Misconceptions about scams.

Here we’ll list a number of misconceptions, falsehoods and lies about scammers.

“All Africans are scammers”
Many parts of Africa have a bad reputation as being scammer hotspots. This does not mean everyone in those places are scammers. The vast majority of people are honest and law abiding. It’s the minority that drag the reputation down.

“All black people are scammers”
This is of course wildly innacurate and outright racist. There are scammers from every part of the globe, and they come in all colours. Russian and Ukrainian scammers for example are white males abusing stolen photos of white females to perpetrate their scams.

“Anyone using a stolen photo is a scammer”
Apart from baiters, people who are aware of the dangers online and don’t expose their real face and people who simply want to use a photo of someone they like instead of their own. A stolen photo can be a sign the person is a scammer, but is not absolute proof.

“I saw her on webcam. She must be real”
Webcam footage can be stolen, and some programs will even allow some level of interaction.

“They wouldn’t go on webcam with me, so they must be a scammer”
Not everyone is comfortable appearing on webcam. Just because they refuse doesn’t make them a scammer.

“Every white person claiming to be in Africa/Asia is a scammer”
Because of globalisation, people travel abroad for a number of reasons. Again, it can be considered a sign, but not 100% proof.

“They used a proxy. They must be a scammer”
Some people prefer to hide their real location. Some people use their phone to browse the web. Some people use ISPs that are considered a giant proxy. Simply using a proxy is not proof.

“She wants to see me naked online. She must be a scammer”
Or, maybe she’s horny too. It happens. You still need to be careful, but don’t simply assume they must be a blackmailer if they want to see you naked.

“I saw his ID. He must be real”
Can you say “Photoshop”?

“He admitted he was trying to scam me at first, but now really does love me”
No. He loves your bank account. That’s what he’s trying to get into, not your underwear.

“He promised to give me my money back”
Nuh huh. If he sends you anything, it’ll be money from another victim, not your scammer. That can get you put in jail. Even a bunch of flowers can be paid for abusing stolen credit card details.