Dear sirs:

A woman that I have been corresponding with for over a year from Ghana has been invited to the United States. But due to certain doubts, the offer was made that her visa would be paid by her correspondent, but not to her directly. I offered the cost of her visa and blood test via a certified bank check to immigration or what ever office to be. It would be for the exact amount specified, it is $200 for a renewal. She said that immigration insists on cash at all times. If this is so, then she will not get to visit me. The air fare has been paid a long time ago, and is not refundable, but is expired in April. She did not use the ticket originally due to an emergency illness, she has medical papers to show the airlines that she was sick an could not use the ticket. Therefore no penalty by the Airlines. My question. Will Ghana authorities accept a certified check from a United States Bank to pay for her visa and blood test? Check to be sent by FedEx.

THank you

Irving Theodore

There is no specific requirements on who pay visa fee, but in this case I am quite convinced that this is a SCAM.

Please read: https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/visas-passports/ghana-passport-visa-fraud-288039.html

My suggestion: First of all, don't send the $$ yet... contact US embassy in Ghana via email and ask for verification on this info. I am certain that the response will be the same. Website and email address are in the link above.

The girlfriend from Ghana is the best and biggest dating scam in the US and Europe. While I know some people come from there ( my down stairs neighbors are from there)

First visas cost a lot less than 200 dollars even the rush ones,
If there is a issue, the US embassy may be of help if this is real, since of course they will also need the US visa to enter into the US.

If you look at the US website you will find 2/3 of it, warnings on fraud dating issues. If you Google ghana and dating, you will find 1000's of pages, many listing names and so on.

What they do, there have rooms full of men, old ladies and others, they fake or steal or buy ID's from young girls and use them over and over with varoius names. Often that wonderful girl you are talking to may be a 60 year old grandma getting paid if they talk you into sending money.

And who paid for the airline ticket, I would hope this was a prepaid ticket you paid the airline for, since if you actually sent her the money for the tickets, I doubt any ticket ever purchased

Thank you for all the answers I received, but my question was not answered. I want to know if the Ghana authorities will accept a bank check for payment to them directly, so if it is a scam the party can't receive the money. I have seen her passport and her picture, and the plane ticket purchased a year ago was prepaid and not refundible. The check would be made out the immigration Dept.


There is no specific requirements on who pay visa fee, but in this case I am quite convinced that this is a SCAM.

Please read: https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/visas-passports/ghana-passport-visa-fraud-288039.html

My suggestion: First of all, don't send the $$ yet.............. contact US embassy in Ghana via email and ask for verification on this info. I am certain that the response will be the same. Website and email address are in the link above.

Thank you for all the answers I received, but my question was not answered. I want to know if the Ghana authorities will accept a bank check for payment to them directly, so if it is a scam the party can't receive the money. I have seen her passport and her picture, and the plane ticket purchased a year ago was prepaid and not refundable. The check would be made out the immigration Dept.

Thank you again, I value all your answers.

Irv Theodore

Yes they will, but the government in many ways is so corrupt, that having someone on the inside that will provide fake documents or cash the check for a percentage is so easy, this does not guarantee anything

And if you do, send to the address you find, not the one they provide

Sorry but this comes back to the issue "a fool and his money is soon parted"

I knew this was a scam immediately when you said that she requested cash... of course any government office will accept a check, they may add a fee since it's a foreign check though.

I am less skeptical of the actual government of Ghana... it's really a lack of any kind of cyber crimes policing agency that is the cause of the abundance of online crime from this country.

She wants cash so she can put it in her pocket and stop emailing you.