Romance scam
Romance scam is when somebody pretends to be romantically interested in another person in order to get money, gifts, travel, accommodation or other financial support.
Romance scams are common in some Female Sex Tourism destinations, where charming local men may target older or wealthier foreign women looking for romance, sex or a holiday boyfriend.
Men known locally as beach boys, sanky-pankys, bumsters or similar players may start with flirting, sex and a holiday romance before stories about family problems, medical bills, rent, business opportunities or other emergencies begin.
The woman may initially believe she has found a genuine boyfriend and only realize much later that the same man has several foreign girlfriends sending him money.
This type of romance hustle can be found in tourist destinations in Gambia, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Kenya, Bali and other places connected with female romance and sex tourism.
Men also frequently become victims of romance scams, particularly when traveling or using online dating in Asia.
A foreign man may meet a woman through a dating app, bar, nightclub or social media and gradually start paying for dinners, shopping, rent, phones, family expenses or supposed emergencies.
Some relationships are genuine and involve financial support, while others are deliberately created to get as much money as possible from the foreign boyfriend or girlfriend.
One player can sometimes have several foreign girlfriends or boyfriends at the same time, with each person believing the relationship is exclusive.
The line between a genuine international relationship, sugar relationship, gold digger and romance scam can therefore become very blurry.
Local Names & Variations
- Jamaica – Rent-a-Rastas / Rastitutes
Negril & Montego Bay. Dreads, reggae talk, “irie baby,” smooth street charm.
Resort staff in Punta Cana, bartenders in Puerto Plata and just random guys hanging out at Santo Domingo parks and restaurants.
Beach hustlers working older European winter tourists along the coast. Classic “holiday husband” setup.
Tips
- Don't assume a holiday romance is genuine just because the guy never directly asks for cash.
- Watch for sudden stories about sick relatives, rent, school fees, lost jobs, visa costs or a “business opportunity.”
- Be careful when a new boyfriend starts asking for expensive phones, clothes, flights or regular financial support.
- Search his name, phone number and social-media photos. Some players maintain several foreign girlfriends at the same time.
- Don't send large amounts of money or invest in property, businesses or vehicles after a short holiday romance.
- A man may genuinely like you and still expect financial support, so Female Sex Tourism, sugar relationships and romance scams can sometimes overlap.
- The same rules apply to male tourists. In Asia especially, men using online dating, LINE, WeChat, Zalo or WhatsApp can also meet partners whose interest becomes increasingly financial.
- If every conversation eventually comes back to money, treat that as a warning sign.
See Also
- WhatsApp | LINE | WeChat | Zalo | Telegram Escorts
