The “Oil Rig Engineer” Who Needed Emergency Funds (Part 2)
July 30, 2026
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By Jackson Godwin. Cybersecurity Analyst & Penetration Tester.
The Emergency Sounded Serious
When he finally explained the situation, it sounded convincing.
He claimed there had been an unexpected problem with his employment contract.
According to him, the company had delayed processing some important documents.
Until the issue was resolved, he couldn’t leave the offshore platform.
He told me:
“I’ve never been in this situation before.”
“I don’t know who else to ask.”
He sounded frustrated.
Not desperate.
That made the story even more believable.
He Didn’t Ask for a Huge Amount
Instead of requesting a fortune, he asked for what he described as a temporary loan.
He promised:
To repay me immediately after returning home.
To show me proof of repayment.
To visit me in person once everything was resolved.
He even apologised for asking.
“I hate borrowing money.”
At first, it sounded genuine.
He Sent Me Official Documents
A few hours later, he sent several documents that appeared to come from his employer.
They contained:
Company logos.
Signatures.
Stamps.
Contract references.
Everything looked professional.
But appearance alone doesn’t prove authenticity.
Modern editing tools make it easier than ever to create convincing fake documents.
He Said Time Was Running Out
The following day, he became more anxious.
He explained that if the payment wasn’t made quickly, his return home could be delayed.
He kept saying:
“This is only temporary.”
“As soon as I’m back, everything will be fine.”
The request wasn’t just about money anymore.
It became emotional.
He reminded me of our future together.
The holidays we had planned.
The life we wanted to build.
Something Didn’t Add Up
As I thought about everything he had told me, one question kept bothering me.
If he worked for a large offshore company, why would they ask an employee’s online partner to solve an official company problem?
Wouldn’t the employer have procedures for handling emergencies?
The story suddenly seemed less convincing.
I Asked for a Live Video Call
Before making any decision, I suggested a video call.
He replied almost immediately.
“That’s impossible from the rig.”
He explained that company security policies prevented video communication.
It sounded reasonable.
But then I remembered something.
During months of conversations:
We had never had a proper video call.
Every live conversation was extremely short.
There was always another technical excuse.
The pattern became impossible to ignore.
I Started Researching Offshore Worker Scams
Curious, I searched online for stories involving offshore engineers.
I was shocked.
Dozens of people described almost identical experiences.
The offshore worker.
The emergency.
The delayed contract.
The request for money.
The promise to repay everything after returning home.
Even some of the messages were remarkably similar.
It was as though the scam followed a script.
I Realised I Needed Proof
Instead of focusing on his words, I decided to focus on verification.
If he were genuine, proving his identity shouldn’t be impossible.
If he wasn’t, the truth would eventually reveal itself.
In the final part of this story, I’ll explain how I uncovered the fake offshore identity, reveal why criminals frequently pretend to be oil rig engineers, and share practical steps you can take to avoid becoming the next victim of this increasingly common romance scam.
