What Is The Nigerian Scam?
68A Friend Gets Duped in the Nigerian Scam
I had heard about the "Nigerian Scam" - (also known as the 419 scam) - a few years back and assumed most people knew about this scam, usually perpetrated on the Internet. You know, those emails you get asking you to help someone from another country cash their checks here, using your bank account then sending them the money back via western union. (There are many variations)
Like I said, I had assumed most people knew about this scam, and was quite shocked tonight to find out that a very close friend of mine had just been duped out of his life savings several weeks ago through the very same scam.
This was very very troubling for me because had I known he was looking into doing this I would have absolutely steered him clear of this email scam, and possibly saved him alot of heartache and the loss of all his money.
The Nigerian or "419" Scam
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A Sample Letter of What The Nigerian Scam Sounds Like
The Nigerian or 419 scam letter has many variations. Names and stories can vary greatly but the bottom line is that you will be asked to transfer funds for someone. Here are some "*snippets" from one of the more popular letters that get sent out to thousands of email recipients every day. If you get a letter like this "BUYER BEWARE!!!!":
Dear Sir:
* I have been requested by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company to contact you for assistance in resolving a matter. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company has recently concluded a large number of contracts for oil exploration in the sub-Sahara region. The contracts have immediately produced moneys equalling US$40,000,000. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company is desirous of oil exploration in other parts of the world, however, because of certain regulations of the Nigerian Government, it is unable to move these funds to another region.
* However, to be a legitimate transferee of these moneys according to Nigerian law, you must presently be a depositor of at least US$100,000 in a Nigerian bank which is regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
* Please call me at your earliest convenience at [Phone Number]. Time is of the essence in this matter; very quickly the Nigerian Government will realize that the Central Bank is maintaining this amount on deposit, and attempt to levy certain depository taxes on it.
Yours truly, etc.
Ben Ahore
The Nigerian Scam
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Do Not Respond to Questionable E-Mails!
Unfortunately my friend apparently has no recourse. Not only did he lose his life savings but he is in trouble with his bank now too - because of all the bad check charges that have came back on him. He did contact the police but they said there was nothing they could do - that basically it was his fault for "falling" for it.
So a word of caution to those that get any kind of email that even slightly remind you of the one I've posted. DO NOT RESPOND TO THESE TYPE OF EMAILS. This is only a scam. There are no get rich quick schemes in life - so if something seems to be good to be true it probably is!
THE FIVE RULES FOR DOING BUSINESS WITH NIGERIA
(Courtesy of The 419 Coalition)
1. NEVER pay anything up front for ANY reason.
2. NEVER extend credit for ANY reason.
3. NEVER do ANYTHING until their check clears.
4. NEVER expect ANY help from the Nigerian Government.
5. NEVER rely on YOUR Government to bail you out.
(Dorsi is a freelance writer and blogger on the Internet. If this article has been helpful a thumbs up would be appreciated!)
Poll on the Nigerian Scam
Have you ever recieved a Nigerian or 419 Scam Letter?
See results without votingResources to Fight the Nigerian Scam
- Nigeria - The 419 Coalition Website
A Five Billion US$ (as of 1996, much more now) worldwide Scam which has run since the early 1980's under Successive Governments of Nigeria. It is also referred to as "Advance Fee Fraud", "419 Fraud" (Four-One-Nine)
The Nigerian Scam on Snopes
- snopes.com: Nigerian or 419 Scam
Are Nigerians really giving away free money for helping them move large sums to American banks?
More on the Nigerian Scam
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Oh. My. God. Nigerian spam is a punchline. It's something we joke about when we email each other (which we do, Peter ...
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Comments
crazy stuff. They keep sendinginformation b/csome peopel are stil gullible enough togive themthe information. Hey, it beats looking for diamonds right? I heard about some graduate student a month ago who fell for it.. Go figure.
Its always too good to be true.
Hi Dorsi . It boggles my mind that people are still being duped by this too. I have won so many damn lotteries I should own my own Island by now . I generally disregard any email I do not recognize from friends or the occasional rant by goldentoad !
I heard that!
I have received at least 15 different versions in the past one year. They look so authentic that any person who is new to internet scams would get duped. This was reported by one of the news channels too some time back. Thx for sharing this.
i've had my own share of spams from Nigerian scammers but they never got me fooled! :D
I received quite a few. They seem so genuine and those who fell for the scam were desirous of getting rich quickly. May God protect us from all sorts of fraud.
yes its true
It is a very pathetic and challenging issue although it is a global issue. I have received a lot of them but I easily discover the purpose.
It might interest you that I have lived and worked in Nigeria for over 9 years and have followed up on these cyber crimes in the metropolitan cities here that I have severally been to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) established by the Nigerian Government to crush these scammers.
The Nigerian Government with this Commission has crushed many young men even now as i write many are in the trap of EFCC.
From my research, most of the scams originate from young men between 15 and 30 who use the cyber cafes to perpetrate their heinous crimes.
Most of these guys are school drop-outs and street urchins who don't believe in hard work, decency and self responsibility.
Also, most of the mails originate from the neighboring countries as if it comes from Nigeria.
Beware of any website that sells any product online and verify intelligently any information, design and structure of any corporate website you have dealings with. Corporate websites are being pirated and you may not know the differences.
Handle your personal details including your phone number and credit card as if your life depends on them.
Your tips are correct.
I must also say that there are dependable and responsible business men and women in Nigeria which I see as the wheat and I have done and still do business with them.
Just be cautious in all your dealings and you would never be hacked.
http://hubpages.com/profile/babarushe
Great Hub Dorsi, It is so sad that people put out scams like this and people fall into it. Keep up the great work.
Jen
If only they were true though Dorsi I'd be richer than the world by now! If anyone wants a giggle, go to http://www.419eater.com/html/trophy_room.htm
It's amazing what people will do to try and convince you it's legit. There are a few in there who have tattoos!
I have been duped by another Nigerian scam. Short version: Looking for home work, got an email on Myspace about doing home work, they sent me a travelers check with instructions, some guy called me, took the check to the bank, they CASHED it, I sent the money back minus what they owed me, check bounced, didn't get that it bounced until a few weeks later (not that day or that week) Went to bank, I was hummiliated in public by bank manager (she yelled at me), I went to the police and put in a report. Was told not to pay bank back and got a case number, still getting notices to pay bank, and still getting e-mails just like the first one that I got only from different addresses and people. They are relentless!
Also check your bank policy. I caught them on one of their policies that state tha tthey must check your account to see if you have the amount that you are cahsing in there and if you don't they can't not cash it. Do your homeowrk on your bank and on the people in question. I got duped because wht I failed to find on the internet about this one company--check under other types of scams and Bank Fraud--not just scams or internet scams.
The very same day we filed a police report we cancelled all our accounts from that bank and refinanced our mortgage with someon other company!
Here is the reality. There are 6.5 billion people in the world. Of those, probably maybe 2 or 3 care about you enough to alert you to some true golden possibility IF YOU'RE VERY LUCKY AND KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE AND THEY KNOW ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES. And you already know those two or three people. ANYTHING, I repeat ANYTHING ELSE, that pretends to be some "opportunity" from a stranger is a SCAM. You dupe yourself by thinking that some stranger especially in some far place like Nigeria is just going to roll over and make you rich. Believing in such bullhockey is like saying LALALA I KNOW THE WORLD IS FLAT.
Correct, but hthis person didn't use a SA address so I was fooled! Fool me once---------
I get about 20 a day, all different kinds. I have never got scam. There is a new scam that says if you have been scam they have your reward money of one million u.s. dollars. Please tell your friend about this. Or he might think he's just got lucky.
With the check scam, after a week the check finally bounces. The trick is to get you to send a large part of the money as soon as it clears. I have e-mail them back saying . "ok I will cash your check but you will have to wait 3 month till the check fully clears. I don't believe their is a real job to be had, on the Internet. Everybody want some money.
those scams are ridiculous i get them all the time and i spam them one time i replied...saying "and why of all people would you pick me?" lol...something happened with my email account after that response too! never again!
Hi SoulFlow
I quess they thought I might be willing. believe me they have change a lot of people mind's, by just connecting with them.
I have received these kind of emails also and then what I do is just totally ignore these craps. Or marked them as spammers..tsk these kind of people should not be tolerated and people who will received these kind of spamming emails should ignore this so because making a mistake cost expensively.
The Nigerian Scam in the News
- Job ad found to be a scamThe Biloxi Sun Herald2 days ago
BILOXI — A classified ad for a job as a “route service driver” is a scam and the ad has been pulled from the Sun Herald.
- Scam artists hijack Brookings womanâs e-mail address bookCurry Coastal Pilot24 hours ago
It came as shocking news to Brookings resident Hayley Farr that she was stranded in Malaysia and needed $1,800 to get home. Farr, also known by her married name of Hayley Skidmore, woke up in her own bed Wednesday morning to a barrage of phone calls from concerned friends. An e-mail, sent in her name from her own e-mail account, asked friends to send $1,800 to help her get home after losing her ...
- OUR VOICE: LEARN HOW TO AVOID SCAM ARTISTSThe Daily Commercial4 days ago
OUR VOICE: LEARN HOW TO AVOID SCAM ARTISTS From that unforgettable day in the early 1990s when the first self-described Nigerian diplomat promised a ...
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laringo says:
9 months ago
Hi Dorsi, I think I must get about 3 or 4 of these emails a week and I immediately delete them . This is really a serious matter and I wish more press would be given to this so that many more people become aware. Like you, I guess we'd be surprise on how many folks really don't have a clue about this scam.