Online dating can be exciting, but sometimes it can lead to unfortunate situations. One woman shared how she was scammed by a man she met on Tinder, and her story serves as a warning to others about the dangers of trusting strangers online.
The incident began in 2021 when she matched with a man named Jude on Tinder. Their conversations were enjoyable, and they soon switched to chatting on WhatsApp. Jude told her he lived in the UK but would be visiting Nigeria for Christmas. He promised to bring her gifts and asked her what she would like. She chose a bag and a dress, and he assured her he would bring them.
A few days later, Jude said he had already sent the items and provided her with a tracking link. When she checked, she was surprised to see that the package contained not just the bag and dress, but also an iPhone 11 Pro Max, shoes, perfume, chocolates, and more. Jude explained that the package had been sent to Abuja instead of Lagos, so she would need to arrange for home delivery herself.
She paid ₦12,500 for road delivery, but soon after, things began to get strange. The courier called her, saying the package couldn’t be scanned because of its contents. Jude then told her that he had included £200 in cash for her, but there were also “drugs” in the package. Alarmed but still trusting him, she paid another ₦35,000 to “settle” the issue.
The following day, a person claiming to be the delivery rider called, saying he was on his way with the package. Hours passed, and when she called him for an update, he said the police had stopped him, found the drugs, and confiscated the package. The rider demanded more money, claiming it was a federal matter.
Suspicious, the woman asked for the officer’s contact number and called. The person on the other end demanded ₦250,000 to release the package. Realizing it was all a scam, she tried reaching out to Jude, only to find that he had blocked her.
In the end, she was left feeling betrayed and deceived. Her story is a reminder to be cautious when engaging with strangers online, especially when promises seem too good to be true.
