Khaberni - Algerian human rights activists warn of the growing phenomenon of fraud against Algerian women on the internet, after observing systematic enticement operations that deceive victims about completing marriages with foreigners, in exchange for financial amounts, only to end with either stealing their money or trapping them in illegal relationships.
Marriage in exchange for money
Human rights activist Fatihah Rouibi explained that groups on social networks, especially private ones for women, have become stages for fraud, "exploiting some Algerian women's desire to marry foreigners, especially Turks, in exchange for money that is paid to unknown intermediaries."
Rouibi added in a statement to Alarabiya.net/Alhadath.net that "many girls are swept away by dazzling promises of marriage, migration, and settling down, only to later discover that they have been deceived by an organized trade capitalizing on their dreams, and even their social and psychological statuses." She pointed out that some victims find themselves in dangerous situations, like traveling without legal guarantees or entering unregistered marriages, then returning with significant material and moral losses.
Exploitation of the dream of migration
This phenomenon is growing amid the increasing desire of Algerian youth to migrate, which is exploited by organized networks devising complex scenarios to convince their victims.
Among the victims, "Amal.A," 32 years old, told Alarabiya.net/Alhadath.net about how a woman through a Facebook group deceived her into believing she would be married off to a Turkish man, with a temporary residency assured until the completion of marriage documents and moving into marital home.
Amal wouldn’t have been interested in the offer if not for the scenario crafted by the woman she communicated with being quite realistic. As Amal explained: "She told me that the man was Turkish and had not found anyone to help him take care of his sick mother."
What made Amal somewhat believe her interlocutor’s story, she continued saying: "She asked me for a small amount to arrange my stay until I could leave Algeria once my situation was sorted out, which I saw as acceptable, until I discovered other women had fallen for this fraud and paid money, eventually realizing that these were just scenarios woven by organized gangs to defraud Algerians by exploiting some of their social or even emotional situations."
Legal warnings
Meanwhile, human rights activist Rouibi urges women to be cautious of intermediaries and suspicious pages, and to ensure any marriage abroad is registered at the Algerian consulate or relevant authorities, with prior legal consultation to avoid falling into fraud traps. She alerted that "marriage is not a means of migration nor a gateway to quick profit, but is a solemn covenant based on affection, responsibility, and respect, not on dubious mediation or financial agreements," calling for "not trusting unknown intermediaries or pages that promise marriage abroad without formal procedures, and to verify the legal status of the other party, and ensure the marriage is documented at the Algerian consulate or in front of competent authorities, with ongoing consultation with a lawyer or official agency before taking any crucial steps."
