A former romance scammer from Nigeria shares his insights on how to identify and avoid online dating scams, emphasizing the importance of caution and verifying profiles.
Beware of social media profiles with few photos and never send money or gifts without meeting someone first. Those two seemingly simple tips could potentially save an unwitting man or woman looking for online companionship tens of thousands of dollars, a self-professed former romance scammer in Nigeria told Newsweek. 'People should look out for these guys that have few pictures and they are so cute on social media , especially military ones,' said Chris Maxwell, of Lagos.
'Don't trust someone who doesn't show their face on a video call or they're not willing to meet you in person.' The 26-year-old reformed fraudster who said he bilked dozens of women out of $70,000 from 2016 to 2021 now works as a consultant for Social Catfish, a California-based online dating investigation service that helps people verify questionable images and profiles. Maxwell wants to educate as many users as possible, especially women, to raise awareness of proliferating scams that can ultimately destroy lives. 'I did military romance scams, which involves using military pictures to create fake profiles and attract single mothers,' Maxwell recalled. 'I also did AI scams that involved creating fake voice and videos to distract the victims.' Maxwell said he created a fake online persona during his second year of college using a stolen image of a well-traveled U.S. Army officer. The Instagram handle, hey_milkshake, depicted a buff infantry soldier with worldwide ties, including Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois, Texas and Korea. Family, fitness and food got the bodybuilder going, according to the sham profile with nearly 6,000 followers. 'I just wanted to make enough money to flex around and be comfortable,' Maxwell told Newsweek. 'I just wanted money.' Maxwell, who considered romance scamming as his 'full-time job,' said he targeted single mothers age 30 to 65, preying on loneliness whenever possible. 'So, I advantage of that,' he acknowledged. In 2021, Maxwell said he conned a U.S
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