you are reading this your head is sending you alarm signals, listen to them.
Conclusion: There is no such thing as Basic Travel Allowance or any other terms which suggest such a thing, the BTA is a dating scam.
(please note the photo of the boys used in this blog post are not known dating scammers, it is simply a photo of boys in Africa)
June 11th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Thanks very much for the Tweet Kojaee
August 14th, 2009 at 3:11 am
Thanks for the information. I was just being asked for BTA to be sent Western Union, and I didn’t send it. I researched, and I am glad I did. Saved me from sending money to the scammer.
August 15th, 2009 at 6:32 am
And people wonder why the scam emails and offers are so prevalent on the web and via email. It is the simple explanation that a single successful scam, even a small one, can provide more income than many people in the third world make in years. It’s sad, really. It’s become very common in the real estate industry. I’ve had numerous calls from African-sounding men who have found the perfect investment property in San Diego and they are looking for a partner to help them with the down payment. I just wonder if anyone would be so silly as to put up the money for a person they’ve never met!
Geoff@ San Diego Real Estate´s last blog ..San Diego Home Prices Cut $59M ?
August 17th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Hi Coolie, am so pleased you have learnt your lesson. Why would a man from UK need BTA anyway, even if it did exist, as he would be travelling on a British passport.
Hi Enid, am so glad you found the information in time. You can meet some wonderful genuine people online but always test the waters first and keep “scammer” in the back of your mind until you meet them in person.
August 17th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
Hi Geoff, it’s easy to see a scam when they phone you out of the blue with a ‘once in a lifetime’ offer but dating scammers unfortunately play on people’s emotions and once hooked on someone it’s much harder to see the wood from the trees.
August 26th, 2009 at 12:23 am
Narrow escape ENID!
Many people out there think that the Nigerian Government prevents a person from traveling out of the country if they do not have a BTA, they don’t know that it is yet another Nigerian Scam!
In fact, there is no such thing as a BTA. My Nigerian friend’s girlfriend has visited him several times in both the Philippines and Germany, and never had much more than USD 100 with her. The last time was in August.
Be very careful about anything like this.
Anti-scam´s last blog ..Cemetery owner’s attorney denies fraud (Belleville News-Democrat)
October 7th, 2009 at 4:59 am
Ya I’ve had many of these Nigerian scams come through in my email. One of the first ones I got was very believable. But then my friend then informed me how this sort of scam is a big business and catching many people off guard. I think this BTA is another one of these scams that rip people off.
Kathy@Luggage Repair Parts´s last blog ..Samsonite Luggage Repair
October 22nd, 2009 at 1:11 am
Good they are scamming you fools you are not the only wise set of people,your Govts. is scamming the 3rd world country big. is it in term of there natural resources (oil ,gold etc and the human resources as well and you are now running crazy because of penny they are getting from you **holes.
write me if tou like
October 25th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
Well Colly as you are in Switzerland either you are one of the ***holes or you left your country to go live the good life in the ***holes countries.
I have lived in 3rd world countries Colly and I met so many people who would rather starve than scam people. Do western governments use 3rd world countries … YES. Does it make it right for people to scam innocent victims in western countries …. NO.
I think you need your moral compass serviced.
November 28th, 2009 at 5:44 am
Kudos to Sally regarding Colly. I myself live in the US and agree; two wrongs do not make a right and everyone should earn their own way in life in an honest manner.
December 19th, 2009 at 6:43 am
I traveled from Nigeria and showed my BTA money it is a regulation that travelers will have to show BTA money prove of minimum of US$7000 and maximum of US$15,000 so do not mind people talking rubbish that have never been to Africa and think all Africans are scammers.
Or that BAT, if you go to the NIS Command HQ you will see people who show BTA, the BTA is just a request for traveling as travelers are expected to show prove of sufficient funds to care for them self’s while in the destinations. To stop travelers from getting involved in crime while abroad because of no money that is why the ask for BTA.
December 21st, 2009 at 1:56 pm
——————————————————————————–
dear ladies and gentleman..
could you please answer me a question, i dont know who else can help me. my fiance is a american citizen, he worked as a pilot by virgin airline in detroit,michigan..now he is the first time as a passanger..
he has a flight ticket and his american passport and now he
say he has to show BTA (basic travelling allowens) to the
custom and immigration, otherwise he can NOT leave the country..the stuff just want to see it, they dont take it away from him..and they want to see 1500 dollars..he wants to come to hamburg for one week for visit ..now my question
i cant belive that..is that true.?.second why if he comes to visit me he need a BTA..?.for example when the american
gouverment send refugee back to theyr country they sure dont look at the airoport if this people have a BTA or not.
he only want to stay in germany for ONE week, so why so much money 1500 dollar..?.normaly the country were he travel for example germany can ask for that BTA but not the
country he leaves from..since i cant belive that, you are my hope to tell me is that true..?.does it mean you cant leave america for one week when you dont have 1500 dollar with you to show the immigration officer by the airoport..?
many thanks in advance for answering my mail…
sincerly
erika
December 28th, 2009 at 11:43 am
I was scammed by *********** form Manchester NH US, and lost $70,000 to him. He claimed he traveled over the word and was a professor and at last eh said he wanted money for business I gave him and I did not know I was scammed till my friend asked me to look him up and I did.
His info are:
deleted by Sally
I lost my life savings to him.
Jane.
December 28th, 2009 at 11:45 am
I am so hurt and the police said I will never see my money again why can I do to get back my money here I am so hurt that I lost my life saving to this fake man..
Jan.
January 3rd, 2010 at 4:09 am
Hi Jane
I have removed the alleged scammers details as I don’t know the story behind how you feel you have been scammed by this person.
If it is a dating scam by an African then I’m afraid there is nothing you can do to get your money back, as sad it may be you just have to chalk it up to experience … however your comments seem to suggest to me this is not an African scammer.
If you want to use the contact form and tell me what has happened I will see if I can think of any way to help you.
Sally
January 3rd, 2010 at 4:52 am
Hey Lisa
Sorry but my husband is from an African country and I travel there regularly and there is still no BTA.
Check out
UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel info for Nigeria, the information is provided by their offices in Nigeria.
go down to SCAMS and you will read “We are also aware of a scam involving a fictitious “Basic Travel Allowance” fee requirement, which has become common.”
I do agree these people give Africans a very bad name in the world but so many people are scammed by Africans, particularly from Nigeria and Ghana, it is hard not to be suspicious of everyone from there. it really is time African governments took action against these people.
January 3rd, 2010 at 5:42 am
Hi Erica
Sorry to take so long to answer, I will copy my answer to your email address to make sure you get it.
If this is the first time he has been a passanger have you ever actually met your fiance?
There is no such thing as a basic travel allowance, anywhere in the world. As he is travelling from the USA to Germany for one week he does not need to apply for a visa before he travels. When he enters Germany your Customs Officials might ask him to show he has enough money for his stay (this is not a fixed amount and will depend on his situation and whether the customs officer believes he will leave after his weeks holiday) .. this does not have to be cash, it can be credit cards, travellers cheques and it would be very unusual for an American pilot not to have a credit card and £100 in his pocket.
If you want to answer my email and tell me more about how you met, if you have seen him in person and anything you know about him I can try to help you further.
Sally