Ryan Hand (Facebook Romance Scammer)

Claims to be:
Born in Australia, currently living in Maryland
Database Administrator
Age 45
Hello Angel,

In reality is a low-life African romance scammer.

Like many scammers, he uses scripted messages that are likely sent to several women at the same time. He inserts their names and/or adds a few lines to make them seem more personal. Shows the typical range of English--very good when he is copying stolen material, and very bad when he is writing for himself.

If you are in contact with this scammer:
Drop him now. Block his email address, phone number, and messenger. Block him from your facebook profile.
Do not point him to this page. Showing him the mistakes he made will help him to become a better scammer.
Do not under any circumstances remain in contact with him. He will try to convince you that he is real, that he is innocent, that he loves you. The truth is he will say anything he has to say in order to convince you to stay in contact. He may even tell you he doesn't want money. He can be patient - he may wait weeks to months, until he is certain he has you hooked, and then he WILL try to get money from you again.
If he is angry enough, he may threaten you or try to blackmail you. Again, the only way to handle this is to ignore him.


I have posted several of his scripts below in black and red. My notes are in blue

WOW!!! i was actually searching for an old friend of mine when i stumbled upon your profile and immediately i just had to let you know that you are very pretty and you is an angel. I will like to know you better. (This sentence alone gives him away, as he makes one of the most common African mistakes here) My name is Ryan Hand. Pls tell me about yourself..

I RESIDE IN MARYLAND USA, I AM A DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR
---
I RESIDE IN MARYLAND located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east. Red text copied straight from the wikipedia entry on Maryland. An American who actually live in Maryland would actually use their own words to describe where they live. He can't, because he actually knows nothing about Maryland as he has never been there. As for my job... its just a simple and hard job which i really find joy in doing. i am always most of the time cracking my head to make sure nothing goes wrong. i am responsible for the design, implementation, maintenance and repair of the database organization i work for.
Red text is copied from here: http://marlondimaculangan.blogspot.com/ Again, he would not have to go online to find a definition for his own job.

I have been in the united states of America for a very long period of time .. i am not yet married not at all...i have no kids..i have a sister and a brother they are all living in the states.... my grand mother resides here in the states..i am American Australian by native...
The English throughout these messages tells me he is not American (or Australian, but remember he supposedly moved to the US as a child so he should write much more like an American.) It is consistent with English as a second language, and the mistakes and phrasing throughout scream African.

I live alone as well and Close to my brother. My sister lives in Crown point Indiana. I was involved in a relationship some few months back but due to irreconcilable differences, we decided to part ways so now I'm single and was searching until i saw you and i like to believe that my search is Over.
I'm a very romantic person, I love romance and like to hold my woman close to me and whispers sweet words in a very romantic scene with all the little romantic gestures like smooching, kissing. I'm also a humorous person and like to be a source of fun to close people around me. I do love animals but due to the fact that I'm always busy with work, i prefer not to have any for now. As for Sex, I love sex and Give my whole self when i do have sex. I prefer to use the word, ''make LOVE'' cos during love making i give my whole body and soul and putting my lady's need first before mine.

I'm the oldest of Three, My parents had Me my brother and my sister. My parents are late. typical African phrase. It would not be used by an American. They passed on some few years back and i really do not like talking about them cos it brings me too much pains, but thats Life. like i said, I'm Australian American, My dad is Australian an my mom is American. I lived in Australia and was born there but came to the states when i was Five so i have little memory of back Home so America is my home. My Sister recently got married and is expecting her first child soon, My Brother is Married as well and has Two Sons with his Wife Kathleen. The English is atrocious here, and contains many mistakes typical of an African, as well as the random incorrect capitalization that we often see.

I'm 5'9, . The thing i love most about you is the way you smile, it makes me feel so easy and i feel i can be with you. I am a person who is positive about every aspect of life. There are many things I like to do, to see, and to experience. I like to read, I like to write; I like to think, I like to dream; I like to talk, I like to listen. I like to see the sunrise in the morning, I like to see the moonlight at night; I like to feel the music flowing on my face, I like to smell the wind coming from the ocean. I like to look at the clouds in the sky with a blank mind, I like to do thought experiment when I cannot sleep in the middle of the night. I like flowers in spring, rain in summer, leaves in autumn, and snow in winter. I like to sleep early, I like to get up late; I like to be alone, I like to be surrounded by people. I like country’s peace, I like metropolis’ noise; I like the beautiful west lake in Hangzhou, I like the flat cornfield in Champaign. I like delicious food and comfortable shoes; I like good books and romantic movies. I like the land and the nature, I like people. And, I like to laugh and most of it all i like to create new ideas as to regards my job as a software developer.
(wait, wasn’t he a database administrator before? Those are two different jobs)
I always wanted to be a great writer, like Victor Hugo who wrote "Les Miserable", or like Roman Roland who wrote "John Christopher". They have influenced millions of people through their books. I also wanted to be a great psychologist, like William James or Sigmund Freud, who could read people’s mind. Of course, I am nowhere close to these people, yet. I am just someone who does some teaching, some research, some writing and a complete Database administrator. But my dream is still alive.
Everything in red that is supposed to be a description of himself is actually copied from a University of Washington faculty member’s webpage: http://faculty.washington.edu/xpchen/me.html

Back in school day's i always took my education seriously and made sure i was something to write home about.. i was also a member of the ROTARY CLUB... and other organizations.
Another completely impossible claim. Rotary club is not a student organization, and if he were in the US he would know that. He probably copied this from a former victim. .

All i need in my life now is a woman who has got guts to know what she wants and what she dose not want .. i am a man of my world wanting to bring you into my world while we share our worlds together in fun and in happiness... i know you and I when we get together we shall make a good match.
If i could build my own woman.these are the qualities she would have!

1). The most and important quality my woman would posses would be loyalty.

2). She would be very honest

3). Very positive

4). Out going, she would definitely have to know how to carry herself in a social setting. She also would have to be classy.

5). She would have style and know how to dress, and have a mean shoe game (not just tennis shoes all the time!!!

6). She would have to have a good relationship with Me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And thats you lol.

7). She would have to love sex! Because i have a big sexual appetite for the one i would be loving so much for the rest of my life. never fades.

Cool. She would have to be affectionate

9). Know how to treat a man, know when to be there and when not to be. Vise versa

10). Must be goal orientated, and know what she wants out of life.

11) she would be understanding and willing to work out any issues we may have!

12) last but not least she would have to have good hygiene she has too smell good all the time, and have her perfume game up!

If i had a woman like this i would give up every temptation for the rest of my life, put up my pimp cup! Lol yep but i don't know if this type of woman exists. But hey u never know ..

This entire list was copied from this 2006 myspace blog: http://www.myspace.com/reggierich/blog/67167919

He is already beginning the setup for when he is going to ask for money. The truth is, he won't be traveling to Africa, because he is already there. Note how he starts with romantic poetry and talk of travel at the same time. That's because he wants to sweep the victim off her feet with romance so that she is thinking with her heart and not her head when he starts the money requests. I really wanna get to know you better. I'm a little busy at the moment with an upcoming project i have at hand that will require me to travel very soon but before that happens, i really wanna know you better and would like for us to meet . I would need your telephone number so i can call you on Phone. I have (in my dreams and in my mind) always imagined how lovely your voice will sound like.

All day, you are in my thoughts and mind. BTW, im 45. I was born on 05 June 1965 but age is just a number and you are just as young as you feel.

I know there is an ocean between us right now, and i wish that this wasnt true. Everyday when i wake, i yearn to be with you. Though, a long distance lies between us, but everyday you are in my heart and mind. Every night, i pray and hope for the day when we will never part.

I think about you everyday, when my eyes are open, i think about you, when my eyes are closed, i dream about you. When i check my emails, i think about you. When I go to sleep in the loneliness of my room and give in to wonderful dreams I will definitely be thinking about you.

I know someday we will meet and spend our lives with each other. I have waited for someone like you, and now that I have found you I will never let you go. I care about you so much.
Poem in red is copied from lovingyou.com, a favorite site of romance scammers. http://www.lovingyou.com/content/inspiration/loveletters-content.php?ID=884

Love
Ryan

When I was a little boy, I dreamed of that one person that I would share my dreams, happiness and energy with ... I could not see her face but she was there. I always felt like she was out there, I just needed to feel her. I visualized the bond we would have and the courage and happiness she would give me to endure life's obstacles. All these years I was with others, and feeling my way through life, learning lessons that later on would prepare me to become the person that I am now. I have felt alone and sad. Then one day my eyes opened and I became that little boy again ... realizing that she is here now. Here in my world was the woman that I had dreamed of and I'd hoped would not miss our meeting in life ... that woman is you
also copied from lovingyou.com: http://www.lovingyou.com/content/inspiration/loveletters-content.php?ID=336

Hello Honey,

As I rest my head on my pillow a smile seeps through my soul, knowing that you, and you alone have made me whole.

Without you I would simply be surviving, but with you I am living life to the fullest. Because of your love my spirit has been rejuvenated.

The simplest pleasures in life bring me so much joy that it is hard to find the words to describe them. A walk in the park becomes a reality based metaphor... it is our journey together hand in hand forever more.

Even in our moods, regardless of the irritations of daily life we manage to make each other laugh. The sound of your laughter rings through my ears and touches my heart. Our banter that may seem odd to others makes us giggle to no end. The difference between you and I are very few, yet they are there. But we accept those differences, embracing them because they are part of something we love about one another.

It isn't about looks, nor money but the simplicity in life that we find so attractive. Knowing we could survive anywhere as long as we were together.

Love is not a job, love simply is. Unconditional love is what I offer you, and with you I receive the same. You are my heart of hearts, my soul mate, friend, lover and partner for life.
yet another from lovingyou.com http://www.lovingyou.com/content/inspiration/loveletters-content.php?ID=205

Hello Honey,

You are the very air that I breathe, the very love that I need, my heart, my soul, my everything. The sweetest of my memories come when I think of you. I remember the very first day that I saw your picture, I could not believe I was looking at a human being. I pinched myself the hardest one could ever do so as to wake myself up from the drunken stupor I was in. For a moment I believed I was in heaven; I even danced to the music the angels were singing. Upon opening my eyes I realized I was not in heaven but that an angel had come down to earth, just for me. I tried to call you last you last night.

The music of your voice when we first spoke surpasses that of the greatest orchestra belting out its very best composition. Your eyes dance like mermaids in the sunshine, promulgating the exotic beauty from within your innermost being. Words alone limit me to explaining exactly how I feel about you.

I can say you are the sole comforter to me. Loving you is the best thing that ever happened to me and I will forever cherish the moments we have spent together talking.

Every night I dream of heaven, and I'd gotten used to the idea that they are looking for an angel, one that went missing the day you stepped into my life, the day all my sorrows were washed away and I took a step into the impossible, crossing the margin from natural to supernatural. You are my angel and forever you will be. The one whose memories I will treasure forever till the day I turn into an angel like you.

Love
Ryan
And again... http://www.lovingyou.com/content/inspiration/loveletters-content.php?ID=220

So here's where Nigeria enters the picture...
Honey, I have been going through a specimen proposal i submitted to the federal republic of Nigeria government head office 7 months ago, located in western Africa on the Gulf of Guinea, it is a black race ethnic group location and rich in culture with lots of mineral resources. The project is aimed at creating a design, implementing a structure and maintaining the structure which is the database. this line is total nonsense. He strung together a few buzzwords without understanding their meaning. This project is to help banks, hospital, schools and universities, airports so on and so forth ... most of it all its 2,400,000.00 United States dollars in worth Completely unrealistic numbers a database administrator does not get 2.4 million dollars for a single project, and once again he is showing he doesn't know the difference between a database administrator and a software developer. He's just pulling large numbers out of the air now. So it’s a big catch as I can see if I am finally awarded the project.


I have just been notified to come and give a physical demo before the contract can be awarded which makes me have to leave by first flight ASAP by Tomorrow. The project board in charge over there wants to hold a meeting with myself. I am really kind of happy but would miss you for a short while immediately i make the trip. I’m happy for the times we share together communicating, which is the first and most important of it all. Besides we shall still be communicating via telephone and email. Immediately i arrive, i shall purchase a telephone line immediately (He doesn't need to purchase a Nigerian phone, he's just going to use his cell phone that he has had all along since he lives in Nigeria) even though i would not be staying long over there, just to make sure i always hear your voice when necessary. You can see that he wrote this entire part by the deterioration in the English.

Whatever blessing that touches me touches you automatically and that is why i just know you more than the ordinary to me. I HAVE NOT MET WITH YOU FACE TO FACE BUT I FIND MYSELF JUST SO PROUD HAVING COMMUNICATION GO THIS FAR WITHOUT AN END WITH SUCH A PRECIOUS PERSON/WOMAN/LADY LIKE YOU....NO I WOULD SAY' PERSONALITY LIKE YOU.

Honey the lord shall be our continual guide. Love you till the end of no time for the love we share has no end and this makes it everlasting. Immediately i get back i shall be coming straight to you while you come pick me up at the airport upon my arrival.

Right now, i hope you are thinking of me. I love you so much and i want you to know that you are always on my mind.

I think about you all the time. I love you so much. You are always on my mind. I will call you when i transit in the UK. And as soon as i get to Lagos, i 'll purchase a new Cell phone so we can keep in touch.

Love
Ryan

I'm about leaving for JFK now and i just wanted to express some of my feeling to you before i leave, hopefully when you come home in the evening, you will see my message.

The scammer just copied pieces of a bunch of different letters from lovingyou.com here. I have posted links to show where "his" thoughts were stolen from.

I have tried a million times to put into words how I feel for you. It's so hard to describe such an intense emotion. I knew from the day we met, that you were meant for me.

http://www.lovingyou.com/content/inspiration/loveletters-content.php?ID=160

Love and friendship is what I feel with you, it is not just that we are lovers, we are also friends, and that is what makes our relationship much better. The greatest of lovers don't make the best of friends, remember that, and when there comes a time when you feel that things can't get any worse, think of me, for I can try my best to bring you all the happiness in the world. I grow to love you more and more everyday, and I do not know right now what I would do without you. Sometimes I would like to think my love for you is like a great dream, I don't want to wake up because I don't want to lose that love. I will be by your side whenever you need me and I hope I am and always will be in your heart and in your dreams forever. I Love you
And another...http://www.lovingyou.com/content/inspiration/loveletters-content.php?ID=230


You have opened up new and exciting doors for us that I can't wait to explore with you. When I feel your touch, my heart melts and my soul is set on fire with desire to hold you and kiss you. You have become my very best friend and my lover. So, make no mistake, Dear, this is love.

I love you with all my heart and soul, now and forever. Thank you for being you and wanting me.

http://www.lovingyou.com/content/inspiration/loveletters-content.php?ID=163

There was a huge void in my life until you came along. I thank God everyday for leading us to each other. You complete me. I think back to how empty my life was without you, and I am so grateful that you are here.

I can't wait to spend forever with you. You are my life, my love, my soul mate, my heart, and my reason for breathing. I love you, with everything I am.

http://www.lovingyou.com/content/inspiration/loveletters-content.php?ID=160

There is nothing that I would not do for you and there is no one else I would want to share my life with. You are the reason I get up each morning, and you make me look at life with a new perspective. I have never met anyone as wonderful as you. I really miss you.

http://www.lovingyou.com/content/inspiration/loveletters-content.php?ID=231
Love
Ryan

Honey,

Another night without you by my side ... sometimes I do not have a clue about how I will be able to pull through this, or where I will get the strength to make it through the empty days and lonely nights. The day i finally meet with you is all that keeps me going, it will be heaven, and then I will be complete again.

I love you so deeply there are no words to explain the tremendous tidal wave of emotions flowing through me just from the sound of your voice, the mention of your name, the vision of your smile or thoughts of you.

Today I love you more than yesterday and less than tomorrow, as my love for you grows with every passing hour. I love you more than "Love."

http://www.lovingyou.com/content/inspiration/loveletters-content.php?ID=491

I called you but i guess you were asleep. I i'm missing you terrible right now and i look forward to the moment when we will finally be united as one. I love romantic movies and thrillers.. I like hanks and Denzel as well honey. They are great actors

Have a nice night and i hope you are dreaming about me now.
Love
Ryan

And now we get to the scammer's real purpose - the money requests. Note the poor English--once again, that is because he is an African, not an American, and this is his own writing. Things with me right now is a bit though and right now. I am so much trying right now as I only got $37,500.00USD here with me (no legitimate American businessman would be carrying that amount of money). I have spent so much money during the course of pursuing this contract with so much miscellaneous expenses (more than $37,500? Again, not plausible.) I need you to assist me with whatever you could possible assist me with right now for nothing shall be too small and i am surely going to bountifully pay you back in folds..., so i could add up with the money I have here with me and seal this deal up... i don't want to be here for too long. Its just so painful but I understand the whole situation as a matter of time I would be through and OK with the whole issue.

I will appreciate whatever assistance you can render to me at this moment. My love for you is the only thing that is keeping me going right now.

The victim hasn't paid so he tries again. I really need any assistance you can offer me at this moment.. I have tried so much to raise the balance money from other sources but so far, all my friend that promised to helped me so far have all seemed to desert me.. I really believe in you honey and that any little contribution you can offer me at this moment will be highly appreciated.

I just need you to treat as urgent.. send 1000usd to my accountant whom is going to send me some money very soonest... send the 1000usd to him via western union money transfer as soon as you get this message honey. receivers name - william clements, country- u.s.a, state- maryland, city- germantown. copy the following information before going to the western union. i need you to treat as urgent. its very important you do so for me. i love you sweetie and would always... thanks for always been there.... i shall put everything in place soonest. love you so much and i want you to know you are always on my mind like ever before. I am yours and you are mine now and forever more Amen. Ryan
If the rest of his story was true, the accountant would be arranging for emergency funding through a loan, etc. Note he wants the money sent western union. That's because it will be picked up in cash, and is completely untraceable. There is no accountant. The WU payment will either be redirected to him, or it will be picked up by a mule in Maryland who will keep a small percentage and send the rest to him. And if he were really in trouble, what about the brother and sister he claims to have?

If his victim doesn't respond to his request, he will continue with other urgent requests, but he may change his story to sound even desperate. These stories are just more lies.
Typical stories include:
He may claim he was robbed.
He may claim he is stranded and unable to leave the country (If he was really an American citizen stranded in Nigeria, the US embassy would help him out, but if a victim suggests that, he will make up an excuse why they can't or won't--the truth is they can and will get an American home).
He may pretend he was in an accident, and then a "doctor" will contact the victim, saying she needs to send money for lifesaving surgery.

Same scam happened to me over the last two weeks. Using the same tricks and websites. He said he was American soldier serving in Afghanistan named Rick Edwards. The pattern was very much the same as the others mentioned. This scheme had him as unmarried and with a daughter. The daughter, and he really told a very convoluted story, was wisked to Ghana for safety after the mother in the US was abusive to her. The mother later dies in a car wreck and now daughter has no mother but has a caretaker in Ghana. So the daughter is in Ghana and things need to be sent to her and the circumstnaces are dire. Here was the asking for money part (actually just asked to go to the website and buy itmes directly). Additionally his story had his parents pass and one of the parents died in the World Trade Center bombing in 1993. I met him through Match.com so he is upgrading to pay websites it seems. I stupidly fell for the daughter part of the story and did indeed buy food for "her" and during the transaction he had to give me his information so he could pick up the items and the store required ID for pick up (this was suppossedly the caretaker) so I actually got an email and a name so I am giving the name I found. Again he is posing as an American Soldier. Be careful!


BEWARE OF:
Recipient Name: EMMANUEL ANSAH CHICHI
Recipient Email: [email protected]
Recipient Cell: +233549978788
Resides: Accra,Teshie-Nungua, Ghana

At least the items were food so I do not feel as violated as if were money. But still how can one fall for this stuff!! I did!

Welcome to scamwarners. I'm sorry that you were scammed, though glad you caught it when you did.

Some scammers will start with a request for food or a care package with every day items before they start hitting you up for cash. They do this as sort of a test to see how "good" of a victim you are. If you won't send basic food items, there is no way you are sending cash--but if they can get you to send items, then they they know they can gradually progress the scam further and go ofter what they really want--your money. They might have kept the items, or they may simply have re-sold them.

In addition, when they ask for these things, they can create doubt in the mind of the victim--encouraging to believe that they are really doing this out of need and desperation. In reality, most of these scammers are far better off than the average citizen, and your money is not being used to support a troubled family--it is buying toys, designer clothes, sometimes even expensive cars and houses for a young man who is not in dire need at all.

If you haven't done so already, just cut off contact with this scammer now.