If you have been on social media long enough, you have been contacted by someone who asks you to simply be friends. They seem not to pose any threats at the start. They simply do their best to keep in touch long enough until they start earning your trust.
They will share about their personal life in an attempt to get you to share about your personal life. In the process of earning your trust, they may promise to send you gifts that include an iPhone, laptop, and other gadgets. They will share with you photos of the packaged items as well as photos of the items being screened at the airport.
After a few days of what might seem like an empty promise, a local phone call will come through asking you for the delivery details. They will then ask you money for clearing the items at customs with the Revenue Authority as well as money to deliver the items to your location.
The “foreign scammer” will keep in touch to follow up on whether the items have come through. In most cases, they usually ask for $100 for the clearance of the items at customs as well as for delivering them to your location anywhere around the city.
“Can we be friends?” scammers rarely open up with any threats. They are just “good people” who pretend to be interested in a relationship with you sometimes. Once they are able to trick you into believing that they love you so much to the point of sending you gifts, it means they have already set you up for their scam trail.
How to Avoid “Can we be friends?” Scams
All online scams can be avoided by doing one simple thing, never send any stranger money online to a stranger regardless of how legit their promises seem. No stranger will ever send you iPhones and MacBooks for over $2000 but is not capable of clearing all the other necessary expenses.
Once you notice that you are speaking to a scammer. Do not try to prove to them anything, just block them. Do not give them any opportunity to convince you.