My online friend is asking for money in order to visit my home country. Is this a legit request or a scam?
On Travel.SE we often see questions about a person (usually a love interest) asking for money to pay for airfare, visas, permits and other expenses. For example
- Visitor requesting a cash advance to purchase airfare in-country. Legitimate or scam?
- A Russian girl is asking for 500 euros to get a passport in Russia. Is this a realistic amount of money for a passport fee?
- Does a Ghana citizen need $3000 in hand to travel to the USA?
What general advice can be given in such situations to the person asking the question? Is it all a scam or can there be legitimate situations in which an online friend could be asking for money?
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How do I know if I am being scammed online?
you don't know contacts you out of the blue. you've never met in person asks for money. asks you to pay for something or to give them money through unusual payment methods such as gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrencies. asks you to pay for something in advance \u2014 especially through an unusual payment method.How can you identify a scammer?
Four Signs That It's a ScamHow do you not get scammed to send money?
Follow a few simple guidelines to stay one-step ahead of the scammers.What can you do if you get scammed online?
Report a scam that happened with an online seller or a payment transfer system to the company's fraud department. If you used your credit card or bank account to pay a scammer, report it to the card issuer or bank. Also report scams to the major credit reporting agencies.10 HIGH PAYING JOBS YOU CAN LEARN AND DO FROM HOME
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