For anyone searching for companionship, the quest for love can lead to online dating platforms or casual messages with an attractive stranger on a social platform. The possibility of finding a meaningful connection online can fill anyone with excitement. However, by engaging with unfamiliar connections online, they run the risk of becoming a victim of Nigerian Romance Scams.
As the name implies, Nigerian Romance Scams are cases of romance scams conducted by individuals from Nigeria or Nigerian immigrants. Unlike romance scams from countries like the Philippines, Russia, or the Dominican Republic, romance scams originating from Nigeria have a distinct design. They include defined targets, methods for creating immediate connection, and devastating tactics that ensure scammers can extort their victims for thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of dollars.
Online romance fraud has become a global phenomenon. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the US, romance scams accounted for losses to about 24,000 Americans, exceeding US$1 billion, in 2022. On the African continent, Nigeria and Ghana have emerged as hubs for internet fraud. The “Yahoo Boys” operating in Nigeria and “Sakawa Boys” in Ghana have a reputation for engaging in various fraudulent schemes, including online romance scams.
How Nigerian Romance Scams Work
These specific romance scams begin with a fake profile. A Nigerian scammer will create one or multiple profiles featuring images of attractive men and women, which they use to join various social media and dating applications.
These profiles are tailored with backstories that may describe a single parent in a demanding career that requires long periods away from home. This could include someone deployed as an active military servicemen. Other popular careers for these fake profiles are those in a a well-paying profession that requires long periods of travel like a physician or engineer on an oil rig.
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Once the scammer has secured a connection with a potential target, the next step is “love bombing.” In this phase, the criminal sends frequent, affectionate messages to foster a sense of intimacy. Many victims of romance scams report that their communications accelerated rapidly, with the scammer getting them to say “I love you” in just a matter of days.
Finally, after a few days, weeks, or months, the scammer will make a request for money, often presenting an urgent need for funds. This could be for emergency medical bills, car repairs, or home maintenance. Once the victim was clearly engaged in the scam, the scammer would begin to ask for emergency financial assistance. If the victim sent money, the scammer would ask for increasingly larger amounts of financial assistance.
To educate clients about romance scams, the Digital Forensics Corp. team uses the acronym F.A.S.T. as a checklist. Each letter represents a key characteristic commonly found in these scams:
- Fake: The scammer pretends to be an attractive individual or a celebrity, impersonating someone they believe the victim will trust.
- Assure: They assure the victim of their love and claim that the money they request is needed to build a future together.
- Stress: The scammer explains that they are facing a stressful situation and urgently need money to resolve it.
- Transfer: They ask the victim to transfer money through methods that are hard to dispute, such as wire transfers, cryptocurrency, gift cards, or other digital payment methods that give the scammer immediate access to the funds.
What Makes Nigerian Romance Scams So Effective?
What makes these Nigerian Romance Scams so effective-and dangerous-is that they are often well-researched and tailored to exploit the vulnerabilities of individual victims. These scammers don’t just send out generic messages; they take steps to build trust over time.
For example, scammers may send gifts or deliveries based on conversations with the victim, select profile pictures that resemble the victim’s former spouse, or use other strategies to make their fake profile appear authentic. This makes the victim more likely to believe they are in a real relationship with a real person. But it’s all part of a calculated effort to create comfort and connection before requesting money.
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These requests can vary in size, from large lump sum payments for medical emergencies to smaller amounts claimed to be necessary for the scammer to save for a trip to meet the victim in person. The lies are designed to be convincing, earning the victim’s trust and fostering real feelings of love. This works so well that, in October 2024, the Federal Trade Commission reported $1.9 billion in losses to fraud categorized as romance scams.
In a recent paper, I studied the cases of 50 people convicted of online romance in Nigeria. A separate research study I spearheaded involved interviews with active offenders in Ghana. Rather than relying solely on fragmented media accounts, the two research papers offer a robust, evidence-based understanding of the cultural, economic and historical factors driving cybercriminal behaviour. My findings from both papers show that romance fraud offenders frequently present themselves as white and primarily target western societies. In framing fraud as a way to reclaim wealth they believed was unjustly taken during colonial rule, many saw their actions as a civic duty.
I examined case files of 50 individuals convicted of romance fraud in Nigeria following prosecutions by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. In a separate study I conducted interviews with active romance fraud offenders in Ghana. My decision to focus on Nigeria and Ghana was based on findings in research done earlier. For example, I co-authored a paper that reviewed 21 years of empirical studies (2000-2021) in which we found that many west African scammers predominantly targeted individuals in the west. Similarly, the Nigeria case file study found that over half of the romance scam victims (56%) were in the US.
My interviews with offenders in Ghana further showed that romance scammers viewed their actions as “legitimate retribution for colonial injustice”. The analysis of the case files of the 50 convicted romance scammers showed patterns in offender profiles and strategies. Most were young - 81.7% were under 26. Nearly 60% preferred Apple’s iPhone for their fraudulent schemes. When it came to occupation, 74% were university students.
Offenders carefully constructed their online personas. Nearly half (46%) posed as white American males, 12% as military personnel, and 10% as white European males. The victims they chose were mostly women: 70% of offenders primarily targeted females, 14% targeted males, 10% targeted both genders and 6% did not specify the victim’s gender. Some of the Ghanaian scammers said they saw their crimes as acts of service to a greater cause. This included loyalty to their communities or the pursuit of economic justice. They portrayed their scams as efforts to reclaim wealth from nations historically exploiting their regions.
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How Romance Scams Manipulate Your Emotions
Who are the most vulnerable to Nigerian Romance Scams?
Based on reports from the FBI, FTC, and Digital Forensics Corp., the majority of romance scam victims are women, particularly those over the age of 50.
Among these victims, we found substantial evidence that Nigerian scammers often choose targets based on perceived vulnerability. This vulnerability could include older women who have lost a spouse or individuals who have shared information about personal hardships, disabilities, or emotional struggles.
By exploiting these vulnerabilities, scammers create enough trust to request money, often giving a compelling story to justify why such a large sum is needed and why it must be paid using digital currency or a payment app. By pushing the right emotional buttons, scammers are able to manipulate victims, build a false relationship, and extort them until nothing is left.
Three Famous Criminal Cases of Nigerian Romance Scams
While some scammers have been brought to justice, thousands of cases are still under investigation.
- Charles Uchenna Nwadavid: According to court documents, Nwadavid was running a romance scam, in which criminals love-bomb lonely-often elderly-people on dating apps and social media to quickly gain their affections. As part of the scheme and to keep himself concealed, authorities said Nwadavid tricked his first victim, one of three women from Massachusetts, into opening a crypto account at Bitcoin of America. From there, Nwadavid used the Massachusetts woman as a “money mule” to collect illicit funds from other unsuspecting women. At that point, Nwadavid allegedly tricked the first woman, his money mule, into transferring the $2.5 million she had collected from the other five women into her crypto account. His sentencing is scheduled for September.
- Memphis, TN - Four Nigerian citizens: Edah, Egbowawa, Mac-Okor, and Ozegbe functioned as “money mules” in the conspiracy that perpetuated a series of romance and investment scams against victims across the United States, including in Western Tennessee and Canada, resulting in a loss of over $400,000. There were dozens of victims who each lost amounts ranging from several thousand dollars to several hundred thousand dollars. District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Egbowawa to 60 months in federal prison on April 17, 2024. Judge Parker later sentenced Ozegbe to 36 months in federal prison on September 23, 2024. The group is now serving separate sentences in federal prison.
- Ifeanyichukwu Festus Obi (February 2023): Obi was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in stealing $1.32 million from romance scams in which he assisted with money laundering.
- Attorney Michael M. INWEREGBU: INWEREGBU’s plea stemmed from his role in a lengthy romance scam targeting American citizens. INWEREGBU and his co-conspirators began to cultivate a romantic relationship that emotionally attached the victims to “Larry Pham.” Once the relationship was established, the defendant and his co-conspirators, posing as Larry Pham, requested victims send them money under various scams and ruses to domestic bank accounts they opened and managed. INWEREGBU’s scheme resulted in actual and intended losses to the victims of over $405,000. He faces up to twenty years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and up to a fine of $500,000 as to Count 12.
How to Protect Yourself from Falling for Romance Scams
To protect yourself from falling victim to any type of romance scam, it’s important to stay aware and vigilant when engaging in online activity. The first step is to be cautious about what you share online. This applies not only to the information you share with new connections but also to what you post on your own profile. Scammers can use this information against you, making you a target for potential extortion.
Next, always verify the information of anyone you’re interacting with. Tools such as reverse image searches can help you determine if the photos on a profile are authentic. It is also a good idea to research the information that they provide you regarding their background or family life.
Additionally, be wary of excuses that prevent you from meeting in person or having a video call. In several cases investigated by Digital Forensics Corp., victims reported that their scammers used excuses such as poor internet connection or time constraints to avoid video chats. Don’t fall for these excuses! Legitimate connections should be willing to engage in these forms of communication before trying to establish a relationship.
What To Do If You’ve Already Been A Victim of This Type of Romance Scam
If you’ve been targeted by a romance scam and sent money to a scammer, it’s important to act quickly to limit further damage and recover what you can. Below are the steps you should take immediately:
Report Your Scammer to The FBI IC3 Helpline
The Federal Bureau of Investigations provides a special method for victims of cyber crimes including romance scams, sextortion, or online harassment to report the issue to law enforcement.
Using their Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), you can file a complaint online, and it will be investigated by the appropriate agency. However, while reporting does help with potential recovery of funds, there are no reported timelines for when your case will be processed.
Work with A Cyber Security Firm Experienced in Digital Investigations
If you’ve been a victim of a romance scam, a cybersecurity firm like Digital Forensics Corp. can help you take critical steps to trace the scammer and assist with your recovery. Our team specializes in advanced IP-to-location tracking and device fingerprinting techniques to uncover the identity and location of cybercriminals.
Additionally, the data we gather can be used to help you compile evidence that could later be useful in legal proceedings.
At Digital Forensics Corp., we work closely with law enforcement agencies and legal teams to gather evidence that supports victims. Our goal is to help victims of romance scams recover and prevent further victimization.
