Scammed by a Holiday Romance?

By: Sarah Clark (ILEX) - Updated: 28 Feb 2019 | *Discuss

 

It’s one of those things all single people probably think of when going on holiday – the ubiquitous holiday romance. But in some cases, a fun filled fortnight can lead to a fraught return home. Don’t be scammed into believing that one of the locals has fallen head over heels when in some cases he or she might just love what you can do for them...

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

It’s hard to advise without being thought prejudiced but some of the African and Middle Eastern countries are well known for their holiday romance scams. Take a trip to morocco, Gambia, or Egypt alone as a female and you’ll find that you’re suddenly the most attractive woman on the resort, even if you’ve failed to get a date back home in months. They can flatter you and may well genuinely think you are amazing but be on your guard.Most men in these countries are trustworthy; it’s just the few that prey on gullible tourists that are to blame for the scams we hear about.

What to look Out For

Many men in foreign countries seem to think that all tourists are wealthy, and therefore target foreigners to try and scam money from them. Be very wary of the gorgeous young tour guide who just needs to borrow some money to get him through university; the waiter who needs money to help him set up his own business or buy a car to get into the city for work. It’s probably a well-practised line and if you are in a relationship of sorts, the word ‘wife’ or ‘girlfriend’ can often mean, ‘personal banker’. Any mention of money when you’ve been ‘dating’ a man on holiday for three days must be treated with extreme caution!

In some cases it’s not your money they want it’s a passport out of whichever country they are living in. These men are even more likely to go down the ‘will you marry me’ route and try to make an honest woman out of you so that they can scam you into moving them over to the UK and out of their own country.

It’s Not Just Women that Get Scammed

How to Avoid Being Scammed

Title:

Miss Ms Mrs Mr Dr Rev'd Prof. Other

(never shown)

! Enter a Title

Firstname:

(never shown)

! Enter a Firstname

Surname:

(never shown)

! Enter a Surname

Email:

(never shown)

! Enter a Valid Email Address

Nickname:

(shown)

! Enter a Nickname

Comment:

! Enter a Comment

Validate:

Enter word:

! Validation Incorrect