I know I am stupid BUT actually I’m not

Absolutely a scam. Go no furtherAlgieswife This is a very well known scam. I am surprised you accepted his message in the first place

I never ever accept a friend request from someoneI don't know.

Without wishing to be rude..... how can you not realise this is a scam.
Block him immediately.

Did you tell him how much money goes into your account every month? Did you tell him your account details?

How often do you see advice on how to treat these swindling scumbags? Not often enough, it seems, as it doesn't seem to have reached you. I am afraid he saw the word M U G tattoed on your forehead.

If he knows your A/C details, change them immediately. Change your email address too, and report him.

Grannyknot anyone can send a message request on messenger if you don’t know the, you don’t answer but obviously the poster accepted his request

Sorry but as everyone else has said, this is a scam.

This piece of $hit is not 55.
His profile picture is likely pinched.
There is no son at boarding school.
Which oil rig?
He is not a widower.
Did you feel it necessary to ask him about his financial circumstances when your correspondence began?
Please block him. It's one of the oldest scams in the Internet world and I'm amazed that it's still going on.

Oh dear NEVER NEVER NEVER accept a friend request from a stranger I play on a word game and I m always getting these American men telling me how gorgeous I am (never had a Brit tell me when I m playing the word game always US) I tell them I m there to play a game then I let them talk to them self The other evening one tried to start the conversation ten times before he got the idea I was only there to play the word game
Unfriend him and BLOCK him immediately if you don’t know how to block ask me and I ll guide you through it It’s not hard

He is not for real, he is probably a Nigerian criminal, unfriend him and read up on how to keep yourself safe online.

I'm amazed that you are in any doubt that this is a con. How does someone just ask you to be his friend on Messenger? Messenger is for messages between people who are already friends on Facebook.

I think you can report that sort of thing to Facebook too.

It is a scam, sorry. Can you "unfriend" him?

Eeek!! Head for the hills, is my advice! It sounds like a big scam to me. Chatting to someone new is great, but that does NOT involve money!!! Good luck