Romance scam: Nigeria and Ghana leading in Africa
Nigeria has been ranked first in dating scams in Africa, followed by Ghana in both West Africa. According to a study conducted by the Techshielder Group, Nigeria is reportedly the second most popular country globally for romance scams, after the Philippines.
According to a study conducted by the Techshielder Group, Nigeria is reportedly the second most popular country in the world for romance scams, after the Philippines. A romance or dating scam is described as the process of creating a fake profile to get someone attracted online. Fraudsters befriend victims over the internet in the hopes that they can get them to send money.
Financial gain remains the single biggest irresistible force for dating scams among scammers. They build trusting relationships with victims to get them to send money under false pretences.
The love scam, also known as the catfishing scam, has increased significantly during the pandemic. Not only have scammers left many people heartbroken, but they have also left their pockets empty.
Techshielder analyzed international and domestic reports to find the place is most likely to fall victim to a dating scam, as well as the monetary loss per victim.
The analysis also showed where the biggest cheaters live, the cities with the most victims, and how much money is lost to find the places you should avoid when looking for love. The study found that dating scams cost the world $218 million last year, averaging $17,661 per victim.
It turns out that the Philippines is responsible for the largest number of cases of dating fraud. There are more than 1,300 reported cases of romance fraud, and they are responsible for a whopping $4 million in financial losses.
Being the first place in Africa, In second place in the world ranking is Nigeria. With a population of 201 million people, Nigeria accounts for 1,129 reported scams, while Ghana is ranking second in Africa. Morocco and Ivory coast rank third and fourth respectively.
The total amount of money lost to Nigerian dating scams is a staggering $16.8 million, averaging $14,892 per victim. In Ghana, a total of $11,425,000 was lost to scammers.
Rounding out the top three in the world ranking is Canada. The world’s second-largest country has taken $7.8 million from the pockets of love-seekers and broken 1,054 hearts over catfishing.
At the other end of the scale, we have the European country of Iceland. The country accounts for only 1 case of dating fraud, and it didn’t steal any money at all.
The study also found that the U.K. cheated most of its money through love scams. Nigeria ranks third on the money scale. United Kingdom ($34,124,000 reported lost from victims), Turkey ($25,668,000), Nigeria ($16,814,000), China ($15,195,000), Ghana ($11,425,000).
