What is a Nigerian Scam ?
Friday, 5. September 2008, 07:50:46
Nigerian Scams
The advent of internet communications has brought innumerable advantages but there are also a number of distinct draw-backs such as internet gambling, pornography and frauds.
One of the major forms of internet frauds is called Nigerian Scams.
This scheme of fraudulent activities predated the internet but it has caught up with the times and now most of the victims reported being contacted by an email rather by written materials as they used to be in the 20th century.
This scam earned its name having originated from Nigeria, Africa. However, it is well known that similar schemes also spring from all corners of the world including from developed countries. The fraudulent concept remains unchanged despite the different source countries.
Like all fraudulent schemes elsewhere, this is aimed squarely at one of the base drives of the human race i.e. avarice. In other words, it is a “get-it-rich” scheme.
It has many variations and twists, some of which is listed below, but the essential core message is unchanged: it aims to tug the greed inside all of us by promising unsolicited and tremendous wealth and/or fulfilling love from charming maidens in return for very little effort and expenses. In other words, you have been “chosen” to lead a charmed life as long as you cooperate with the minor requests they happen to cook up at that time.
1)OVERSEAS MONEY TRANSFER
2)UNEXPECTED LOTTERY WINDFALL
3)WHOLESOME LOVELY BRIDES
Unexpectedly, you would receive an email from an unknown source advising you that you have been earmarked for the receipt of a couple of millions of US dollars from the Central Bank of Nigeria (or the Ivory Coast or Sierra Leone etc…).
The reason for your selection is that you had been identified by some Nigerian VIP to be a reliable and trustworthy person of great social and financial standing who can readily assist the recently retired general / businessman to ferry out his proceeds from the Central Bank.
They would, however, require an overseas bank account in a 1st-world country into which the Nigerian Central Bank would then readily transfer some 10-50 millions in US currency.
You would be offered a commission of 2-5% with the remaining funds being collected by the retired general when he comes to see you in your home town.
The catch is once you show an iota of interest, the Nigerian friends will entice you to sign up for more “benefits: by sending some money (initial a few hundred dollars) to “bribe some bank officials” followed by more substantial sums to smooth the way for the eventual transfer of the promised $50 million in US dollars.
Deeper and deeper you will be drawn into the vortex of fraud.
It is common for unsuspecting victims to lose 10-50,000 dollars each before waking up to the fact that there is no nirvana from Nigeria at all.
Lately, the twist has been on the lonely hearts in western countries.
Lovely, wholesome maidens are advertised as being desperate to seek a loving husband from the West – provided some introduction fees are advanced first.
It was reported in some cases where the victims were kidnapped and extorted for a huge sum of money when they travel to pick up their promised brides.
Only with the help of Interpol did they manage to escape with their lives intact but their lonely hearts remain broken and the wallets thoroughly emptied.
The lessons:
There is no quick fix for your financial problem.
There is never any unexpected golden windfall from anywhere except your recently departed grandmother.
Beware of joining and/or introduction fees for your promised brides.
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