Don't be a victim

Although there are success stories of people finding their true love online, there are even more cases where the person on the other side of the screen is a scammer who is only looking for one thing, your money. “We have seen an increase in cases where often widowed persons have been scammed to give their money to people they have never seen or met in their life, just because promises of true love have been made online,” says Johnny Truter, head of Bank Windhoek’s forensic department.
The scammer starts out by seeking out specific profiles of divorced or widowed persons and then befriends them. These dark-horse Romeos then start conversing with their victims and gathering more and more information. When the scammer finally has enough detail on his target all of a sudden the issue of money will arise. Either it is for a new project to finance, a family tragedy like a funeral, a flight ticket or even a holiday in some exotic location. At that stage the victim is in a vulnerable position after having been groomed by flattering, great promises and the belief that this is their genuine true love.
Online scammers will flatter you endlessly. They will say you’re beautiful or handsome. They will try to make you feel valued. They may also appeal to your ego: If you’re a man, the picture will be a young, attractive woman who makes it clear she’s attracted to you and wants to meet you. If you’re a woman, the picture will be a nice looking guy who tells you that you’re beautiful and that he’s dying to meet you. The pictures are usually fake, stolen off the internet.
Staff Reporter