How romance scammers live and work

[Pinky]

Reporting scammers on Facebook to Facebook is generally an exercise in frustration. Facebook is mostly concerned with 1) Does the problem cost them money? And 2)Can they be sued because of the content (which might cost them money)?

When you report a scam profile to Facebook, they do not care. They might look at the fake profile (unlikely) but if they see no problem with number 1 or 2, they will ignore your complaint. If, on the other hand, you notify Facebook that YOU are the owner of the stolen images the scammer is using - and are able to back up your accusations with proof - Facebook will remove the fake profile. Likewise if the scammer is promoting a product and not paying FB it's share, FB will also remove the offending profile.

It's all about MONEY.

Meanwhile, scammers are liars. They're pretty good a faking documentation, too. Are you willing to risk your own FB profile to try and make trouble for the scammer or get his fake profile removed? There is the possibility that the scammer might get your own profile removed by faking an issue with #1 or #2.

That said, we hate FB fakers as much as anyone. If anyone here finds a way to kill the most offensive (fake profiles with lots of friends) of FB scam profiles, we salute you and welcome your input here.

[FrumpyBB]

QU: How can I find out if the person in the picture lives in my area or if his picture was stolen by a scammer? He looks like an old friend of mine and I'm trying to find him; however, his picture came up on this site. How can I find out if the person in the picture is real? Any information is greatly appreciated.

FAQ: The basic of the basics knowledge is: If the picture then the person contacting you with is on here, it is an African gang who is using it on you trying to do a scam (=Nigerian gang having fake profiles and massmailing every woman online, to social-engineer money out of as many as possible).

Now: To help us warn people, please post emailaddress, fake US phone number and first message text

[FrumpyBB]

Typical situation towards the end of a scam.

You have just confronted (ouch!) your scammer you know everything and don´t reply his calls any more.
All of a sudden, POLICE emails you, subject : "Arrest of Nigerian scammers. We need data from all victims."
DON´T REPLY!
THE SAME SCAM IS GOING.

Fake EFCC Nigeria, Fake FBI etc "recovery scams" topic with daily updated examples: http://www.romancescam.com/forum/viewto ... 79&t=79689" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[FrumpyBB]

Reporting African romance scam crimes to local authorities is important because an ever growing pile of cases and files, ultimately, should make politicians interested.

A general experience that

- "our" local police is unable to do investigations in West-Africa
- only local US money laundering mules, who accepted from and forwarded money/parcels to scammers, are punished
- TV reports when arresting West-African scammers were done when international TV teams were watching
- The real EFCC Nigeria does not reply scam victims
- FBI does not reply scam victims (they put all on file)
- EFCC and FBI that do email scam victims are African impersonators who want more money

and that a few, but no more than the tip of the iceberg, of scammers are indeed prosecuted and jailed in Malaysia, Russia, Spain, UK or the Netherlands. And sometimes Ghana, Nigeria. Less than we would wish.

[FrumpyBB]

Sexy Italian accent?
Your scammer said his mother is Italian/Greek/Hispanic /*enter any cool-sounding accent here*, and swoosh :
The WEST-AFRICAN accent is explained away.

Many believe this.

Don´t believe ANY of your scammer´s lies!

How African Romance Scammers Live And Work: http://www.romancescam.com/forum/viewto ... 6&start=60" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[FrumpyBB]

Preparing to scam the Indian subcontinent Victor from Nigeria needs more than just another can of fresh beer.
Sending identical love messages to recently registered women on the sites is dry hard work.
A comfy lounge helps this fake US "bachelor architect", plus meeting a workmate from around the corner who is more experienced with yahoo chatting and who knows how to spell "new york".
THESE ARE THE ACTUAL SCAMMERS DOING THE CHATTING!

Topic and scam proof is http://www.romancescam.com/forum/viewto ... 3&p=416259" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[FrumpyBB]

Webcam:
Scammers steal webcam footage from social networks, from other victims, and from webcam sites (scammers posing as females). Webcam is NOT a proof that somebody is real. In order it to be a proof, the person on that end must write your name on a piece of paper in front of you and show it in camera. Only that proves the person on that end is real.

[FrumpyBB]

Posted by Pinky at http://www.romancescam.com/forum/viewto ... 13&t=83964" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Why block scammers?

QU: All keep saying... Blocked the scammer.. why? I guess we will get more information if we keep in touch with them...

A:
Several reasons. First, scammers are professional liars and there is always the fear that the victim will get sucked back into another scam. Second, scammers can turn mean, intimidating and vile and it can literally be demoralizing to a victim trying to recover. Third, they are vindictive and will be happy if they can cause more suffering. Fourth, they hack and will look for any opportunity to get into email and personal information on victim's computers. Last (but I'm sure I could come up with more reasons, if pressed), scammers frequent illicit sites and often find themselves using computers infected with viruses, spyware and trojans. Also, people who hate the scammers will send this stuff to them to purposefully damage their machines. This often gets passed on to scammer's contacts. Generally scam victims are not computer savvy and are more seriously affected by this issue.

[FrumpyBB]

Q:
OMG, girls, I found this guy through google picture finder. I am shocked. I just want to know if these are the real pictures of him, or he is just using somebody's else.
A:
Hi, sadly, it is never the man in the stolen pictures. Don´t stare at him. In all cases, it´s anonymous Nigerian gangs in corrupt countries take the first best pictures of random men off the internet, register dozens of fake profiles with these pictures => chat day and night to ask women for money. They are allover the internet doing this. This is what is known as Nigerian military scam (Nigerians posing as military).

Hope you have found out in time, before paying money to organized crime
Thank you for taking the time to register and posting the email address and scam details used, this will help warn others.

:::::

A perfectly "normal" everyday example of a military scam, from http://www.romancescam.com/forum/viewto ... 91&t=77522" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[FrumpyBB]

QU: scam /translations mail eases off at weekends ,why ??
is it indicative its run by businesses or net cafes closed or what ??

A: I suppose "sudden/urgent/unexpected" (but long since planned) money requests are most effectively issued on weekdays and during victims´ work hours.

On weekENDS, potential victims could have time to research and investigate and find out and ask us questions

Thus, I assume, on weekends it´s just less happening.

Other than that...the cliche is, scammers (= anonymous groups of college aged males) are simply out meeting peers and clubbing (and spending scam-earned money with their girlfriends) on Saturdays, and go to church and party after church the remainder of Sunday.

Don´t know about the church Sunday and clubbing Saturday "rituals" in Russia but either is a definite in West Africa, judged by the many "scammer4real" pics they have on their private networking sites, which show party, booze, fun, proud girlfriends, hip hop gestures, flashy electronics, big cars, bling, and prayers.


(from our three-part-scammers4real galleries. These are your real scammers = email writers.)

[FrumpyBB]

http://www.romancescam.com/forum/viewto ... 22&t=84773" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The old "I have to tell my story to the photo victim" problem.
Sorry for lecturing but this IS important! -

Would you be "interested" if several Indian or Russian men rang you up telling you how much they fell in love with your stolen pics, with your husband and family watching?

I´m afraid you could just as well tell Western Union or the scammer´s email provider or BlackBerry, because the Nigerian scammer used one, your story; this is as futile but does no harm and is at least fairer than stalking other innocent scam victims

Not many people do this but a few have, so I felt it had to be addressed once

[FrumpyBB]

Just one example how Google helps. One (later identified as fake US number used for texting, which African scammers love to mass-abuse) phone number posted by a scam victim,
111-044-0602,
was reported on Yahoo Answers 3 years ago but no further details (or actual "answers"); just "I keep getting weird text messages". Guess the Ghanaian gang also tried to recruit new victims en masse this way

Here is a number of advance fee fraud (attempts) on everycaller.com/phone-number/1-111-044-0602/

Means: The gang uses this nummer for a variety of 419 formats and scams (with sometimes male, sometimes female names), typically for scammers, mixing advance fee fraud, romance scam and fake check scams and always using the same number for everything, taking turns in writing.

Big organized scam ring

We also have an old report on this number in "scammers with pictures of model WmCrum", from 6 (!) years ago, proves how log these African gangs operate, here: http://www.romancescam.com/forum/viewto ... 6&start=60" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Please watch out, google everything

[Igulinka]

Blocking your scammer from Gmail (easy how-to guide)

The easiest option is when victim still have email from the scammer :

1) Open scammer's email
2) Click on the dropped down arrow in the right corner
3) Click on "Filter messages like this"
4) In new window click on the bottom at " Create filter with this search"
5) In new window click at "Delete it" and "Create filter"

[FrumpyBB]

QU, posted by a woman this Friday morning:
MY PERSONAL PHOTO is being used to SCAM !! I'm innocent

I have my Profile and Photo up on Two Dating Sites , After Being Scammed by 5 different Men ( Never gave money , but blocked and cut them off as soon as they ask for Funds) I found this Wonderful site that shows us in detail of all the Scamming going on! I decide to search my own personal Photo on images.Google.com and was SHOCKED to see my Photo has been used and Set up with Fictatious names on 5 Different chats / dating sites See Below -
I am so Angry now , I had to Post this So that the Un-expecting Males out there , are aware MY Photo is also getting used to Scam ! How can I report this and have those Posts removed ? Please ADVISE and Assist me urgently -

A:
All sites have a reporting function. Sad experience is, few will actually react. If you have a personal Facebook/anything, you could repost your above text right there, or guide people to here. IMO you don´t need to "do" anything beyond a general disclaimer.

From http://www.romancescam.com/forum/viewto ... 92#p427592" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[FrumpyBB]

A word of warning for all internet, social site and chat program users:

general: am cul xxx wats up,i really wanna be frnds wit u,i tink u luk cul,hw is every tin over,try and send me ur yahoo account...........dis mine desmondmarty@yahoo.com
Feb 06, 23:52 general: when do u normally come online,dis my email in case,dubaimichael@yahoo.com hit me or send me urs ,i,ll really be glad,i lyke ur pix

If a General contacts you on the internet, with words like these, you can bet you have Ghanaian youth gangsters on the other side of the keyboard

Where did they get the pictures from? From any online newspaper.

Watch out people! Block and ignore these gangsters approaching you at once!

Topic is http://www.romancescam.com/forum/viewto ... 91&t=68344" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;