![An Example of How Scammers Use Emergency Scams - 2014 [UPDATED 2024] - on SCARS RomanceScamsNOW.com](https://romancescamsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/emergency-scams.png)
Author:
• SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
Originally Published: 2014 – Article Updated: 2024
Article Abstract
The emergency scam, a prevalent tactic among scammers, preys on victims’ sympathies and urgency to help someone in need. Variations of this scam often involve fabricated crises that require immediate financial assistance. Despite scammers’ evolving strategies and attempts to appear credible, their lack of genuine knowledge and authenticity eventually exposes their deception.
In this case study involving a scammer named Emily Jones, the victim engagement reveals common patterns of manipulation and urgency.
While victims may attempt to confront scammers or engage in scambaiting, such actions can escalate risks and trauma. It’s important for individuals to recognize these scams, refrain from engaging with scammers, and instead report and block them to prevent further exploitation.
The Emergency Scam Is A Common Scam Type
Scammers use the emergency scam approach, with variations, because it hits the victim in the heart
It relies on your sympathy, and willingness to help a person in need.
There are countless variations, and the scammers are getting smarter and smarter. However, they ALWAYS show their stupidity in the end, because the one thing they don’t know is what it is really like to be from where they say they are. Institutional or local knowledge can not be obtained online. You are either from a place or you are not. And you can always catch them in their stupid lies.
Here is a case study of a typical variation from a person named Emily Jones from the dating website Badoo.com
Her Email: Emily Jones – Campbell, California – emilyjones_223@yahoo.com – (201) 949-0124
Emily Jones (Stolen Photos of Bibi Jones) Gallery:
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BACKGROUND: The person – She is supposed to be from Miami. Notice the bad English – you could excuse that if the person was an immigrant – but there is more here – this person never lived in the “United State”
Note that just because this is an example of terrible spelling and grammar does not mean all scammers are like this. In fact, many scammers are university graduates. They also buy carefully crafted professionally written scripts. You can frequently detect changes in writing style, spelling, and grammar when you go into other subjects that are not on their scripts.
SCAMMER CHAT DIALOG
[Our comments are in brackets]
Emily — 06 20 14 13:22
I will really like to know such an handsome man like you as well
Me — 04:15
Hi Emily. Can you tell me a little about yourself? Where you live, and kind of work you do? About your family?
Emily — 11:02
Good to hear from you. and I’m glad to know you’re interested in me so I’m assuming that you still want to correspond as friends.
Well I am an only child and my being so shy did not help my social situation at all. My parents were divorced when I was 11-12 and I was sent to my grandmother to live. I was very unhappy because not only did my world fall apart but I could not spend it for any length of time with either of my parents. I have many sad memories of leaving my Mom’s after the weekend because I was so unhappy at my grandmother’s. I know for a fact this is why I stayed in a physically and emotionally abusive relationship for so long.
Me — 11:03
I am sorry to hear that Emily
Me — 11:04
do you have any plans later today? would you like to meet and talk?
Emily — 11:05
Well I can say yeah but am currently in California [ of course they are never where they say in their profiles ]
Me — 11:06
how long have you been there?
Emily — 11:06
Well just 2weeks now am here for an interview and it doesn’t successful
Me — 11:07
sounds like bad luck
Me — 11:07
when are you coming back to Miami?
Emily — 11:07
Yeah and am going through hell here
Me — 11:08
why what’s going on?
Emily — 11:08
cause I live with a friend and her family, and I’m really tired of here and I can’t continue to live here cause it has been coming too much of her now that she has been treating me like slaves, and told me that I should leave her place she needs a privacy with her man and I’m due to her because she is the one called me here for an interview and really unfortunate for me that the interview went unsuccessful and I have to spend all the money I’m taking with me here and I have no penny with me and I’ve even borrow some money her and she has been threatening she will arrest me if I do not pay her money until next Wednesday and I have to leave her place, also on Wednesday,am so really confused and I have no where to get the money for her even to get back to Miami ..
Me — 11:09
screw her, just get on a bus or plane back here [ she traveled 3,000 miles for an interview, and has no money! ]
Me — 11:10
I guess you are too busy to chat
Emily — 11:11
No am not busy to chat am here with you just that am feed up of my life
Me — 11:11
what town are you in there?
Emily — 11:12
Campbell
Me — 11:12
I know it
Emily — 11:13
Yeah baby
Me — 11:13
are you a native ameican or do you have a green card
Emily — 11:13
Am helpless here
Emily — 11:14
I do have my passport but I lost last few days now [ a passport has nothing to do with residency ]
Me — 11:14
so you are not a resident?
Emily — 11:16
Am not a resident here cause I’ve lost my passport few days ago baby
Emily — 11:16
and that is why am helpless here
Me — 11:16
I can have someone help you and put you on a bus to Miami
Me — 11:17
it’s not complicated
Emily — 11:17
That will be fine but am owing her and she will get me arrested if I could come up with her money on wednesday [ she could go home and pay later, but they are always held hostage ]
Me — 11:17
arrested for what? she is breaking the law with evicting you
Me — 11:18
what address are you staying at?
Emily — 11:18
No baby am owing her and I could get her money she can do and undo
Me — 11:18
what is your cell phone number, sow we can talk about this?
Me — 11:19
how much do you need?
Emily — 11:19
Well baby my phone has been broken but I have one with me that we could text each other to baby [ yes, you can never call them, just text – though with free internet based phone numbers that is not always true ]
Me — 11:20
what is that number?Emily — 11:20
All am giving was just 300$
Emily — 11:20
(201) 949-0124 [ a New Jersey number for someone from Miami in California? is actually a SMS to email service ]
Me — 11:22
can I reach you by email?
Emily — 11:24
Yeah you can baby emilyjones_223@yahoo.com [ scammer style email address ]
Me — 11:25
300 isn’t so much, I can probably help you.
Emily — 11:27
I will so much be appreciative
Emily — 11:27
Mail me on there and let chat more better [ she wants to get off of the dating website immediately – typical scammer ]
Me — 11:27
I guess the easiest way would be to overnight the cash to you in Campbell
Me — 11:28
what is your address there in Cambell?
Me — 11:28
also need your full name?
Me — 11:30
well?
Me — 11:31
I guess you are chatting with too many other guys to need my help
Emily — 11:31
So you are coming down here or you want to send the money over night and by in the morning I will be on way to Miami
Me — 11:31
that is what I offered
Me — 11:32
but I am going to need your name and address
Emily — 11:35
Has I’ve told you my passport has been lost maybe you should send the money to her? [ she never did give us her full name for FedEx ]
Me — 11:36
ok, what’s her name and address?
Me — 11:37
Where do you live here in Miami? Do you have an apartment?
Me — 11:39
well?
Emily — 11:39
Sound good why don’t you mail me on my yahoo im or you text me your cell phone and let me give you the details there and we could share some pics as well on there? [ again wants to get off the dating website ]
Me — 11:39
why not now?
Emily — 11:40
Sound good why don’t you mail me on my yahoo im or you text me your cell phone and let me give you the details there and we could share some pics as well on there?
Emily — 11:40
I can give it you now but there will be more good and safety
Me — 11:41
I am not near my computer right now, I am doing this from my phone. I will need to send you the money in the next hour to make it there by tomorrow morning [ force them to give you the info now! ]
Me — 11:41
send it to me now, I will not be able to help you
Me — 11:42
I am happy to help you Emily, but if you want my trust, you have to give me your trust
Emily — 11:42
Well give me just 3minutes let me get her full name from her ok
Me — 11:43
ok
Emily — 11:43
Am giving you my trust and I will always give it to you as well
Emily — 11:44
and I want you to know that I’m a very passionate and romantic lady, and not afraid to show my affections in private or public. I am very clean and like seeing things and people clean as well.I will always treat my man well and with respect and love and cherish him.
I’m very easy going and down to earth.I Believe that a strong relationship is not based
only on sex life but that a strong relationship builds a strong love life
that leads to a strong and great sex life and can only happen with open communication,
trust and commitment and constantly working together and being honest with each other [ what? ]
Me — 11:44
what is your address in Miami, so I can find you when you return? [ of course never gave that ]
Me — 11:49
Hello?
Me — 11:49
what is going on there?
Me — 11:50
ok, well I am going now. Good luck
Me — 11:51
remember, I did offer to send you to money
Me — 11:52
but you are being rude
Me — 11:53
do you really expect that someone is going to send you money without any information?
Me — 12:01
if you send me the address, I will send the money today
Emily — 12:04
Am really sorry I was with her to get her full name and can I give it to you now Me?
Me — 12:05
yes
Emily — 12:07
Talk to me are you there?
Me — 12:07
I am here
Emily — 12:08
Here is the Address 98 Dot Ave, Campbell, CA 95008 [ is a real address – easily found on Google ]
Me — 12:08
Is that a red house? Her name?
Emily — 12:08
and here is the full name you need to send the money
Me — 12:09
ok
Emily — 12:10
Name..Angel Escamilla [ a man’s name – a MULE? ]
State…California
City…Campbell [ Americans always list the city before the state ]
Zip code…95008
Me — 12:11
That is a man’s name
Me — 12:13
is his wife Kristina?
Emily — 12:14
She married [ did not actually answer the question, found his wife’s name on Google ]Emily — 12:14
Am living with her and her family [ family? they are in their 50’s per Google ]
Me — 12:15
I have a question. When I pay them, do you have your airline ticket to come back to come back to Miami?
Emily — 12:16
Baby you are the one who said that you have someone who could help me there baby [ no answer of course – just more spinning ]
Me — 12:16
I just want to understand. You owe her 300, but you don’t have a ticket right?
Emily — 12:17
Yeah
Me — 12:17
you have your driver’s license with you?
Emily — 12:18
No I don’t have a car [ not what I asked ]
Emily — 12:18
But when I get to you I hope you could get me one? [ that’s a bit presumpuous ]
Me — 12:19
what identification do you have?
Emily — 12:20
I own an apartment there in Miami and I live there alone but it was close now
Emily — 12:21
So are you helping me now baby ? [ no answer to the ID question of course ]
Me — 12:21
we have the problem of how to get you a ticket. If you have no identification, you can’t not travel by plane
Emily — 12:23
Baby I knew that and that is why I was thinking may be I should make sale of one my jewelry and I could come up with some money
Me — 12:23
money is not the problem, you can’t travel without identification
Emily — 12:23
So if you try and help me with some money more and when I get there to you I will apy you back [ avoiding the question of ID ]
Emily — 12:24
pay back
Me — 12:24
What identification do you have?
Emily — 12:24
If I should go there myself they are going to give me the ticket
Me — 12:25
Someone I know from from the Santa Clara Sherriff’s department is coming over to talk with you and Angel right now – I just spoke with him on the phone
Emily — 12:26
Ok
Me — 12:27
you will not have to pay the money, and they can arrange to get you on a plane
Me — 12:27
today for Miami
Emily — 12:28
Baby I know all what you are trying to say but she has refused even I’ve called my lawyer to plead to her over this but she refused to collect her money back [ she has a lawyer but not $300? ]
Emily — 12:29
So if you would like to help me I don’t mind paying you back when I get there Me
Me — 12:29
That is ok, the police will be there in less than 30 minutes and you can go with them
Emily — 12:30
Lol now I can that you don’t want to help me [ sounds like we would be helping her, just not giving her money! ]
Me — 12:30
I am helping you, this is the way things work
Emily — 12:30
Am just asking you for and why you trying to get me into jail
Emily — 12:31
You are trying to arrest the person that is right
Me — 12:31
no I am trying to get you out of there and on a plane, since you have no documents
Emily — 12:33
At what is that am asking yo for help and you are the one who said you going to help me so why again you are making things hard for me ?
Me — 12:33
because you said they will not let you leave
Emily — 12:34
She will if I pay her back her money
Me — 12:34
that is against the law
Emily — 12:35
What is against the law and what do you know about law [ typical scammer tactic – they are the only ones that know anything about this ]
Emily — 12:35
?
?
Emily — 12:36
All I ask from was to help me and you said yes
Me — 12:36
that is called criminal detention, you are being held hostage [ of course that is not what it is called, it’s false imprisonment, but the scammer doesn’t know ]
Emily — 12:37
That is what it really means
Me — 12:37
in two hours you will be able to leave with no problems
Me — 12:38
I will arrange for your ticket to be waiting at the airport
Emily — 12:38
I want you to know that am in her house and she could implicate in anyway she wants and that is what am trying to avoid cause I don’t have passport [ back to the passport – no idea how things work in the real world ]
Emily — 12:38
I want you to know that am in her house and she could implicate in anyway she wants and that is what am trying to avoid cause I don’t have passport
Emily — 12:39
What do you mean?
Emily — 12:40
Go to hell promise failer [ promise failer? is that really even an insult? ]
Summary
Of course, scammers write in every imaginable way. Some are very well educated. This is presented to give you an idea of how such a dialog goes, how it progresses.
The most common tactic in all relationship scams is the Emergency! There is almost always one, and they are all urgent – they need the money that minute. This is because it forces the victim to make an instantaneous decision. Usually the wrong decision – this is a manipulative tactic that works!
Confrontation
It is ok to try to find the truth and catch the scammer in their lies, but do not admit that you know – not ever.
Never confront them with your knowledge that they are a scammer. It is always best to keep them in the dark, or you are training them to be better scammers. Additionally, you can increase both your personal risk and the trauma that you will experience by confrontations.
Once you confirm it is a scam, simply report it, block it, and move forward!
Scam Baiting
We never engage in scambaiting and prohibit it by policy.
You cannot do what scammers do and expect to be ethically superior to them. Scambait has very little value since most of the information you would get will be false anyway. All it is doing is engaging in fraud – deception online, regardless of its purpose is still a crime.
To learn more about Scambaiting click here.
Statement About Victim Blaming
Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and to not blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and to help victims avoid scams in the future. At times this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims, we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.
These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.
Articles like these help victims and others understand these processes and how to help prevent them from being exploited again or to help them recover more easily by understanding their post-scam behaviors. Learn more about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org
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SCARS Resources:
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Other Cyber Resources
- Block Scam Domains: Quad9.net
- Global Cyber Alliance ACT Cybersecurity Tool Website: Actionable Cybersecurity Tools (ACT) (globalcyberalliance.org) https://act.globalcyberalliance.org/index.php/Actionable_Cybersecurity_Tools_(ACT)_-_Simplified_Cybersecurity_Protection
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