A girl wants to hire me as her pretend boyfriend for a trip back to China to see her family. Scam?

I've known her for about 2 months online, and met her the other day.
She seems really nice, and I think I trust her, but my head is
seriously questioning her motives.

She claims to be willing to pay for my trip and her explanation is that
it will make her family stop worrying about her. The trip will involve
meeting her extended family for a few days, and exploring China for the
rest of a month. I really like the idea of visiting China, but the
more I think about it the more it seems too good to be true, and very
suspicious. Several thousand dollars seems like a lot to pay to make
your family stop worrying (even if they're only Australian dollars!
;-) )

It really comes down to two questions:

1. Is it plausible that a Chinese girl would be under this much
pressure to have a boyfriend and/or be so devoted to her family that
she'd pay this much to stop them worrying?

2. Is it likely that this could be a scam.... I don't know... maybe to
sell me into slavery, ransom my family, or harvest my organs, or
something like that? I feel stupid for suspecting this kind of thing,
but once I'm over there I'll be pretty much at her mercy since I don't
know the language or the culture at all. She could lead me anywhere,
into any kind of trap.

If this was an Australian girl I'd know it was a scam for sure. Am I
stupid for considering this because she's Chinese?

Thanks

Pretend Boyfriend

I'm a Paralegal of over 110 court cases. Many investigations! Your
NUTS!!!

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In article .com,
says...
I've known her for about 2 months online, and met her the other day.
She seems really nice, and I think I trust her, but my head is
seriously questioning her motives.

She claims to be willing to pay for my trip and her explanation is that
it will make her family stop worrying about her. The trip will involve
meeting her extended family for a few days, and exploring China for the
rest of a month. I really like the idea of visiting China, but the
more I think about it the more it seems too good to be true, and very
suspicious. Several thousand dollars seems like a lot to pay to make
your family stop worrying (even if they're only Australian dollars!
;-) )

It really comes down to two questions:

1. Is it plausible that a Chinese girl would be under this much
pressure to have a boyfriend and/or be so devoted to her family that
she'd pay this much to stop them worrying?

2. Is it likely that this could be a scam.... I don't know... maybe to
sell me into slavery, ransom my family, or harvest my organs, or
something like that? I feel stupid for suspecting this kind of thing,
but once I'm over there I'll be pretty much at her mercy since I don't
know the language or the culture at all. She could lead me anywhere,
into any kind of trap.

Seems too good to be true. Where in China do the parents of this girl
live?
--

Alfred Molon
http://www.molon.de - 7000 photos of Asia, Africa and Europe

She said she has a large extended family. Most of them live in Beijing
I think.

Could be legitimate. Consider she may have a relatively rich
traditional Chinese family and needs money for the 'wedding'. You
being the groom to be. On the other hand she may be a courier and you
will be carrying the 'goods' which could be drugs or counter-political
material (Not good in China). You need to know a lot more than whaty
you may have gleaned from a 2 month on-line experience. Other
possibility is that she is being pressured into an 'arranged marriage'
by her family and, if uncooperative may lose her inheritances. A
'boyfriend' would remedy such a situation for her.
If you decide to go with this, make sure you inform CSIS (Canadian
Security Intelligence Service and/or the RCMP well ahead of time.
They may have some insights for you.

On 6 May 2006 06:44:26 -0700, wrote:

I've known her for about 2 months online, and met her the other day.
She seems really nice, and I think I trust her, but my head is
seriously questioning her motives.

She claims to be willing to pay for my trip and her explanation is that
it will make her family stop worrying about her. The trip will involve
meeting her extended family for a few days, and exploring China for the
rest of a month. I really like the idea of visiting China, but the
more I think about it the more it seems too good to be true, and very
suspicious. Several thousand dollars seems like a lot to pay to make
your family stop worrying (even if they're only Australian dollars!
;-) )

It really comes down to two questions:

1. Is it plausible that a Chinese girl would be under this much
pressure to have a boyfriend and/or be so devoted to her family that
she'd pay this much to stop them worrying?

2. Is it likely that this could be a scam.... I don't know... maybe to
sell me into slavery, ransom my family, or harvest my organs, or
something like that? I feel stupid for suspecting this kind of thing,
but once I'm over there I'll be pretty much at her mercy since I don't
know the language or the culture at all. She could lead me anywhere,
into any kind of trap.

If this was an Australian girl I'd know it was a scam for sure. Am I
stupid for considering this because she's Chinese?

Thanks

Pretend Boyfriend

Thanks... being used as a "mule" hadn't occurred to me. It's much more
plausible than the kinds of things I was imagining.

I've got until somewhere around Chinese New Year to think this over and
get to know her better. The language/cultural barrier could make it a
lot harder to detect any deception though.

Family pressures does seem like the most likely explanation, but as an
Australian I find it hard to relate to. I wouldn't pay $2-3000 to stop
my parents/grand-parents from nagging me.

PBF

In article .com,
says...
Thanks... being used as a "mule" hadn't occurred to me. It's much more
plausible than the kinds of things I was imagining.

Well, you would just have to refuse to carry anything for her. It's that
easy.

I've got until somewhere around Chinese New Year to think this over and
get to know her better. The language/cultural barrier could make it a
lot harder to detect any deception though.

Family pressures does seem like the most likely explanation, but as an
Australian I find it hard to relate to. I wouldn't pay $2-3000 to stop
my parents/grand-parents from nagging me.

There could also be another explanation. This girl might be interested
in you and might hope that a nice romance starts if you travel with her
to China. By the way, how old is she?
--

Alfred Molon
http://www.molon.de - 7000 photos of Asia, Africa and Europe

Yeah, if I go ahead with this, I'm probably going to have to be quite
paranoid... and somewhat deceptive myself (double checking luggage
etc). There's lots of ways to test her motives beforehand as well.

She's 26, and it's possible she's interested in me, but I feel like I
have to discount that at the moment because if the unlikely scenario is
actually true, then that could be part of it. It's hard to fully trust
someone who's considering such a big expensive lie to her own family.
Even though it's possible that she's hoping it isn't a lie by the time
Chinese New Year comes around.

PBF

wrote:
I've known her for about 2 months online, and met her the other day.
She seems really nice, and I think I trust her, but my head is
seriously questioning her motives.

She claims to be willing to pay for my trip and her explanation is that
it will make her family stop worrying about her. The trip will involve
meeting her extended family for a few days, and exploring China for the
rest of a month. I really like the idea of visiting China, but the
more I think about it the more it seems too good to be true, and very
suspicious. Several thousand dollars seems like a lot to pay to make
your family stop worrying (even if they're only Australian dollars!
;-) )

It really comes down to two questions:

1. Is it plausible that a Chinese girl would be under this much
pressure to have a boyfriend and/or be so devoted to her family that
she'd pay this much to stop them worrying?

Not very likely. And why would she pick you? Just because you are a
white guy? Look around you, white guys are a dime a dozen.



2. Is it likely that this could be a scam.... I don't know... maybe to
sell me into slavery, ransom my family, or harvest my organs, or
something like that?

Sell you into slavery for what? White girls maybe, White guys? No.
In China organs are plentiful from executed prisoners. They are cheap.
No need to kidnap you.

I feel stupid for suspecting this kind of thing,
but once I'm over there I'll be pretty much at her mercy since I don't
know the language or the culture at all. She could lead me anywhere,
into any kind of trap.


Ask youself, trap you for what? Is your family rich?

If this was an Australian girl I'd know it was a scam for sure. Am I
stupid for considering this because she's Chinese?

Thanks

Pretend Boyfriend