Nigerian scammers popped up again in the news today, but this time, the scam scenario is a little bit different from what we are used to hearing.

The “You Have a Long Lost Relative Who Died and Left This Money for You” scenario was tossed out on this occasion, and the scammers used a different approach: targeting middle aged, female divorcees on dating sites.

The online dating scam started last year when a middle-aged divorcee received text messages from a man who was about 10 years younger than her.

“The man said, ‘You know, you’re a very pretty lady, I like your profile,’”

“You feel very flattered.” the victim told the Edmonton Sun.

After a few emails and instant messages, the two began exchanging texts and phone calls. Those eventually turned into promises of coming to Canada and getting married. Continuing for five months, eventually came the requests for money,  claiming that the man’s son was hospitalized and needed three surgeries.

“I had so many friends tell me, ‘Don’t send money,’” she said. “But you love that person, you believe what they say. You don’t want to stop.”

All in all, the scammers got about $300,000 out of a handful of Canadian women.  All the lessons in love are tough, but this one was expensive too.

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wow. If I was this lady, I probably would have tried to keep this to myself.

Sweet Home, Ore - An Oregon woman who is out $400,000 after falling for a well-known Internet scam says she wasn’t a sucker or an easy mark. Janella Spears of Sweet Home says she simply became curious when she received an e-mail promising her $20.5 million if she would only help out a long-lost relative identified as J.B. Spears with a little money up front.

Its hard to believe that anyone would fall for this scam, especially for this astronomical amount.  It leaves one question to be asked, “Why would you send that much money to somebody you don’t know, distant relative or not?”

Well she didn’t just send over $400,000.  Jeez that would be idiotic. She sent that amount over 2 years, starting at $100.00 a time.

“Her family and bank officials told her it was all a scam, she said, and begged her to stop, but she persisted because she became obsessed with getting paid.The scheme is often called the “Nigerian scam” and it’s familiar to many people with e-mail accounts. It still exists and it still works.

The scammers sent Spears official-looking legal documents and certificates from the Bank of Nigeria and the United Nations. President Bush and FBI Director Robert Mueller were also involved, the e-mails said, and needed her help.”

Spears first sent $100 through an untraceable wire service as directed by the scammers. Then, more multimillion dollar promises followed so long as she sent more money.

“Spears, who is a nursing administrator and CPR teacher, said she mortgaged the house and took a lien out on the family car, and ran through her husband’s retirement account.The retirement he was dreaming of — cruising and going around and seeing America — is pretty much gone for him right now,” she said.”

Of course I find it sad that there are people that would take advantage of someone like this, but in this ladies situation, I really don’t have any sympathy for her and her husband.  If the schmuck was dumb enough to marry a broad like this he deserves to work until he croaks.

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