What does it take for you to fall in love?

For most of us, it is the right mix of chemistry, compatibility, and shared interests. Nigerian scammers don’t need to have anything in common with you, and they only need to pretend that they do. Scammers know that choosing the right photographs to trick you is imperative.

If they select attractive photographs, you’re more likely to fall hard and fast. Join us as we review some of the most used pictures used by Nigerian scammers. You may recognize the images below as someone you’ve met online in the past or consider yourself forewarned for the future!

What Are Nigerian Romance Scams?

Nigerian romance scams are no laughing matter. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), romance scammers participate in confidence fraud and create more financial loss than other online crimes. Nigerian scams occur when someone living in Nigeria or another foreign country, pretend to be an American citizen looking for love and connection online. They will pretend they are falling in love with you and invent a (fake!) backstory.

After courting you online with frequent messages and other types of communication, they will ask you for a favor. They could claim they are deployed in the army, working on an oil rig, a student, traveling abroad, or an international businessperson. The critical component is that they will suddenly need the financial help of some kind.

They will fabricate a financial disaster that tugs at your heartstrings. Victims feel compelled to assist since the person they have been messaging sounds honest and claims that they want to be with them “forever”. If this happens to you, a Nigerian scammer may ask for a loan (that they never intend on paying back), a gift card, use of your bank account, or another type of financial help.

While you may feel close to the scammer and want to believe what they tell you, Nigerian scammers trick multiple people at once, and you mean nothing to them. The loving emails they send are copied, pasted, and sent to numerous people.

5 Common Nigerian Scammer Photos

Victims of Nigerian scammers are beginning to band together and share the fake images they were tricked by. Social Catfish users frequently share scammer photos in our blogs, social media accounts, and more. If you’ve been scammed, let us know in the comments below. Pinterest users have also begun posting images of the top scammers they’ve encountered.

Strangers with Candy

If you were ever warned not to trust strangers with candy, the same applies to this good looking gentleman. This photo has been stolen and used by scammers, to trick women into thinking they are talking to the man in the photograph. In reality, they are talking to a Nigerian scammer and the person photographed had no idea his photos were stolen!

Military Man

Who wouldn’t trust someone in the military! Unfortunately, victims who received this photo were speaking with a scammer!

Military Man with Child!

As if it wasn’t bad enough to trick an innocent person into falling in love with you, many Nigerian scammers send photographs that include children. They will claim to be a single mother or father, hoping you trust them more.

Caught in the Act!

When online victims find out that they’ve been conned, many post images of the pictures they were duped by, next to the person who was emailing them. Unmask your Nigerian scammer today, at Social Catfish

Guy or Girl Next Door!

The person who messages you might seem like your dream man or woman. They are emotionally available, successful, and have all the qualities you’re looking for in your perfect match. The common denominator will be that you haven’t met them in person and they are pursuing you at lightning-fast speed, Nigerian scammers will always ask for money or gifts!

8 Signs of a Romance Scammer

1. They say they are out of the country on business or traveling.
2. Most communication is by email or text.
3. They send pictures that are “too good to be true”. You wonder why someone as attractive as they are would ever be single and looking for love halfway across the world.
4. They avoid talking to you by video chat since they’ve used fake photographs. If they do send you a video, it looks like it has been dubbed with an artificial voice.
5. They come on very strong. For example, they will claim to have fallen in love with you without meeting and ask you to envision a life with them.
6. They will ask you for money as soon as you seem to trust them. They will claim this money will help them return home faster and be with you.
7. They will always have an excuse to avoid meeting in person (or video chatting).
8. They sound too good to be true, and you have no proof that they’re a real person since you’ve never met face to face.

While it can be heartbreaking to find out the person you were falling in love with is a scammer, most Social Catfish users are relieved to find out the truth. Although it can be difficult to realize you’ve been lied to, the moment you know you’re dealing with a scammer, you can protect your wallet and begin to pick up the pieces. If you’ve been scammed out of money by a Nigerian scammer, report the crime to the IC3.

If you worry that your scammer is also conning others, let us know how they tricked you in the comments, below. If you believe a friend or loved one is being scammed, or aren’t sure what to do, conduct a fast and thorough Social Catfish search today and uncover the truth! Search by name, username, email address, phone number, or photograph:

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