In 2018, Australian grandmother Maria Ebosto was sentenced to death in Malaysia for drug trafficking. Ironically, her nightmare began in one of the happiest moments of her life when she fell in love with an online match named Daniel. In fact, this network connection is an elaborate scam designed to steal money from gullible victims to finance criminal activities. Maria’s story is not unique. Meet the Scammers explores the world of online romance scams, the predators who launch them, and the fragile and lonely hearts who prey on them.
Through the testimonies of these victims, we were able to piece together the elements of a successful scam in the modern social media age. In one case, a young military veteran discovered his photo was being used in such a scam. Thieves blatantly stole photos of a veteran from his social media accounts, built a hero story around them, and managed to seduce a single woman in love for $40,000. He was recently spotted and arrested in Nigeria.
In West Africa, filmmakers have discovered a thriving culture of mass online cheating. Internet cafes are full of young crooks stealing money from online victims every day. Many change sex according to the needs of their prey. They are encouraged by the anonymity of the platform. Her favorite victims are recently divorced or widowed people.
Filmmakers have tracked down some of the crooks who have succeeded in these illegal activities. They are surprisingly open about their seduction tactics. They sometimes feel sorry for the victim, but their need for money trumps these empathy instincts. Desperate to escape poverty, they have no legal means of earning a decent living and refuse to recognize the illegality of their actions.
Others take the practice of online fraud to the other extreme. The perpetrators are part of a global network that officials have dubbed the new mafia. They are responsible for increasing rates of money laundering, drugs and sex trafficking.
“Meeting Liars” takes a chilling look at a disturbingly common phenomenon. The film offers insights that can help us become more self-aware in our most vulnerable moments.
