Comments on: Internet Dating Scam No 1 – The 419 Scam

By: Sally

Sally — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:22:22 +0000

Hi Teresa

Did you find something on the FCO website about BTA? I have looked on the Home Office site and found nothing about his problem, which is disgraceful really.

By: teresa

teresa — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 16:59:17 +0000

all this is sounding familiar to me too. money to buy a present for his sons birthday, money to replace a stolen phone, then he not have enough money for flights. needs me to send money, etc,etc. fortunately i have only sent £120. it was FCO who made me aware. i will start ignoring the man who is pestering me now.

By: Sally

Sally — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:09:34 +0000

Hi Stephanie

It’s only been 24 hours, just keep ignoring him and he’ll get bored. You’re sounding rather worried so I am writing directly to your email address and we will work this out ok.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:18:00 +0000

Hi Sally,
Thank you for the advice. I have done all of it but he is not stopping as you said would happen. What is different about this is that we did not meet on a dating site…I have never been on one. He randomly requested me on Face Book. That is how we started talking. He recently took down his Fb page and made a new one switching his first and middle names…he goes by Anthony Smith Omini. When I went to his new site I couldn’t believe in his bio he wrote that I was the love of his life and actually wrote my first and last name on there. It really kind of scared me.

Also at one point he begged me to come there. He said I would need about three thousand dollars though. What would have happened if I did go? The thought terrifies me!

He has also been leaving messages…of course he is mad that I didn’t send him the money and I am the one stopping us from being together but he says he will find the money and call me from the airport to pick him up. Then I will see he has never lied to me…

Is this kind of behavior in line with what others have experienced? I am so nervous…please assure me he really won’t show up…it is manipulation…right?

Thanks so much!
Stephanie

By: Sally

Sally — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 05:58:19 +0000

Hi Stephanie

Yes Travelers Funds are the same as BTA.

He is using a typical scam and if you sent money for BTA then he would have an accident or be mugged on the way to the airport and need money to pay the hospital or replace his ticket and passport. This would go on for as long as you are prepared to send money.

Please send him a message simply saying you are aware he is a scammer, you have kept records of every conversation and email between you and if he attempts to contact you again you will report him to the FBI or Scotland Yard or wherever is relevent to your home country. Say nothing more than this.

Set up a new Yahoo account and only give the username to people you trust. On FB simply don’t accept any new friends, for a while, until he gets bored of trying. Don’t answer any phone calls from him, if he calls your home and you hear his voice just hang up.

It can take a few weeks before they get bored and move on to their next potential victim, particularly in your case as they have put so much time into “grooming” you, but they will give up when they see no reaction at all from you.

Remember all he needs is you to try to express your anger on the phone or by email/chat and he will see it as an opportunity to convince you of how sincere he is … it’s all lies and they are VERY good at telling you what you want to hear.

Thank God you only lost £300, learn a lesson about how these people operate and move on to find a real man who will give you the love you deserve.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 02:52:38 +0000

Hi,
I have been talking to a man from Nigeria for about 5 months. He says he loves me and wants to be with me. He has asked for money and I foolishly sent it to him so he could complete the money for his ticket. Now he says they won’t let him on the plane until he has Sufficient travelers funds…is this the same thing as the BTA? He is asking for $300. I tried to end it but he keeps calling my home and trying to reach me on Yahoo and Fb even though I blocked him…he set up another Fb account switching his first and middle names. I am starting to get worried that I will never get out of this. Any advice would be much appreciated.

By: GeriT

GeriT — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 00:02:44 +0000

Hi. 2 years ago, I was needing out of s marraige and tried yahoo personals. I found this cute guy and began talking. His name was davidjuballawyer@yahoo.com. He was from Cal. and when he finally called, he was in Nigeria, selling cars. He loved me soooo much and wanted to send me a $5000 check and cash it and send $1500 back to him. I was leaving AZ, and upon arrival, my bro-in-law asked how my main squeeze was. As I told him, he asked me to look for this guys pic on this particular model site; sure enough, there he was.
BUT, I believe God was already confirming it; On the bus ride from AZ to Pa, I met a black teacher who “loved” yahoo personals and couldn’t to chat after school. She knew exactly who I was talking about; details! Then she blew me away saying,she had been to his house in Cal.. I asked him repeatedly if he was black,b/c he had a Jamaican accent. “Noooo…I’m white” She said, “Oh no, honey, he’s black as the ace of spades. But seeing him pic on the model site did me in. My bro-in-law was very savvy. He said, “Get him on the IM, and tell him the feds are here. They’ve been reading all your emails and IM’s. They’re interrogating us all!” I did. He came back on twice and nada after that. He was scared! The fed part wasn’t true, but the rest was. Whether the teacher was an angel, I don’t know, but I know God was protecting me! Who would have thought I’d meet someone who KNEW this guy and been to his house, and I”d meet her on a bus 3 days away from destiny. I’m glad for protection; no matter where iit comes from. I was ready to JUMP, and so would my twin sister- to cash it. Thank God for him and you guys-this is great!

By: Sally

Sally — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:54:23 +0000

Hi Rose

Thanks for your comments. So pleased you didn’t fall for it but without your experience so many do I’m afraid. As you say, if one story doesn’t work on you they just move on to the next, they have no shame or they wouldn’t be scammers.

Agree completely, the first time they need help woth money delete their details and get on with life.

By: Rose

Rose — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:42:12 +0000

Sent first message without finishing! Usual undying love after couple of emails, haven’t met, he had to go to Egypt and then Nigeria (always Nigeria, eh?!!) – sudden phone call from Doctor saying Fred had been in an accident, had regained consciousness, and desperately wanted me to know. Emails built up the “sting” bit by bit (I could see it coming but just wanted to see how it would go) – before the “accident” he had started an “ive visited an orphange and the conditions are terrible; i want all my friends to help them” scam (I didn’t bite) so the “accident” happened after the “orphanage” was kicked into touch – little boy badly hurt, lots of damage, police demanding payment, boy needs bonegrafts so “he can walk again” payments, “family suing Fred for compensation” payments etc etc all crafted email by email to the inevitable “I really need you to help me (with the £4,500 of the £12,ooo he can’t raise) because of our love and our relationship”!! Honestly – im a criminal psychologist, does he really think im so desperate for love and so stupid? I recognised it was going to probably be a scam from email 2 onwards but wnated to see how he was going to engineer it. My advice is to note what doesn’t add up properly, question these, ignore little hints and deny obvious ploys, and if it still comes to “I need your help with money” chalk it up to experience and above all let other omnliners know

By: Rose

Rose — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:30:22 +0000

Anyone come across a Turkish guy, 39 y o, brought up in Florida by adoptive parents, widowed, living in London, working as independent art-dealer? With me, went by the name of Fredrick Brown