By Jackson Godwin. Cybersecurity Analyst & Penetration Tester
The Favour Didn’t Sound Unreasonable
When she asked for a favour, I expected something simple.
Instead, she told me she was dealing with an emergency.
According to her:
- She had travelled for work.
- Her bank account had been temporarily restricted.
- She couldn’t access her money.
- She only needed a short-term loan.
She ended the message with:
“I promise I’ll pay you back as soon as everything is sorted.”
At first, it sounded believable.
She Never Pressured Me
One thing made the request seem genuine.
She didn’t demand money immediately.
Instead, she said:
“If you can’t help, I’ll understand.”
That response lowered my guard.
I thought,
“A scammer would probably be more aggressive.”
I didn’t realise that experienced romance scammers often avoid pressure at the beginning because patience builds trust.
The Excuses About Video Calls Continued
Before making any decision, I suggested another video call.
I wanted to see the person I had been talking to for months.
Once again, there was another explanation.
“I’m staying somewhere with terrible internet.”
The next day:
“My phone camera stopped working.”
A few days later:
“I’m embarrassed because I’ve been crying.”
Every excuse sounded possible.
But none of them solved the simple problem of speaking face to face.
Something Started Feeling Wrong
For the first time, I reviewed our entire conversation history.
I noticed something I had ignored before.
Although we had spoken every day for months:
- We had never had a successful video call.
- She always avoided live conversations.
- Most of the photos she sent looked professionally taken.
- Every difficult situation somehow involved money.
Individually, those details didn’t seem alarming.
Together, they painted a very different picture.
I Decided to Verify Her Identity
Instead of sending money, I investigated.
I performed a reverse image search on one of the profile pictures.
Within seconds, I discovered the same photograph on several unrelated websites.
The woman in the pictures was real.
But she wasn’t the person I had been talking to.
Her identity had been stolen.
The Story Began Falling Apart
I asked a few simple questions.
Questions about:
- Her workplace.
- Her city.
- The places she claimed to visit.
The answers became inconsistent.
Some details contradicted earlier conversations.
When I politely pointed out the differences, she quickly changed the subject.
That confirmed my suspicions.
I Refused to Send the Money
I replied with a simple message.
“Before I help financially, let’s have a video call.”
This time, she became defensive.
She accused me of not trusting her.
She said:
“I thought our relationship meant more than this.”
The conversation had changed.
Instead of answering my questions, she tried to make me feel guilty.
That emotional pressure was another warning sign.
The Perfect Relationship Was Built on Lies
Within a few hours, everything became clear.
The photographs were stolen.
The identity was fake.
The relationship had been carefully designed to create trust before asking for money.
The person I believed I knew had never existed.
In the final part of this story, I’ll share the biggest warning signs of romance scams, explain why scammers avoid video calls, and reveal the simple verification habit that can protect you from becoming the next victim.
Continue Reading: The Perfect Girlfriend Who Never Wanted a Video Call (Part 3)
