1Brouteur: where the word comes from and who it targets
Learning to spot a romance scammer protects you from a fraud that almost always starts with sweet words. In French-speaking countries, this kind of con artist also goes by the name "brouteur". The word comes from the French spoken in Côte d'Ivoire and its street slang, Nouchi. It refers to a grazing sheep, which feeds without effort at someone else's expense. By extension, it means a scammer who contacts victims remotely, online, to get money from them.
Today people use the word far beyond Côte d'Ivoire, across French-speaking Africa and Europe. However, it describes a method, not a nationality. These scams exist on every continent. Victims also live everywhere: in Belgium, France or Switzerland, but also in Cameroon or Senegal. So you spot a romance scammer by their methods, never by their accent or their country.
Two groups of readers meet here. On one side, Europeans who believe they are chatting with someone in Africa. On the other, Africans, including women in Cameroon, approached by a fake "European", a fake soldier or a fake aid doctor. In both cases, the mechanism stays the same: win trust first, then ask for money.
2The scammers' favourite scenarios
The stories change, but they all serve the same purpose. They explain why the person can neither meet you nor call you, then why they need money. Knowing these scripts helps you spot a romance scammer from the very first messages.
The classics include the soldier on a mission, the engineer on an oil rig and the doctor working for a humanitarian group. Their job conveniently explains the missing video calls and the delays. Then come the blocked inheritance and the funds that only an "admin fee" will unlock. The gift parcel held at customs follows the same logic: a fake shipping agent demands taxes.
Other scenarios target a shared future directly. For example, the person promises to visit, then suddenly lacks money for the plane ticket. Sometimes they offer to grow your savings on a cryptocurrency platform. Finally, a medical emergency involving a child or a parent often appears just when the relationship feels solid.
It also works the other way round, and you can spot a romance scammer there too. A fake European promises marriage and a new life in Europe. Then they ask for visa, lawyer or embassy fees. Always check these procedures on the official website of the embassy concerned. Above all, never pay an "agent" recommended by the person courting you.
3Spot a romance scammer from the profile and photos
The first contact already offers clues. On Facebook, it often starts with a friend request from someone with no mutual friends. In WhatsApp dating groups, an unknown number messages you privately after seeing your photo. So, to spot a romance scammer early, pay attention to how the conversation began.
Next, look at the photos. Model-like pictures, taken in a studio or in uniform, deserve a closer look. Also be wary of an account with few posts, few real friends or comments that all come from the same people. Equally, a profile without a single clear photo of the face calls for the same caution.
Finally, check that everything fits together. An engineer "based in Brussels" who cannot name a single neighbourhood raises questions. Likewise, an age or a job that changes from one chat to the next betrays an invented story. To spot a romance scammer, always compare what they tell you with what their photos show.
Writing style matters too. Long, poetic messages on day one, followed by curt replies in a different tone, may hide several people behind one account. Some scammers also copy romantic texts they find online. Paste a sentence into a search engine: sometimes it turns up word for word elsewhere.
4Warning signs in the conversation
You can also spot a romance scammer in the way the chat unfolds, because the pattern is fairly predictable. First, they declare their love very quickly, sometimes within days: this is love bombing. Then they push you to leave the site for WhatsApp, far from reporting and moderation tools.
They also dodge video calls, with ever-changing excuses: broken camera, weak connection, mission rules. Then comes the request. It involves money, of course, but also phone credit, a mobile money transfer, gift cards or intimate photos. So remember this: when someone you have never met asks for money, you already have your answer.
- A declaration of love within days, before any video call
- Pressure to move to WhatsApp or another number
- A video call that never actually happens
- A request for money, phone credit, mobile money or gift cards
- A request for intimate photos or for secrecy towards your loved ones
5Four checks to spot a romance scammer
Have doubts? Do not accuse anyone straight away; check first. These four checks help you spot a romance scammer without wronging a sincere person. Start with a reverse image search using Google Lens or TinEye. If the same photo appears under another name or on a model's account, you have your answer.
Then suggest a live video call without much warning. Ask for a simple gesture, such as touching their left ear or holding up a sheet of paper with your first name. Video fakes keep improving. So a very short, blurry call that drops right at the moment of the gesture should worry you.
Also ask precise questions that only someone on the spot could answer: the name of their neighbourhood, a shop near their home, today's weather. Finally, compare the hours. Someone who claims to live in the United States but always replies during your European daytime may well live elsewhere. Between Belgium and Cameroon, however, the time difference stays small, so this test helps little.
Our guide on how to check if a person is real explains each method in detail. Above all, remember that a sincere person accepts these checks. Repeated refusals help you spot a romance scammer more reliably than any profile detail. And if the person takes offence at your first question, take note: a genuine partner understands your caution.
6Already scammed? What to do right now
If you have already paid, do not blame yourself: these scammers manipulate people methodically. Act fast. First, stop all payments, even the "last one" that will supposedly unlock everything. Then cut contact, without warning the person or trying to trap them.
Before blocking the account, keep every piece of evidence: screenshots of the messages and the profile, phone numbers, email addresses, bank transfer or mobile money references. Next, alert your bank or your mobile money provider the same day. If you shared your card details, have your card blocked too.
Finally, report the profile to the platform where the person contacted you, then file a police report. Beware of strangers who later offer to recover your money for a fee: Belgium's FPS Economy describes this trap as a scam within a scam. Also refuse to receive money and send it on, or to lend your bank account or SIM card. The FPS Economy warns that such a "money mule" can be held liable.
And if someone threatens to share intimate photos of you, read our guide on sextortion. Above all, do not pay and do not send any more images. Knowing how to spot a romance scammer also helps afterwards, so you do not fall into the same trap twice.
7Where to report the scam in Belgium, France and Cameroon
In Belgium, file a complaint with the local police force of your choice. Also forward suspicious messages to the Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium at suspect@safeonweb.be. If you shared your card details, call Card Stop on 078 170 170. In addition, the FPS Economy invites scam victims to file a report on ConsumerConnect.
In France, the 17Cyber assistant guides victims, including in cases of romance fraud or sextortion. You can file a complaint online through the THESEE platform, or at a police station or gendarmerie. The Info Escroqueries helpline answers on 0 805 805 817. Pharos, on the other hand, takes reports of illegal online content, not complaints.
In Cameroon, the National Agency for Information and Communication Technologies (ANTIC) takes reports of online scams and fake profiles. Its incident response team, CIRT, offers a toll-free number, 8202, and an online form on cirt.cm. For significant losses, the agency also advises filing a complaint with law enforcement.
These channels and numbers can change, so check them on the organisation's official website before you act. Even when the money seems lost, report it: the same scammer often writes to other people with the same photos. For the emotional side and the wider steps, our guide to romance scams completes this one.
8Koeur24 tools that keep you in control
No website can guarantee a scam-free space. However, some tools help you spot a romance scammer before it costs you anything. On Koeur24, every photo goes through an automatic check followed by manual approval. An "Identity Verified" badge also marks members who had an official document and a selfie reviewed by the team.
This badge confirms an identity, not intentions: it never justifies sending money. Also, the built-in audio and video calls let you test the person without giving out your WhatsApp number. Finally, at the slightest doubt, block and report the profile. Your report protects other members too.