Online Scams IV: The 'Nigerian' 419 Scam

Named after the 4.1.9 section of the Nigerian penal code, the 419 scam is an 'advance fee' fraud which has suckered many unwary Internet users.

You receive an email generally marked "urgent" or "confidential" from someone asking for your help in moving "millions of dollars" out of their country. Often the scammer claims to be a Nigerian bank manager, a Nigerian government official, the wife of a deceased Nigerian general, an official with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, or other 'important' person. Sometimes the scammer claims to be a church minister, a US Marine in Iraq or Afghanistan, or a tragic widow dying of cancer (and you're her last hope), etc.

The variations of 419 'Advance Fee Fraud' are highly creative and virtually endless. Always there is an offer of giving you a percentage of a "vast sum of money" for your help moving the money out of the country. The money, naturally, doesn't exist. Common variations on the scam include: needing help moving millions of dollars from a forgotten account, getting diamonds or gold out of the country, a frozen inheritance, oil money, charity money, etc.

At some point, the victim is asked to pay up front an Advance Fee of some sort, be it an "Advance Fee", "Transfer Tax", "Performance Bond", or to extend credit, grant COD privileges, send back "change" on an overage cashier's cheque or money order, etc. If the victim pays the fee, there are often many "complications" which require still more advance payments until the victim finally runs out of money.

Naturally, you should not reply to such emails, unless you have a throw-away email address, time to waste, and want to tie up the scammers while amusing yourself, as in this hilarious TED video.

(some information from www.spamhaus.org)