A Nigerian prince walks into a CrossFit gym…

If you’ve been on the internet long enough, chances are you’ve read about the “Nigerian Prince” scam, where a stranger promises to pay you for helping him transfer millions out of his country. All you have to do is send him back a few thousand dollars to cover taxes and fees.

Of course, there’s no prince or millions of dollars. There’s just you losing money to a con artist.

This type of scam has recently made its way into the world of CrossFit. But instead of a Nigerian prince, it involves a potential client emailing a gym owner requesting the purchase thousands of dollars in personal training sessions for his friends. All he asks is a lesser amount to be wired back to cover transportation costs or equipment.

For many gym owners just starting out, that offer is life-changing money. But it’s all a hustle. The thief typically uses a stolen credit card to pay upfront. Once notified, the credit card company will issue a chargeback. And you’ll be out of luck (and money).

Don’t get taken advantage of! Here are 3 things to look out for:

1. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. A serious client will meet you in person to verify the signature on their credit card without issue.
   

2. Get a second pair of eyes on the message. If the email seems “off”, have someone you trust take a look. Pay special attention to bad grammar, unnecessary details, or over-explanations. If you’re skeptical at all, try to get on the phone or meet in person.
   

3. If they ask you to send any money back to them, that’s a big RED FLAG! You should never have to pay money to secure a potential client.
   

You worked hard to build your gym and your community from scratch. Don’t let a scam artist rip you off. Share this article with your fellow box owners and report any suspicious emails to your local FBI office.