Drawing on my years as a journalist, I explore the topic of Internet Romance Scams from the point of view of a journalist. In other words, I attempt to uncover the facts according to a reporter’s methodology, by answering these six questions: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How. In each of the six parts of this book, this is the pattern I take, so that I can best gather the facts to present to the reader for his or her own understanding and use.

In Part One of this book, we’ll take a look at the stage— the country of Nigeria and why it’s a hotbed for Scammers.

In Part Two, we’ll look at who these West African Romance Scammers are and how they prime their targets by exploiting their dreams.

In Part Three, we’ll look at the psychology behind the scams. What makes them so effective? How do the Scammers so easily succeed in stealing hearts and bank accounts?

In Part Four, we’ll look at how the Scammers build trust and then betray that trust. Although Scammers seem to have an endless array of scams and a fertile imagination where they hatch their cruel hoaxes and their fiendish fantasies, there are various scams which are routinely used.

In Part Five, we’ll take a look at the aftermath of a scam: The healing journey—moving beyond betrayal to trust again and restore the shattered dreams. The aftermath phase consists of two parts—the emotional aftermath and the legal aftermath. Taking appropriate steps in both of these areas is vitally important to bring a sense of closure.

In Part Six, we’ll delve into the world of Islamic Terrorism and its links to Romance Scamming. We'll explore the Who, Why and How of these crimes against decent men and women, and their wider implications for Western civilization. We’ll also take a look at the role played by Internet dating sites, and assess their participation and complicity in these crimes.

May this book inform you, enlighten you, inspire you, empower you, provide you with some tools, and ultimately, give you hope.