Another popular type of Nigerian scams: sugar daddy scams (or sugar mommy scams).
The scammers pose as men or women looking for a sugar baby, while promising some weekly (daily, monthly) allowance: $500, $1000, whatever. But as we all know, the only free cheese is in the mousetrap. Nobody is gonna give you anything. Instead, YOU will give YOUR money to a “sugar daddy” (or “mommy”).
Here is how it works:
- a “sugar daddy” (or “sugar mommy”) sends you a check, usually exceeding the agreed allowance, then asks to return the “overpaid” sum back to him/her via Western Union. They will come up with the stories as for why the check ended up being for a bigger amount: either their “secretary” made a mistake, or it’s for the accounting or tax purposes, or any other nonsense.
- the variation of the above scam: they send you a big check, ask to purchase the gift cards for them and keep the difference. For example, the check is for $1000, they ask for the gift cards or vouchers (like iTunes or Amazon) worth $500 and you may keep the remaining $500, which is the agreed allowance.
So, where is the catch? The catch is that the check they send you is FAKE. It will bounce eventually, but not right away. And by the time it bounced, which could be weeks, you’ve already bought the gift cards or sent money Western Union to your “sugar daddy”. Your OWN money! Because whatever you got from that fake check you have to return back to the bank now. Plus, you can even be charged for fraud.
Sometimes, instead of sending a fake check they deposit a certain amount into your bank account (once again, bigger than agreed) and ask to send the difference back to them Western Union. But this deposit is just as FAKE as check, as this is the money stolen from another victim’s bank account. So, the outcome is the same as with fake checks.
There is also another (rather primitive) variation of the sugar daddy scams: they ask you for your bank account details, like username and password, for the purpose of depositing “allowance” into it. But everybody knows (or at least should know) that nobody needs your username and password in order to DEPOSIT something into your bank account. Only to WITHDRAW!! So, of course once you give them your details they will steal your money. But people still ask on the Internet: “He asked for my bank account password, is he a scammer?” YES HE IS, com’on!
Bottom line:
DO NOT CASH CHECKS FROM STRANGERS YOU MEET ONLINE!
DO NOT ACCEPT BANK DEPOSITS FROM STRANGERS YOU MEET ONLINE!
DO NOT GIVE OUT YOUR BANK ACCOUNT DETAILS TO STRANGERS YOU MEET ONLINE!
And last (but not least): these types of scams (just like the most romance scams) are pulled by Nigerians and Ghanaians. The pictures they use are stolen from innocent men and women who have nothing to do with scams. In reality, the “sugar daddies”, or even “sugar mommies” are African men.
Also see: