My online match says they work on an oil rig, a ship or in the army. Is that a scam?
These jobs are the favourite cover story of romance scammers, because they explain why the person cannot video call, cannot meet and cannot get to their own money. Real people do have these jobs, so check the story instead of the job title.
The story is built so that every problem needs you: the internet on the rig is bad, the ship is in international waters, the army does not allow calls, the bank account is frozen while deployed. Sooner or later there is a leave request, a customs fee or a ticket you are asked to pay for.
A real engineer, sailor or soldier can usually video call now and then, talks about ordinary things at work and never needs a stranger to pay their way home.
How to check the story
- Ask simple questions about the job and the place and see if the answers stay the same over weeks.
- Do a reverse image search on the photos: uniforms and rig photos are often taken from real people's accounts.
- Ask for a short video call. "Not allowed" or "no signal for months" is a sign.
- Never pay for leave, a flight, a satellite phone or a release fee. No employer charges a girlfriend or boyfriend for that.
- Check the number: a scammer "on a rig" usually messages from a virtual number or one from another country.
Frequently asked questions
- They sent me a photo of their work ID. Does that prove it?
- No. Work IDs are easy to fake and are also stolen from real people. Veritaza never says a document is genuine; it only looks for signs of forgery.
Want to know if there are warning signs about the person you're chatting to? Veritaza checks the photos, the messages, the number, the email address, the name and the ID document, for R99.
Check a person