How to Identify a Scammer

My Fake Parcel from the UK

Someone presenting himself as a white woman from the UK sent me a friendship request on Facebook. I just told myself, “Here come the scammers again.” But I was curious to see how it goes –it could be legit.

She told me she would want us to become friends. That her husband was involved in a road accident was rushed to India and failed to make it. So, she wants someone to share her life with, someone to be the father of her kids. She asked if I was married or single. I said I was divorced.

The first reason to be suspicious: she has only one friend on Facebook and I am the second.

The second reason to be suspicious: my cover photo on Facebook is of myself and my wife on our wedding day and the profile photo is of me and my daughter. Why was she asking if I were single?

She said she wanted us to be chatting via i-chat on an Apple computer and asked if I had an Apple computer. I told her the computer I have is a Toshiba laptop. She said she would send me an Apple computer if I promised to chat with her so we could get to know each other better.

The third reason to be suspicious: it doesn’t matter what computer is used for chatting.

I told her I wouldn’t mind if she sent me that computer. She requested my trust again. I assured her. As our conversation progressed, she informed me that she had sent the computer together with the iPhone 12 and 3000 pounds to pay for the delivery when it arrived. After doing my conversion to naira, I saw that I was going to be a millionaire. At that point, I became afraid for my life. These things could be delivered truly. But it could get complicated with me ending up with the police. Long-throat couldn’t let me. So, I followed along.

She messaged me, giving details of what she had sent including a photo of the parcel. She informed me of the need to call Customer Care to tell them I was expecting my parcel. She sent me the number to call. That was in the night at about 9PM. But I didn’t call because it was late. Early in the morning, someone called, speaking in decent English, albeit with a mild Yoruba accent, as would be expected of a Lagosian who is educated. He also demonstrated an understanding of how couriers are handled. He asked where I live. I told him that I live in Jos. So, he told me to come to Lagos and get my parcel. But I told him that Lagos is too far and asked if it wasn’t possible for them to send it to Jos. He said it would cost me N35500 and that he was going to send me the Kuda account number to which I would send the money. My delivery will come at about 10 AM, about four hours later. But the situation was so urgent and I felt I was being rushed, not giving adequate time to think. Truecaller revealed the identity of the line as “Nigerian Airways.”

There were questions in my mind: does the Nigerian Airways still exist? If it does, does it handle couriers?

The fourth reason to be suspicious: he asked to confirm if my parcel was made up of an Apple computer and iPhone 12. Is he supposed to know the contents of the parcel? The only way would be if he opened it. The person sending the delivery said he included 3000 pounds and I shouldn’t tell them. So, if he opened the parcel to know its contents, he must have also seen the money. So, I wouldn’t be a millionaire, after all.

So, I asked myself some questions that led me to understand that it was clearly a scam: Was the person sending the parcel someone I had known before? Why should I pay money to someone I have not met and who is far away in Lagos? If there is a problem, how would I meet the person to resolve the situation? In conclusion, I resolved not to pay the money until the parcel is delivered.

This was our last conversation that confirmed he is a rogue:

Me: “Can’t I pay the money on delivery?”

Him: “No, we accept payment before delivery.”

There was a break of about five seconds with neither me nor he speaking.

Me: “I am sorry. I can’t pay for something I have not seen. Sent it so that I pay when it comes.”

Him: “We don’t do that.”

Me: “OK. Forget it.”

Him: “OK, make half payment.”

“Make part payment! ” was clearly an act of desperation for someone trying not to lose all. Corporate policies are not easily bent that way. I immediately end the call.

 The bottom line on how to identify a scammer: IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, YOU DON’T KNOW THE PERSON, BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO BE THE FIRST TO PART WITH MONEY.