Ghana Girls (and, I am sure, men):
I am looking for a collection of phish. Specifically dating site phish. People who are looking to... scam might not be the right word... people who are misrepresenting themselves on dating websites for... whatever reason (and yes, these ellipses are right, they are pauses in my thought process).
My first experience was a gall perportedly from Oakland California. We started talking and got somewhat intimate in our conversations. Her father was deceased, he mother in Ghana.
Shortly into the 'relationship' her mother was injured in some sort of incident and she had to travel to support her.
Initially she was going to stop over in Denver (I was living in CO at the time) to visit on the way. Then the logistics just weren't right so, she'd visit on the way home.
Soon after arriving, she complained about the cuisine in Ghana and asked me for a "care package" of typical American munchies that would travel fairly well... you'd be surprised at the cost of sending a bit of food to Ghana!
The conversation evolved such that she understood just how costly this would be and, why not just send some money?
At this point alarm bells were going off in my mind (I have always been security conscious) and I hesitated.
I researched the address she gave me and found it was associated with scammers. Further, I did some research and found that this is a typical scam script: mom/dad die, dad/mom drag child to Ghana, child needs support, please send money.
I DID get a call from her uncle (I am assuming honesty here) with her crying in the background asking questions and trying to make things work... the thought that occurred to me was that we haven't even met yet and she was acting with such hysterics (she was, loudly, crying in the background).
So... I (virtually) walked away from the situation as it seemed a bit like the proverbial smell of fish in Denmark.
What are your experiences with same?
For the record, I have quite a few more, but most follow this sort of script.
1
Enjoy being online again!
Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.Create your free account
5 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Oh man, scammers are every where!!! I play Words with Friends and in the last couple of months I've been getting scammers. I put ads on craigslist and get scammers. I get lots of "civil engineers" living in London. I swear they use form letters!! I never friend anyone on facebook that I don't know or that isn't a friend of somebody I know. I get tons of requests from men that have been on facebook for all of a minute and have no friends.
sewchick57
Level 7
Feb 4, 2018
0
Oh yes, the old Nigerian 419 scam. Facebook is full of them. PoF is nearly as bad. Usually US Armed Forces (normally Generals - you'd be surprised how many of them are in the dating pool.) Another favourite seems to be UN peacekeeping forces on top secret missions to Guam. Please don't tell anyone that they're communicating with you, since they could get into a ton of trouble. TinEye works to a point, but I've had some that didn't show up on there. And I had one genuine US Army General, according to his profile. They'd actually gone to the trouble of stealing this guy's name as well as his pictures. It made a change from the usual "Smith Bob".
I've become naturally cynical with anyone who claims to currently be overseas. Alarm bells usually ring for me well before they ask for money. A favourite is that they're currently abroad, but normally live near or are looking to move near where you are. If they claim to be local, then you can have great fun asking them about local geography, using fictional place names. Mentioning God immediately triggers my alarm bells. It's an attempt to gain your confidence. If they come across as a Christian, you're more likely to trust them. Quite the reverse, when they try it with me.
The golden rule is to never send money. And absolutely never send untraceable money. Services like Western Union and Moneygram run completely anonymously. They go in with the transaction number, walk out with the cash, and you have absolutely no comeback. Only use such services with people you know in person and trust, and then only when you're absolutely certain that you're dealing with the real individual. If they're abroad, claiming to be in dire need of money, ask them a question that only you and they would know the answer to. Don't consider sending them anything unless they answer correctly.
NicoleCadmium
Level 7
Feb 4, 2018
1
Not just Ghana. They're all over the map.
evidentialist
Level 8
Feb 4, 2018
1
I have had people from Kenya, Afghanistan, Brussels (which devolved to Ghana), and, of course, Ghana try to scam me. I am sure I am missing a few.
I wasn't trying to imply they are only from Ghana. It's just that about 90% of the scammers I run across are from there. It seems to be some form of hotbed for this kind of activity.
if it says from Ghana goodbye. why Ghana all the time I wonder?
LeighShelton
Level 8
Feb 4, 2018
1
Same here and I have asked them why Ghana and why everyone gives story.
I have been on the internet and on dating sites for 23 years and I know from experience what can happen here. I realized immediately the scammer situations on the internet and I typed a text file that I saved and would copy and paste it into chats when the time was right and if you follow that simple rule you will NEVER be scammed.
"I have one strict rule when I am on the internet. I will NEVER, under ANY circumstances, send money or gifts to ANYONE for ANY REASON."
It is my opinion that it is just an organisation that works just like a telemarketing organisation with rows of individuals contacting internet users who would be susceptible to scamming (lonely older men and women the best targets). When you are on the internet, you have absolutely no way of knowing who you are chatting with (it could be a man, woman, child, a bot, law enforcement). You are perfectly safe if you remember and use the strict rule text file above. Good luck and have some fun.
jlynn37
Level 8
Feb 4, 2018
2
I actually do that too. When they reveal they are overseas (nearly every time from Ghana), I make a contract with them:
"It's not real until we meet. Until we can shake hands or hug, this is just a penpal relationship. I will never ask you for money, and if you ask me for money, the relationship ends there. I will never ask you for revealing photos nor send any (without prior request)."
I do that because when I am meeting a prospective someone on a dating site, the assumption is that we are trying to build a relationship and I do not assume that they are nefarious right from the get go. I am confident that there is at least one rather frustrated, honest, person in Ghana just horribly angry at all the scammers from there ruining their chances at a real relationship. 
@jlynn37 what I try to do is NOT make assumptions. Yes, when it is an attractive, quite young, individual I am very much more reticent/wary. However, I don't assume that just because someone is young and attractive they are nefarious in nature. I treat everyone at face value until my gut instincts say "enough, you now know that this is not honest and genuine" and my hard and fast rule: I will NOT send money, we are no longer friends if you ask for same. At least, until we meet and get to know each other well enough that we are comfortable with such exchanges (hasn't happened yet).
I could do a flip to your question: should I assume that any kindly looking person over the age of 50 is perfectly innocent and it is safe to engage with them, with no filters?
Enjoy being online again!
Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.Create your free account
Share this post
Categories
Agnostic does not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any content. Read full disclaimer.