[music playing]
He's going to fix it.
Left online 60 Minutes ago.
Are you calling somebody?
What if they answer?
Hey, sweetheart.
INTERVIEWER (VOICEOVER): I'm in Ghana watching
two romance scammers at work.
He calls himself the Punisher and she is Miami Queen.
[kiss noise]
I missed you.
INTERVIEWER (VOICEOVER): And to my surprise,
they're scamming men, not women.
How long has it been, baby?
Been a while, right?
Yeah, I know.
But I told you I had problems with my phone, so.
OK.
You know, I understand.
I still love you.
Sweetheart, let me go and take a shower, OK?
I'll call you when I'm done, yeah?
Don't go anywhere.
Just wait for me.
And we're done.
So what just happened here?
You were-- started to call somebody, right?
And then when he accepts, if it's a video,
you pass it on to her?
Yeah.
When you're communicating, he thinks he's communicating
the whole time with her--
Yeah.
--when he's communicating with you.
Mm-hmm.
And then you're just--
Mine is just look beautiful and make him feel sweet,
how much I love him.
[music playing]
INTERVIEWER (VOICEOVER): Most of romance scamming
is messaging, just typing.
But they've rented the space tonight
for these occasional video calls,
hoping to satisfy their clients.
How many people do you guys know that are scammers?
A whole lot of people.
Oh, my God.
We have-- we have friends, Hundreds.
Like dozens, hundreds?
Dozens.
All your friends are doing it?
Yeah.
I have friends who are rich, very rich.
They've built houses, big, big cars.
Everybody's making money.
[computer sound effect]
INTERVIEWER (VOICEOVER): Wiring money, gift cards,
or straight up cash are preferred.
[text notification sound]
But payment in Bitcoin is also becoming popular.
[text notification sound]
I'm a female.
I'm using the profile of a female.
So you're pretending to be a woman and scamming men.
I'm pretending to be a woman.
INTERVIEWER (VOICEOVER): It's easier to get money from men,
he says.
And there are simply more men using online dating sites.
[eerie music]
And yet, back in the States, far fewer men than women
report being victims.
And this person you're talking to,
Michael, has no idea that you're actually a man in Ghana?
Yes.
I started falling in love with him.
Not for intercourse or whatever it is, but you know.
I felt for him.
Right.
Michael is kind-hearted.
I think Michael has been too good to me.
How much money has Michael sent you so far?
More than 10K.
More than $10,000 for what?
What do you say?
Renting apartments, school fees.
Michael knows I'm in school here in Ghana.
Wow.
OK.
So I do this.
Are you actually calling him?
Yes.
[calling sound]
Where is he?
Virginia.
[call disconnecting sound]
Oh.
So Michael is not online.
Oh, OK.
INTERVIEWER (VOICEOVER): No dice.
But had Michael picked up, he would
have seen this video recording of a young woman.
This video will play when you answer the call.
But, if you talk, it doesn't match.
She's not talking.
You see, she's typing.
Oh, my God.
Wow.
So you have the video and then you're just typing.
Yes.
Where did you get this video?
You buy it online.
Oh, you buy It.
Yeah.
INTERVIEWER (VOICEOVER): scripts, these videos are part
of a scammer's professional toolkit,
an underground industry unto itself.
[calling sound]
[music playing]
Hey.
Hey, honey.
Hey, sweetheart.
Hey.
I love you.
[laughing]
[calling sound]
Hi.
I missed you.
[text notification sound]
[laughing]
[music playing]
(SINGING) No, slack, yeah, uh.
[outro music]