# Nigerian girl



## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

A friend of mine has been corresponding from this Nigerian girl by e-mail, Yahoo messenger, and phone. I think the two are hitting it off but in light of scammers coming or at least claiming to come from Nigeria, he wants to see if this girl might be trying some new scam on him and proceed with caution or should he trust that she is a good girl that he knows she is and trust her. Apparently she's quite affluent, her dad's American and her mom's Nigerian but the two have divorced -- she still travels between the two countries quite frequently or something like that, and she has a mobile phone like goodness I bet cell phone service in Nigeria must be expensive as heck, in Vietnam it costs an arm and a leg for any phone service that's what I know. Anyway they'll probably meet face to face this Christmas. Perhaps then he might have a better idea on whether she's for real or not? Any thoughts?


----------



## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

Tell your friend to turn his back and RUN AWAY!! As fast as possible!

(He might also want to alter his email addy and passwords...just to be safe).

Whole sh*tloads of unsuspecting and lonely guys have been stung by these Nigerian lonely hearts scams. Don't let your friend be one of them!

The very first clue should be when she tells you that someone in her family needs money to...

A) Get out of the country because they are being persecuted.

B) Solve some imminent medical emergency. Especially when it involves an aged female relative or some very young people.

C) Pay off some Nigerian Government official, or a local lawyer, in order to free up some family money that is being held in trust.

Once again I say, to you or your friend....

Turn your back and WALK AWAY! Or...better yet...RUN AWAY!

FAST! :yikes:


----------



## DoNotPokeTheScreen (Jun 9, 2005)

It's sad how those Nigerian scammers made every single Nigerian a potential thief before any evidence or even a sign that raises suspicion.


----------



## Vinnie Cappuccino (Aug 20, 2003)

I've been Getting emails from a Russian girl trying to get to know me, when I email her back and tell her that I am not interested, she just carries on, tells me more about herself and sends pictures, weird eh! Her emails are like she(?) just uses a translator because she refers to her settlement as "He". It's just weird and I shall reply no more! So long Tatyana!


----------



## simon (Nov 2, 2002)

DoNotPokeTheScreen said:


> It's sad how those Nigerian scammers made every single Nigerian a potential thief before any evidence or even a sign that raises suspicion.


It has been documented that these scams and variations are becoming the number one source of income of the population. And it doesn't hurt to be careful no matter what the nationality is.

As Macnutt said, as soon as any of those requests come forward, run away ...


----------



## guytoronto (Jun 25, 2005)

Totally run away. There is no doubt. The chances of this being a scam are way higher than not. It's called playing the odds.


----------



## iNeedhelp (Oct 23, 2005)

Listen to Macnutt, Dona!


----------



## DoNotPokeTheScreen (Jun 9, 2005)

It certainly is not wrong to be cautious, but without any sign that she is insincere?
MacNutt is certainly correct, when it comes to people asking money, you should be cautious and question yourself and her. But that should be applied to everyone, not just Nigerians.

Anyway,
I was just expressing my own opinion. It IS sad that every Nigerian is now considered a thief because of those few infamous scammers, isn't it?


----------



## DoNotPokeTheScreen (Jun 9, 2005)

> It certainly is not wrong to be cautious, but without any sign that she is insincere?


I'm going to quote myself there. 

Maybe the sign of insincere is that she is a Nigerian.


----------



## sketch (Sep 10, 2004)

You can't assume all Nigerians are scammers so I say if they meet face to face, make sure she stays at a hotel, not in his home (I heard too many horror stories), he doesn't bring any credit cards or debit cards with him when they go out, just enough cash for that day. Just act like a cheapskate. Be really guarded. Sad, I know but it's hard to tell who's nice and who's not until something happens. Look at it from her point of view. For all she knows, he's a rapist. 

If she turns out to be legit, then nobody was hurt. Except she had a very cheap date


----------



## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

Well she hasn't been asking for money, and she seems to be able to get to the US on her own just fine, I think his final concern is that she's not going to come into Canada immigrate and disappear, and that alone could be a very expensive situation for himself. In Vietnam there will be girls and guys paying $20,000, maybe upto $50,000 to Vietnamese already citizens in Canada so they can get married or whatever and get themselves immigrated into Canada. I wonder how many other cultures this is common in. I mean I really hope for his sake that this is not some conspiracy or something maybe my bud can end up getting killed? :O hmmmm... i mean i'd hate to label Nigerians as scammers since probably less than 0.5% of the population is causing all the problems but I guess in general because of all the political unrest happening in that country, who's to say? I think i gotta get him to a nightclub to meet local girls.... bring him over to Calgary and take him to Cowboys, damn that club rocks!


----------



## RevMatt (Sep 10, 2005)

DoNotPokeTheScreen said:


> I'm going to quote myself there.
> 
> Maybe the sign of insincere is that she is a Nigerian.


Yeah, this line of thinking is highly troubling to me. If what you want to say, is that experientally the majority of Nigerians who have access to the web appear to be inclined to use that access for deceitful purposes, then that is one thing. Still not accurate, but better than the above blanket statement. For whatever reason, the less apt scammers in the world have decided to call themselves Nigerian. This does not mean that all, or even any significant number of actual Nigerians are untrustworthy. 
Because of the crushing poverty in Nigeria, it is unlikely that any normal Nigerians have net access, which does make this, and other approaches like it, likely to be a scam. Because she claims to be Nigerian, it is likely a scam. But even just to say that sentence without the explanation is an unfair characterisation, that smacks of discrimination.

As for the actual issue at hand, I agree that this is likely a scam. But if your friend knows that, and doesn't put any money out, there is no significant harm in holding onto the somewhat vague hope that it might be real. You say they might meet over Christmas - who would pay for that trip? Here or there? There are real live Nigerians who are good people. While it is extremely unlikely this is one of them, it is possible. If he is very careful with his money and his emotions, there is no harm in him exploring this slightly.


----------



## nxnw (Dec 22, 2002)

RevMatt said:


> But if your friend knows that, and doesn't put any money out, there is no significant harm in holding onto the somewhat vague hope that it might be real. You say they might meet over Christmas - who would pay for that trip? Here or there? There are real live Nigerians who are good people. While it is extremely unlikely this is one of them, it is possible. If he is very careful with his money and his emotions, there is no harm in him exploring this slightly.


It would be insane for him to go there to meet this alleged girl. He would be risking more than his money.


----------



## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

Seriously, how many people who participate in this forum need a reality check comprised of a weeklong streetproofing course, and a cyber-identity seminar or six?

I have no doubt that many people met their eventual beloveds and were betrothed after having first corresponded on the internet. But *not* this way.

Dona83 if you do not tell your friend to run the he|| away, you are doing him a disservice.


----------



## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

She's coming over here and her dad who is American living in Albany or something is paying for it, so Vancouver will be a little side trip of hers. She has net access AND a mobile phone, he says her accent sounds African enough from what he's seen in the movies haha. So I guess the goal here is to pretend that he doesn't have much money (he just got out of school he REALLY doesn't have much money anyway haha) and if she sticks around it's _likely_ she sincerely is into him, and if she runs away without haste screaming moneyless man, then I gotta bring him over Calgary if he really wants to experience something new?


----------



## Cameo (Aug 3, 2004)

Why would someone from so far away want to start a relationship? I understand that maybe things there may not be very good (though doesn't sound like that here)but seems strange to reach out so far. I agree with turning your back as soon as the issue of money comes up - I cannot count the number of email scams that I get - like what kind of lottery says you have won $150,000,000 pounds sterling and has a yahoo account? If her family is affluent and she can travel then it isn't excape from nigeria she is looking for.

I am sure there are many sincere nigerians - but the ones contacting canada and the states via email? Those I think are scammers.


----------



## Macified (Sep 18, 2003)

Out of curiosity, how did this correspondence begin? Is she a friend of a friend? Did she send him an email out of the blue? Did the meet on a forum?

No offense meant here folks, but I keep forum friends as forum friends. Maybe if I manage to make it to a get togther broader friendships could occur but I just don't see the internet as a viable place to truly get to know someone.


----------



## RevMatt (Sep 10, 2005)

nxnw said:


> It would be insane for him to go there to meet this alleged girl. He would be risking more than his money.


Agreed.


----------



## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

Remember that Canadians with "not a lot of money" who are scammed out of the cost of one, say, non-existent cell phone or computer or whatever, are providing months of subsistence to Nigerian scammers every day.

Here is another version of the scam. There are hundreds. This is from my work email this morning. They didn't even bother using html, just straight ascii text.



> NEW GSM PHONES/PDA - END OF YEAR SALES BONANZA
> WE ARE CERTIFIED WHOLESALERS OF VARIOUS GSM MOBILE PHONES AT VERY AFFORDABLE PRICES. ATTACH IS OUR VERY CURRENT PRICE LIST OF GSM PHONES FOR YOUR REFERENCE ALL PHONES/PDA ARE BRAND NEW SIM FREE/OPEN LINES/UNLOCK
> 
> [I deleted all the "inexpensive" phones!]
> ...


----------



## RevMatt (Sep 10, 2005)

dona83 said:


> She's coming over here and her dad who is American living in Albany or something is paying for it, so Vancouver will be a little side trip of hers. She has net access AND a mobile phone, he says her accent sounds African enough from what he's seen in the movies haha. So I guess the goal here is to pretend that he doesn't have much money (he just got out of school he REALLY doesn't have much money anyway haha) and if she sticks around it's _likely_ she sincerely is into him, and if she runs away without haste screaming moneyless man, then I gotta bring him over Calgary if he really wants to experience something new?


Well, there you go. No money is being demanded of him, he can meet her on safe home turf (somewhere public the first time, needless to say). Then, if there is any truth to it, (a rare possibility, but less so since she is coming on her own dime) he can figure that out for himself.


----------



## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

If her dad's an American, she would obviously have U.S. citizenship, passport, etc. It would seem logical for them to have their first meeting in North America, no?

M.


----------



## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

This could be legitimate, however the odds are that it is *anything but*. 

Your friend should just forget about the whole thing -- end all contact immediately, don't respond anymore, just *walk away* from it.


----------



## Bjornbro (Feb 19, 2000)

dona83 said:


> ...her dad who is American living in Albany or something is paying for it, so Vancouver will be a little side trip of hers.


   Since when has a *six hour* flight become a _side trip_?


----------



## Griller (Jan 17, 2002)

*This is pretty pathetic...*

That fact that her nationality is in the subject line is warning sign... to her! Why should it matter where she's from or what her nationality is? It doesn't matter if she's from Burnaby, Peru, Grand Prairie, Nigeria, Russia, Calgary, Sweden, Hamilton, Montreal, or where ever. Scammers are everywhere even in your hometown.

The basic question is can someone in such a long-distance situation be trusted. The answer is use common sense. Approach the situation like you would any dating/getting to know someone situation/phase. How long has this been going on for? Does your friend know what she looks like? That's a major consideration I think. If she has Internet, cellphone, and money then I think she should be able to send a JPG of herself to him.

If anything he really should have gotten to know her pretty well by this point -- meeting her around Christmas time is a big move. Also, unless she's loaded, I wouldn't call a flight from NY to BC a side trip (shorter than continent to continent but it's still quite a distance).

Good luck to your buddy.


----------



## Kosh (May 27, 2002)

Griller said:


> Also, unless she's loaded, I wouldn't call a flight from NY to BC a side trip (shorter than continent to continent but it's still quite a distance).
> 
> Good luck to your buddy.


I think they meant a side-trip on her way to visit her Dad for Christmas probably. ie. a side-trip on her way to the US. She's probably already making a trip to the US, she's just stopping in Canada on her way.

I was going to say the American dad part sounds suspicious, but if her mom and dad got divorced it may make sense. Did her mom move back to Nigeria? Is that why she lives in Nigeria? I think the first meet idea in Canada is a good idea.


----------



## CanadaRAM (Jul 24, 2005)

Similar scenario

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=139263

The flirting was grooming the fella to act as a front for a money or product laundering scam.

It's not being Nigerian, it's not being insincere, it's the combination of Nigerian (or foreign) PLUS approach by internet that rings the bells. 

It's all in the context: You don't normally assume that every 2nd step you take will land you in $#!^, except if you are walking in a cow pasture, then you seriously question every squishy thing you tread on.


----------



## nxnw (Dec 22, 2002)

CanadaRAM said:


> It's all in the context: You don't normally assume that every 2nd step you take will land you in $#!^, except if you are walking in a cow pasture, then you seriously question every squishy thing you tread on.


An acute and colourful comment.


----------



## DoNotPokeTheScreen (Jun 9, 2005)

:lmao: CanadaRAM


----------



## Dr.G. (Aug 4, 2001)

I tend to agree with DoNotPoke on his initial reaction to MacNutt's "run and do not pass Go" posting re someone of Nigerian nationality. The same could be said about all New Yorkers.................since we all know about those from big cities..............or even the smaller cities, like Toronto.


----------



## ArtistSeries (Nov 8, 2004)

Dr.G. said:


> I tend to agree with DoNotPoke on his initial reaction to MacNutt's "run and do not pass Go" posting re someone of Nigerian nationality. The same could be said about all New Yorkers.................since we all know about those from big cities..............or even the smaller cities, like Toronto.


Different context here. 
409 scams are well known and many fall trap to them nevertheless. 

We never did get to know how they did meet - that would be telling.


----------



## draz (Jun 13, 2005)

Maybe she is just a sexy Nigerian, and the 2 of them will have whirlwind romance over x-mas. Just don;t send money and then who cares? Go have fun (and take pictures to post here)


----------



## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

Hahaha he fessed up... she responded to his Craig's List ad. :O NOW things are fishy.

He said if it is indeed a scam at least he'll try to get laid and that's the end of that.


----------



## draz (Jun 13, 2005)

Sweet. Remeber pictures and or video. A one night stand give a few hours of enjoyment for 2...an amature video gives a lifetime of enjoyment to many...


----------



## GREENAPPLE (Nov 30, 2005)

*yeah*

i see any one here lol


----------



## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

GREENAPPLE said:


> nigerian+nigerian=...


What the hell does this mean?

Strange way to make your first post entrance to a forum.


----------



## comprehab (May 28, 2005)

I would have to agree....That was probably NOT the best choice of words for your big return to ehMac Kaya. you could try to rephrase your idea to make it a little bit more appropriate, but the delete post function would probably be the best idea.


----------



## CanadaRAM (Jul 24, 2005)

draz said:


> Sweet. Remeber pictures and or video. A one night stand give a few hours of enjoyment for 2...an amature video gives a lifetime of enjoyment to many...


So does a virus or a spirochete...

Blackmail cuts both ways, too.

The problem with "outsmarting" a scammer is that you assume you know what their agenda is, and you may get foxed if they change the game on you without telling. 

Scenario: large dude with weapon bursts into hotel room "What are you doing to my wife/daughter?" followed by threats, robbery and/or blackmail.

Other potential scenarios are the threat to report a fictitious rape, the claim of pregnancy, the theft of ID, whatever. 

The thing is, I can't imagine a single scenario where a young and unattached African woman would go onto a local classified site in Canada to initiate contact with a potential boyfriend. 

However I can imagine lots of scenarios where a practiced scammer would initiate contact with a number of advertisers in the hopes of running a game... and they would have the cover story down pat, to head off the major objections, something like: I'm well to do (i'm not after money) I have relatives in the US (I'm not looking for a citizenship by marriage scam), I have a good job (I'm not a professional scammer), I'm beautiful ('natch) I'm single ('natch) I'll be travelling to your area anyway, etc.


----------



## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

Who knows?

This could actually be real!

This lovely young Nigerian lassie might ACTUALLY be besotted with a Canadian that she has NEVER met...and be willing to come here and spend some quality time with that person. Gratis.

ORRR...she may be a "He" (many of the Nigerian scam artists are actiually "He's"). One who is hellbent on cleaning out a trusting citizen of Canada. For every cent. Whilst twisting that persons' life into a gordian knot of legal grief.

Walk in with your eyes wide open. Don't get screwed.

And DON'T say we all "didn't tell ya so".:heybaby:


----------



## gordguide (Jan 13, 2001)

" ... If her dad's an American, she would obviously have U.S. citizenship, passport, etc ..."

My dad's an American, and I don't have US citizenship, passport, etc. Why would she be any different? Unless she was born in the US, she's like any other foreign national as far as US Naturalization and Immigration goes.

Now, if she was Cuban, that would be different ... but they're the only people who can get US citizenship by just showing up.


----------



## Obiter (Nov 29, 2005)

forget about Nigeria -- meeting anyone over the internet is semi-crazy as far as I am concerned.


----------



## ice_hackey (Aug 13, 2004)

So, how did it end??


----------



## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

*I wanna know too...*

Yeah, the story was fascinating. Was there a meeting?


----------



## gastonbuffet (Sep 23, 2004)

Apparently, they currently are in Ocho Rios, getting to" know " each other like bunnies.

shows all we know!!!!


----------



## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

He reconsidered the situation, got scared, and just totally stopped talking to her. I feel bad for the both of them but smart move in the end imo.


----------



## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

Don't feel too bad. Chances are there wasn't any Nigerian girl at all. It's not like people normally go trolling the classifieds in Kazakistan because they're lonely in Winnipeg.


----------



## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

News1130 - Unlucky in love, and in his bank account

Let this be a lesson to all of us...


----------



## SINC (Feb 16, 2001)

You know, I'm trying. I really am. But I just can't quite drag up any sympathy for this guy. There is no known cure for stupidity.


----------



## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

I'm not trying. I really am not.


----------



## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

SINC said:


> You know, I'm trying. I really am. But I just can't quite drag up any sympathy for this guy. There is no known cure for stupidity.


You are trying. You really are.


: )


----------



## ehMax (Feb 17, 2000)

Wow... that really threw me for a loop. I started reading the beginning of this thread thinking it was a brand new thread, and the first reply was form MacNutt.


----------



## iMatt (Dec 3, 2004)

SINC said:


> I just can't quite drag up any sympathy for this guy. There is no known cure for stupidity.


I have very little sympathy for the victim, but I do have some. He did a stupid thing, to be sure, but his motive appears to have been lust and maybe even love. In my book, that's a step up from the naked greed exhibited by those who fall for the ol' "I'm a deposed prince, send me money to help release the family fortune and I'll give you $5 million." 

Preying on greed is wrong, of course, but IMHO preying on emotional vulnerability is worse.


----------



## Voyager (Aug 7, 2005)

But it is a lesson that, with all the scams that are out there, many things on the internet need to be done with caution. Greed, lust, or just being overly naive. It doesn't matter As P.T. Barnum has been quoted as saying "There's a sucker born every minute...and two to take 'em."


----------



## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

ehMax said:


> Wow... that really threw me for a loop. I started reading the beginning of this thread thinking it was a brand new thread, and the first reply was form MacNutt.


Rest his soul.


----------



## rgray (Feb 15, 2005)

Voyager said:


> But it is a lesson that, with all the scams that are out there, many things on the internet need to be done with caution. Greed, lust, or just being overly naive. It doesn't matter As P.T. Barnum has been quoted as saying "There's a sucker born every minute...and two to take 'em."


This type of scam had been reported on the net long before this thread started. It is predatory and scripted and has been reported as such. The problem here is not "Greed, lust, or just being overly naive." It is "*stupid*". For which there apparently is no cure. It is Junk mail, spam, whatever, and anyone who reads around at all knows it. I have absolutely no sympathy for the "victim" if you can call it that when you step up yourself. This scam is as old as email AND EVERYONE WHO READS EVEN A LITTLE KNOWS IT......


----------



## iMatt (Dec 3, 2004)

rgray said:


> This type of scam had been reported on the net long before this thread started. It is predatory and scripted and has been reported as such. The problem here is not "Greed, lust, or just being overly naive." It is "*stupid*". For which there apparently is no cure. It is Junk mail, spam, whatever, and anyone who reads around at all knows it. I have absolutely no sympathy for the "victim" if you can call it that when you step up yourself. This scam is as old as email AND EVERYONE WHO READS EVEN A LITTLE KNOWS IT......


These scams are worked through dating sites, not email, and they're considerably more sophisticated than the 419 email scams. For one thing, the 419 scams are based on hooking random marks with spam; romance scams are based on targeting marks who've posted information about themselves on dating sites. It's possibly the oldest con game going, and it's way older than the internet.

It's easy for us to sit here and say, "oh, how stupid do you have to be?" Well, I still say a stupid mark is not essential to a successful con. A bonus to the scammer, yes, but not essential. Even smart people looking for love can be vulnerable to believing lies that you and I, comfortably domesticated and emotionally stable, can see right through. 

Usually the result is just some short-term drama and turmoil. ("Prince Charming turned out to be a great big jerk!") But some do get scammed, because they had the misfortune to cross paths with a skilled con artist. 

Knowing nothing about the marks in the specific cases discussed or linked in this thread, these men may just have been dummies. But I believe it's naive to think only the terminally gullible are at risk.


----------



## Cole Slaw (Aug 26, 2005)

Tell your friend to go ahead and give her whatever she wants.
This is Canada, after all, and to be suspicious of any person or offer, etc., from Nigeria is Politically Incorrect.
Because to some people being weary of something like that means you automatically hate all Nigerians and probably all black people.
In this country being suspicious of any kind of an offer from Nigeria makes you a racist.
No, the good Canadian thing to do is to get your friend to do anything his "friend" from Nigeria asks.


----------

