Whenever someone offers you large amounts of money online, be careful because this is how the advance payment scam begins.

He is a soldier in need of money or a terminally ill woman who will soon die: users are always served up the most fantastic stories when it comes to money. This is how advance payment fraud works!

Namely the money that fraudsters want to take out of their victim's pockets. The so-called advance payment fraud is not new - but unfortunately it is still a very current topic, as this Facebook Messenger message shows:

My name is Martina Kerstin and when I write to you I should inform you about a project that is close to my heart. I am seriously ill and suffer from throat cancer. My doctor told me that I would die soon. That's why I decided to donate my assets, estimated at 828,000 euros, because I don't want to leave my money in the bank. I am looking for someone who believes in God and is willing to accept my gift and use it well. Contact me via email if you are interested

Advance fee fraud, romance scam, Nigeria connection – these terms are behind the text of the allegedly terminally ill woman.

As with the romance scam , the woman's story is just an excuse to trigger feelings in the reader and to arrest them emotionally. The aim is to create the impression that the woman actually only has a few weeks left to live. If the victim then accepts the offer of money, the offer turns out to be a demand.

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Fees would soon become due or other liabilities would arise that the victim would have to shell out in advance. Such messages, as shown above, are 99.9% this type of advance fee fraud.

This type of fraud has been around for a very long time. The offers are sent via email or social networks.

Nigeria Connection

Such fraud attempts are sent, among others, by the so-called Nigeria Connection . She tries to wrap her victims around her finger and - due to the emotional closeness that has arisen - ask them for a financial advance.

However, the Nigeria Connection is not a structured organization. These are different groups of African fraudsters, some of whom live in Europe and some in Nigeria.

These internet fraudsters specialize in credit card fraud, document forgery, advance payment fraud and much more. on Facebook with many fake profiles for some time .

They contact unsuspecting Facebook users, gain their trust and after a while pretend to be in financial distress.

The fraudsters have a very specific prey scheme : The main target group of their victims is:

  • female
  • reasonably intelligent (must have at least a good knowledge of English)
  • single
  • middle-aged (very young women do not yet have any financial resources)

A clearly recognizable, smiling face must be visible in the profile photo of the selected victim, because the fraudsters refer to this in their first contact attempts.

Of course, this also applies to men.

What are the characteristics of such fraudsters?

Unfortunately, a completely precise description is not possible because these criminals are extremely creative and of course adapt to the circumstances.

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However, there are some basic criteria that you can pay attention to in order to protect yourself: The scammers are supposedly:

  • about the age of the victim
  • professionally more in middle management
  • divorced, but widowed much more often. Her children have either also died or the man supposedly has to look after them alone.
  • The Facebook profile is not particularly informative; there are no visible postings.
  • The fraudsters appear remarkably empathetic.

This is how criminals proceed with advance payment fraud:

  • Initial contact via message. All communication is in English.
  • Profile picture: not unattractive, but not an “Adonis” either. In the case of alleged inheritances, very elderly, amiable people
  • Report-like CV, e.g. B. “My parents died in an accident, my wife died giving birth to our child.”
  • Questioning the targeted victim (= looking for weaknesses)
  • Vows of love that no real man would utter sober.
  • A sudden event occurs, e.g. B. “Pirates are coming” (= most bizarre version). However, the story is often coherent in itself - as a justification for the resulting emergency.
  • Request for a financial loan (amount in the four-digit euro range) using massive, emotional pressure and presenting so-called “evidence” as a file.
  • After receiving money – money gone. Unknown admirer, of course, or died early - and no longer entitled to the inheritance.

What can I do if someone like that writes to me?

Unfortunately, this form of fraud is something of a “gray area” from a legal perspective.

Unfortunately, the damage that such a fraudster can cause can hardly be repaired in practice to date. That's why you should take a close look at your potential Internet acquaintances.

  • Don't give out too much information about yourself.
  • Don't accept suspicious friend requests.
  • If it has already happened: Hide your own contacts.
  • Be careful with information about yourself: you don't tell complete strangers your fears, dreams, family situation, etc.
  • Distrust is appropriate when the unfamiliar person uses nicknames and the term “love” relatively quickly.
  • For the brave: shorten the whole thing and either announce your own arrival or immediately ask how much money you need.
  • For the sensible: Block and report to Facebook to protect other future victims.

Summarized:

There is probably no inheritance, no treasure, no money.

And there is hardly anyone on the Internet who is so kind and friendly - and who really wants to give away their money.

So do the same - and don't blindly give away money to internet acquaintances you've never met in real life!

Article image: Shutterstock / By fizkes


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