Online relationship asking for money: warning signs and what to do
What to do
Someone you have not met who asks for money for a parcel, customs fee, ticket or emergency is very likely a scammer.
Warning signs
- Romantic language from someone asking for money.
- A stranger who starts with a "wrong number" message and moves on to investing.
- A marriage offer involving someone abroad, linked to travel or a visa.
How this scam has played out
Long-con romance and investment scam ("pig butchering")
Workers held in the Laos Golden Triangle compounds describe building a victim's trust over weeks, often starting with a "wrong number" or friendly message, then steering them to a fake investment or crypto platform, and finally demanding "tax" or fees before any withdrawal.
Source: Al Jazeera (May 2025)
Fake marriage offers to Bangladeshis abroad and their families
A fake bride or groom, often presented as living in Canada, the US or the UK, is introduced through a matrimonial page, with accomplices playing family members on video calls. After a phone "marriage" come requests for money, and sometimes blackmail with recorded calls. In January 2026 CID arrested a man accused of taking about Tk 1.54 crore from a US-based Bangladeshi woman this way; he reportedly said he had used the same method on 80 to 85 women.
Source: The Daily Star (Jan 2026), CID
Received a message or offer like this? Check it before you pay.
Check it nowHelp and helplines
- National emergency 999
- Police Cyber Support for Women 01320-000888
- Visa check for Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia (Ami Probashi, paid) 16768
This guide is a warning about a pattern; it does not accuse any particular person or organisation.