| When people talk about online fraud, the word "Nigeria" | | | | be a white male or female, the fraudster will usually |
| is almost never far behind. It is, after all, the birthplace | | | | claim to be some sort of specialist, technician, or model |
| for much of the fraud plaguing online dating sites | | | | working in Africa. The fraudster will ask you to help |
| around the world. The reality though is that Internet | | | | them get "home" by paying for visas, planes, trains, |
| scams are a complex problem, and today can come | | | | boats or any other means of transportation and |
| from various countries within Africa, Asia and Europe. | | | | accommodation. They will most often make it seem |
| While most dating websites have taken aggressive | | | | as if they are in very dire straights. Remember though, |
| steps against these fraudsters, your best defense | | | | no matter how desperate they seem, someone in a |
| remains knowledge, early detection and prevention. | | | | truly serious, life-threatening situation would not be |
| Here is a guide to some of the most common | | | | chatting on a dating site. |
| "Nigerian" online dating scams. | | | | The Sweetheart Scam and Money Orders |
| The Nigerian Letter (or the "419 fraud") | | | | A variant of the fraud detailed above is officially |
| The most famous Nigerian scam was also one of the | | | | known as the Sweetheart Scam. It too involves a |
| first used on the American public. | | | | person stuck in Africa, but the "single" this time is a |
| Essentially, the scam involves someone asking you to | | | | worker having trouble cashing money orders. The |
| help wealthy associates move money with your bank | | | | Sweetheart Scammer will ask you to deposit these |
| account. They will promise you a large share of the | | | | money orders into your bank account and then wire |
| overall sum moved, and then persuade you into | | | | him or her the money. He (or she) may even tell you |
| sending money to cover the additional costs needed | | | | to keep some money for yourself, to pay for the |
| to bribe officials and avoid delays. Of course, no | | | | trouble. Before they get to this point though, they will |
| matter how much money you've invested in the "deal", | | | | have spent a lot of time trying to woo and seduce you |
| the promised transfer never happens (and the money | | | | (including sending cheap gifts like flowers and |
| or wealthy person doesn't actually exist). These | | | | chocolate). The money orders, you should know, are |
| scams are often very intricately planned, and put into | | | | never worth anything. Once your money is wired, you |
| action through a network of people, which can make | | | | will likely never hear from your "sweetheart" again. |
| them very difficult to properly track. Please be | | | | Shipping help |
| extremely wary of communicating with anyone who | | | | Because U.S. merchants are now wary of shipping |
| proposes such a deal. | | | | anything to Nigeria, scammers are often looking for |
| Money for the beloved (but sick) relative | | | | middlemen to move goods purchased with stolen |
| One of the simplest but most effective online scams | | | | credit cards or through hacked eBay accounts. Do not, |
| revolves around the goodwill of singles. Once the | | | | under any circumstances, agree to send packages to |
| scammer has established a good level of trust with | | | | Africa for someone you meet on an online dating site. |
| you (this may take days, weeks or even a matter of | | | | Aside from getting stuck with postage fees you will |
| minutes), they will begin to describe a medical | | | | never be compensated for, you are also participating in |
| emergency affecting someone in their family. Though | | | | a crime. |
| the family member described may differ, this scenario | | | | Though it may seem scary to think there are people |
| always revolves around the need for financial help. No | | | | trying to defraud online daters, it should be noted that |
| matter what they tell you, or how genuine and sincere | | | | scammers make up only a small amount of the millions |
| they seem, do not get suckered into sending money | | | | of singles looking for love online. Keeping some of |
| for someone's supposed medical care. | | | | these common scamming methods in mind will help |
| Stuck in a foreign (but always African) land | | | | you avoid getting stuck in a difficult situation. Always |
| By far one of the most famous African-based scams | | | | proceed with caution, and make sure to never send |
| involves making victims believe the scammer is an | | | | money to anyone. |
| American trapped in a foreign land. Often pretending to | | | | |