Heartbreaker: Former scammer ‘Christopher’ posed as US Army man
Rippling biceps, short blonde hair and a military uniform: this was Christopher Maxwell’s mask of choice.
For five years as a romance scammer, Christopher, now 24, posed as an American soldier to prowl social media platforms and dating sites looking for his next victim, successfully duping up to 50 women into to send him a total of $70,000 (£55,400). ). Speaking to Money Mail, the self-confessed reformed conman acknowledges the deceptive and cruel tricks he used to seduce women across the English-speaking world.
Christopher, who uses a pseudonym and now works as a consultant at anti-fraud group Social Catfish, began scamming in 2016 as a way to make easy money when he was in his second year of university in Nigeria.
‘I had no money and my family was broke, so I had to do something. I know people may not understand it, but I’m a professional and it was my full-time job. I scammed every day of my life at that time.”
But did he feel guilty for cheating on these women? “I felt bad at first, but at some point I stopped. “I was making a lot of money,” she claims. “I never felt anything for these people and I didn’t let any emotion come up.”
Christopher says he used social media platforms Facebook and Instagram to contact women, as well as dating websites. She primarily targeted women in their 50s and 60s who appeared to be recently divorced or widowed.
‘I can take advantage of that. Dating apps make it easy because you can set your profile for a specific age group,” she says.
Her profile featured photos of a man she had found online who was in the military, and she told women that he was American and had been deployed to Afghanistan, Israel or Korea.
The 24-year-old says he had a variety of false excuses for asking for money, including saying he needed money to get on a flight to spend the rest of his life with the woman, or to replace his uniform.
“I started with small amounts and always said I would pay it all back.”
His biggest windfall came from a 61-year-old American woman, who sent him a total of $30,000 (£23,700) during their year-long relationship.
However, he used Social Catfish, a company that verifies online identities using reverse image searches, and was able to locate Christopher.
When he confronted the woman whose life he ruined, he says he felt terrible and is happy he no longer has to scam to make a living.
Christopher leaked a 40-page bible for scammers in Nigeria titled How to Make a White Woman Fall in Love with You Through Online Chat.
Christopher leaked a 40-page bible for scammers in Nigeria titled How to Make a White Woman Fall in Love with You from an Online Chat
The book, which Social Catfish has shared with Money Mail, offers a step-by-step guide, complete with scripted romantic lines, conversation starters and questions that it promises will make women “fall madly in love with you.”
He says the types of women who are “easiest to get” and who “will fall in love with you as soon as possible without much stress” are those over 40.
He says: ‘They are working, therefore they have the money you need. Furthermore, being single at 40, they are eager for love.
Once the target is identified, the manual instructs scammers to do their research before conversing with their “client.” ‘You’ll want to know as much as you can before you talk to her, as this will help you later.
Check out his bio (on social media) for information. It can be your hobbies, your pets, your job, your passion, if you have children, where you live, etc.’
She recommends complimenting women on their activities or what they enjoy and asking questions related to it. And he adds: ‘You want to be soft and different. Don’t send a “hello.” There are many people who have sent you “hello” before.
You want to send him something he likes from the first text message. Something that will make her open your message and her heart to you.’
Once the conversation is flowing, the book says “make it about it.” ‘Oyinbo women (a Nigerian term for Western women) like to talk about themselves. They will think you care and fall in love.
It then instructs the offenders to compliment the women using one of 60 suggested phrases, such as: “I can’t believe I found someone like you” and “Your mind is as sexy as your beauty.”
Women are more susceptible to messages at night, he says. ‘Know her time zone and text her around 10 pm. Night is when you can easily get her to fall in love with you.
Scammers are told to take their time first when asking for money to build trust. He says: ‘He spends days talking about random things. It may take a long time, but it’s worth it.’
When it comes to asking for money, it indicates “asking without looking like you’re asking for it.” For example: ‘When she asks you about your day, tell her it was bad, then tell her you’re broke, you’re behind on your mortgage.
She will only offer to give you money. If you want a new phone, tell him yours is bad and you won’t be able to chat anymore.’
Christopher reveals that the biggest clue that you’re talking to a scammer is if they don’t show their face over a video call. ‘
Avoid anyone who says they can’t meet because they’re in the military or live abroad,” he says. If they confess their love too quickly and demand the same in return, it’s a scam.
j.beard@dailymail.co.uk
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