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
March 3rd, 2010 at 8:21 pm
Good blog post thanks for the warning , there is so many scams online these days you end up getting caught in their trap.
peter@ cheap holidays benidorm´s last blog ..Benidorm Holidays 2010
April 21st, 2010 at 9:51 pm
stupid me. I did not pay the BTA but anything else I paid for: passport, visa, health declaration, even hospital bills.
but at the moment of BTA request (just one day before the flight should leave Ghana) I checked it out and found out how stupid I am.
So yes scammers all of them.
April 27th, 2010 at 9:04 pm
what do you mean…we are all scammers ok..
May 1st, 2010 at 4:25 pm
MY question is,is it only african that scam?
May 2nd, 2010 at 9:33 pm
i ask you about bta (basic traveling allowance. it is real what aftica niegira request for bta for person carry money? what person asked me send him money for bta for flight. what ijesa lagos, nigeria airport request him have money with bta for come to usa???. i want to know for true or scam. pls let me know quick as you can tell me. ok smile
thank you
s
May 3rd, 2010 at 2:07 pm
Hi Sandra
There is no such thing as BTA.
May 3rd, 2010 at 2:11 pm
Hi Jackson
Indeed it is not only African’s, people in every country scam others. The reason many dating blogs and sites particularly discuss Africa and Russia in relation to dating scamming is that these countries do little to stop or prosecute the scammers and so it has been allowed to grow into an entire industry.
May 3rd, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Hi Anonymous
Nobody is trying to suggest all Nigerians are scammers (as I see you are in Nigeria). However it would be good if the people of Nigeria recognised the damage this scamming industry there is doing to your countries reputation around the world and insist your government do something about it.
May 8th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
Hi Sally,
I’m finding I’m being contacted by a lot of men claiming to be American soldiers, I’ve had everything from them wanting phone top ups, to be connected to a fraudulent TS2 account and the latest wanted BTA so he could come and see me. He was most indignant when I told him I knew it didn’t exist. He insisted it did. But we know differently don’t we. Thank God for sites like this.
May 8th, 2010 at 6:21 pm
Hi Rosalyn
Well done on checking it out before paying out, makes it all worth it. Of course he insisted it exists but if I was a scammer I would insist it did too lol.
May 13th, 2010 at 7:51 pm
Maureen wrote:
I met someone online professing to be american and in Nigeria on business (sound familiar). He has been emailing, on msn and telephone for some months now and has had his fair share of dramatic events. I had my doubts from time to time but he was very supportive through bad times and became a part of my daily life.
Having read some of the messages on your site I realise that he is followingthe behaviour pattern of a scammer, unfortunately I have sent £300 pounds through Western Union and knew the minute I did it felt wrong although I wanted it to be right. The only thing that really hit it home for me was after he collected my money and thanked me he then said he had to take a call from his agent (evening time whilst online to me) and up came the request for £450 Basic Travel Allowance. I said I could not send any further money as I had struggled to send the £300 and after the conversation finished for the evening I googled bta and hey presto it opened a whole world of scammer stories. I wish I had heard of it before I sent the money. Is there a forum where I can post the pic he is using and his email address – this all came via myyearbook. I would like to name and shame, it just might make me feel a little better. M
May 13th, 2010 at 8:03 pm
Hi Maureen
Your comments pick up on a couple of very important points. Firstly the comment “became a part of my daily life” and secondly “I wanted it to be right”.
This is exactly how these scammers operate, they do wangle their way into your daily life very quickly, picking up quickly on exactly what you need or want. Also nobody wants to believe they are being scammed and this leads us to trust strangers …. something else they rely on.
You can report this person at the following websites:
stop-scammers
romance scam
You should also report it to Western Union fraud department
I am really sorry that you have been scammed but thank heaven you didn’t send any more money.
June 6th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
I met on a dating site(sthyle.fm) a man, he was 40 years engineer, from USA,(he was in Nigeria contract basis as a supervisor) he was very convincing manners, he said love me, he would like to meet me, but he hasnt enough money, because he got the salary by check and there (Nigeria,Lagos) he cant use it. he asked 500 EUR….I sent him money via Western Union….that evening he said this money isnt enough, because of BTA (basic travell allowance), i didnt know what is this BTA, so i thought i look it in net….by chance I came across this page…Thank God. I realised i am a victim of swindler…….he denied….and he sent me the love letters constantly….I deleted….
Please beware of michaelduncan@yahoo.com
PLEASE BEWARE OF MICHAEL DUNCAN
June 7th, 2010 at 3:12 pm
Hi Victim of Love
I am so happy to hear we helped you not to get scammed anymore and well done for deleting his emails. They always deny being a scammer and then try emotional blackmail “you never really loved me”, just don’t fall for any of it, he’s a scammer.
June 22nd, 2010 at 3:47 pm
hello everyone, a month ago my friend had seen an advertised job, a family in UK looking for a nanny. Immediately my friend had send an email expressing her desire to apply for the said job. Not too long, there was a response, attached with the email was a written interview, right afterwards the working contract, work permit, and other documents were sent. The employer’s agency had arranged details what to submit. Even a processing fees paid through Western Union. Emails regarding sending of documents were clearly described, however, every time my friend successfully send the payments, promised dates for the documents were also given as well as some things like Barclay Accounts and BTAs. My friend is very hopeful at the same time stressed, wondering if all os these are true. I myself tried and keep trying to help her, however, whenever I try to research details in the Internet, there are some really not so hopeful details. How I could explain to my friend that she was SCAMMED. Can anyone help me help my friend.
June 22nd, 2010 at 5:48 pm
Hi Kyla
Yes I’m sorry your friend has been scammed. You can see all the details of the scam here http://www.fraudwatchers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=18787
Get your friend to read it and she will understand she has been scammed …. sorry.
June 28th, 2010 at 1:50 pm
I will be very glad if anyone can give me an answer. I have been given appointed by a private firm in UK named DJ Electronics and the CEO name is Daniel James. He has told me to contact UK Home office for getting COE(Certificate of Eligibility). I have contacted them and in turn they have advised me to send GBP950 as BTA(Basic Travel Allowance)to check my eligibility. I am perplexed and not send the money. I request anyone in the net to advise me what is it? Is it a scam or anything genuine. Do I need to send this money for BTA.
Regards,
SSG
June 28th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Hi Saibal
I have just sent you an email about your question.
Sally
June 28th, 2010 at 3:14 pm
Even though I knew it was a scam I have called the Home Office to be certain, as I wouldn’t want anyone to lose a job because of my bad advise:
An employer in the UK has to hold a certificate of sponsorship before they can employ a non EU national. If they offer you a job the employer applies to the Home Office for permission to employ you and they issue a number … no forms for you to fill in, just a number which the employer would send to you and you would then apply for your work visa at the local British Embassy quoting the number and paying the visa application fee in cash to the Embassy.
For anyone else in this position .. Saibal kindly forwarded the documents from the supposed UK Border Agency, wherein they ask him to deposit money via Western Union in order for them to check he has this money and then after 24 hours they will tell him to cancel it and withdraw his money.
There is no such thing as BTA in the UK and the Home Office DO NOT use Western Union to verify funds are available.
If you receive any documents like this please be aware it is a scam and the scammer will simply withdraw your funds, and you will never hear from them again. Any questions or verification of funds would be done by the British Embassy in your country during your application process and NOT via Western Union.
The scammers will use amazing offers of work (eg £2000 a week pay) to make you think about all the money you can make working instead of thinking clearly about the forms they are sending. The average MONTHLY income in the UK is £1500 per month and if they were paying £2000 a week believe me they would not be short of British applicants (hell I would apply) which means they would not be allowed to sponsor a non EU national to take this work.
If you are unsure about anything to do with visa applications or you think you may be being scammed in this way please contact the British Embassy in your country to check.
June 30th, 2010 at 11:14 am
Hi Saibal
Well speaking for the experience PLEASE DON”T SEND MONEY!
They are really CON ARTIST.
I hope these kid of people would really meet the most terrible curse.
They are earning through people who desires to earn a better living.
July 1st, 2010 at 3:03 pm
Does anybody know if the British Airport Authority (BAA) require british citizens to fill up and submit a form called Sufficient Traveler’s Fund (STF) to verify if they have adequate travel money of at least $2000 when visiting the United States? Or is this the same as the BTA?
July 1st, 2010 at 5:16 pm
Hi TC
I’ve just called BAA and they’ve never heard of it. They also confirmed that you do not need a certain amount of cash before you can travel.
Can I ask where you got this information from?
July 3rd, 2010 at 1:56 pm
DOES ANY KNOWS HOW TO KICK ASS THESE SCAMMERS!
THESE PATHETIC LOW LIFE CREATURES!
THEY DESERVE TO BE PUNISHES.
July 7th, 2010 at 12:48 pm
Big Scam Scam Scam Scam Do Not Apply To This Ads in Dubai
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stephenalenxander@yahoo.com
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(+44)70457 12922
phone:+97142994477
they have other emails BE CAREFUL
July 7th, 2010 at 10:48 pm
BE AWARE OF SOMEONE WHO USES THIS PHRASE ” The patient dog gets the fattest bone.” http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/61/messages/606.html
He is a certified SCAMMER.
Stephen Alenxander
stephenalenxander@hotmail.com
stephenalenxander@yahoo.com
anthoneyjone@hotmail.com
anthoneyjone@yahoo.com
(+44)70457 12922
http://www.irelandad.com/173.html
July 9th, 2010 at 5:08 am
hey who removed the information about these scammers?
July 9th, 2010 at 3:43 pm
Hi Anonymous
What information are you not seeing? We can see the post and all the comments here but have just updated wordpress and all the plugins, so may be a glitch??
July 9th, 2010 at 3:47 pm
Hi Kyla
Thanks for the information. So readers know, I don’t usually publish email addresses or phone numbers without background information showing the person is a scammer but I have checked these online and this is indeed a scam and being carried out worldwide.
July 15th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
the BTA is composary and it must be payed, send tru money gram or western. and lady must be take care of, one more thing online datting cant work if u dont pay any bill of ur partner is when bills are paid then u can know if the relationship is seriose or not…..
July 15th, 2010 at 11:47 pm
What “Kate” was trying to say is that BTA is compulsory ….. check out “her” ip address 41.155.20.227 … yep Nigeria!!
Yippee am so happy, once the scammers start leaving stuff like this on my blog I know I’m starting to turn their victims away YAY I might do the happy little dance lol
July 17th, 2010 at 5:21 am
HI KATE:
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY ALL OF THESE?
KINDLY EXPLAIN FURTHER.
kate Says:
July 15th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
the BTA is composary and it must be payed, send tru money gram or western. and lady must be take care of, one more thing online datting cant work if u dont pay any bill of ur partner is when bills are paid then u can know if the relationship is seriose or not…..
July 24th, 2010 at 5:21 am
i woud like to share my experience about the BTA issue,i was also a victim ( haha) of this donatus_ken@yahoo.com, and williamlooks@yahoo.com people who uses that email add so beware of this address. This donatus told me that he needed $600 for the BTA, and then this william scott looks told me that his son Carter will undego surgery..To make the story short;all the signs of being scammers that ive read are present in them..
July 25th, 2010 at 3:53 am
Thank you for this site. Just so that you know, woman are not the only people these scammers are trying to hit, I have just found another one, claiming to be a woman. She tried to get me to send “her” some money. Not being the kind of person to give my hard earned money away, I had no problem telling her no. So if anyone is in contact with a Scott Bally on yahoo, just be warned, it is a scam. She tried to tell me she needed the money by Wednesday or she was at risk of losing her flight. I stuck to my guns and told her no. As I don’t have the extra money right now. I was weary when she called me her love etc. I already have a girlfriend that I am very much in love with, and would not fall for this game but oh well,,,, I hope this helps someone else,,,