In a bizarre twist that’s gripped social media, a Cape Town man claims he’s the only South African ever to date a Nigerian woman – only to be allegedly scammed out of thousands by his “girlfriend.” The story, which exploded on TikTok and Facebook this week, has reignited warnings about international romance scams targeting lonely hearts in Mzansi.
Identified only as “Thabo” (29) from Khayelitsha, the victim shared his heartbreak in a viral video viewed over 50,000 times. He met “Blessing,” 26, on a popular dating app last year. What started as sweet chats and virtual dates quickly turned serious. “She said she loved me, sent pics from Lagos, even prayed with me over video calls,” Thabo told reporters. But red flags emerged: Blessing needed cash for “family emergencies,” flights to SA, and a “business startup.”
Thabo, a forklift driver scraping by on R8,000 monthly, sent over R45,000 via mobile money transfers and crypto wallets between June and February. “I believed her tears. She called me her king,” he lamented. Then, silence. Blessing vanished, blocking him everywhere. A reverse image search revealed her photos stolen from a Nigerian model’s Instagram.
Cape Town police confirmed they’re investigating under cybercrime laws, but recovery looks slim. “Romance scams cost South Africans R500 million yearly,” said consumer expert Naledi Mbatha. “Nigerians top the list of flagged nationalities, per Interpol data.”
Friends mock Thabo as “the pioneer of Naija love gone wrong,” but he’s urging vigilance: Verify identities, avoid quick money requests, use official channels.
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