IT IS BECOMING COMMON KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE SCAMS COMING OUT OF AFRICA, BUT I STILL FELL VICTIM TO ONE…

I am on an internet dating site. It is becoming common knowledge about the scams coming out of Africa and I was also aware of it. However, I am afraid I still fell victim to one of these scams. Fortunately, I caught it without suffering financial loss; however, he does have my real name, phone number and pictures and you question just how much they can do with that information.

This guy told me he was an engineer in Ghana doing a construction project for the Ministry of Ghana. He said he was thinking about relocating to Dallas and once his project was complete, and his funds transferred that he would. The romance was never dirty, no cypersex, but just very romantic. He wrote very well. Extremely romantic. He called me. Text messaged. And said he would be in Dallas and asked me to pick him up at the airport. All of a sudden, things began to unfold. He said that his funds had been approved but he had run into trouble. He said that he had not done work in Ghana before and that he was not aware that he would have to have a US bank account for his funds to be transferred into. He needed to get to Dallas immediately and then could open his US bank account. He asked me to help him with airfare.

I had no intentions of sending the man $2000 but wanted to see how far he would take it and was still caught up in the romance. He would have accepted and airline ticket from me which makes no sense because he couldn't sell it or transfer it to my knowledge but perhaps it was another way for them to get your identity. The thing that I have not seen made public is the use of Christianity in this ploy. He knew the Bible and knew it well. I had some of the most beautiful emails and texts referencing scripture. That's where he got me. And the fact that the picture was my kinda guy!!! I watched, before my very eyes, his profile online change with a new screen name, same profile and picture, but with a new screen name and location. When I caught that, he turned that profile off. But the original screen name then changed to a completely different profile, name and picture. But I noticed comparable things — international business, goes to church every Sunday and nailed him on spelling neighborhood "neighbourhood" — the British way. He gave me a June 12 birthday but had a Capricorn Sun Sign. He told me he was raised in Spain but had a beautiful British Accent. He was about to send me documents I had asked for in order to send him the ticket and then I blew and scared him off. The online dating service said that if I got the documents to send them but they would have been fraudulent too. He was going to send me copies of his contract with the Ministry of Ghana and the approval from them that his funds had been awarded. I was so angry that I blew it — he knew I was trying to gather information and then did not email the documents.

Anyway, I would like for people to know that if they have a US location in their profile, and then tell you they are in Africa, do not respond. And if you do and they tell you they are devout Christian and play that up, know that is part of the scam and a ploy to "groom" you to separate you from either your identity or your money!!!

Robin, TX