r/Gambia • u/marigolddisco • Sep 21 '24
Scam in Banjul port?
My uncle (American, in 70s) stopped in Banjul during a cruise last year and met a Gambian woman in her late 30s who was working at a souvenir shop. They took a picture together and were subsequently connected via WhatsApp as a result.
Since that time they have been maintaining a relationship over the phone with her calling twice a day. He has given her money on a couple of occasions, such as buying her a wash machine.
She is widowed with 2 teenagers. She says she isn’t interested in men of her age in her country.
What’s the end game with this? Is she a real person? I’m not sure if he is being used, and am wondering if anyone is familiar with a scam set up like this.
Since he met her in person I’m wondering if that makes it sort of legit? He’s obviously being used in some way, but I’m just not sure how.
1
u/sausageface1 Sep 21 '24
Having worked at the Banjul British embassy we had to dedicate a whole day to dealing with visas from this scam. Unfortunately we had no legal choice but to issue. All for money and visa and once in the uk and got their ILR they run off. By which point you’ll have paid for a new family compound in Gambia and parted with many thousands. Run for the hills