The Nigerian Scam
The Nigerian Scam letters - I'm sure you've received them in
your mail and your inbox. This scam has been running for
decades, and by now I would think that most people in the United
States have received it or heard about it in one form or another.
Often an official-looking letter arrives in the mail. It is
postmarked from Nigerian, has a hand-written address and the
letter appears to be hand typed. It begs for help and offers a
handsome return for your time. And I do mean a handsome return -
typically it offers over a million dollars for the simple favor
of using your bank account to transfer some money.
Don't even think about responding - this is a scam of the worst
sort. There are people who have lost their entire life savings
because they called the phone number and let their greed kick in
and left their brains at home.
Sometimes this scam arrives in your email - an example email is
included below (note this is a scam - do not try and respond to
it).
-------------------------------------------------------- LADY
MARYAM ABACHA ABACHA COURT GIDADO ROAD KANO-NIGERIA THE
PRESIDENT/CEO
Dear Sir,
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
I am Lady Maryam Abacha, wife of late General Sani Abacha,
Ex-military Head of states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
who died on 8th June 1998 of heart problems. l contacted you
because of my need to deal with persons whom my family and l
have had no previous personal relationships. Since the death of
my husband, my family had been subjected to all sorts of
harassment's and intimidation with lots of negative report
emanating from the government and the press about my husband.
The present government has also ensured that our bank accounts
are frozen and all assets seized. It is in view of this that I
seek your cooperation and assistance in the transfer of the sum
of US$30,000,000.00 (Thirty Million United States Dollars only)
being the very last of my family fund in my possession and
control. An earlier attempt in the physical movement of the sum
of US$47,000,000.00 was to avail as the money was confiscated
and my International passport impounded at the Muritala Mohammed
International Airport, Lagos in August 1998.The Federal
Government has seized all our properties and frozen all our
accounts both local and International, but my only hope now is
the availableUS$30,000,000.00 which l carefully packed and
deposited with a security company as photographic materials
where my brother-in-law is working as a General manager when my
husband died. If you are willing to assist us in receiving this
money on our behalf, please contact my brother-in-law Alhaji
Buba Abacha immediately on the following Telephone Number
DELETED or EMAIL-DELETED@TOPROTECTYOU.COM to discuss the details
and negotiate your reward, which l can assure you, will be very
substantial .Please, ensure to keep this proposal very secret
and confidential. We await your immediate response. Maa Salaam.
Sincerely, LADY MARYAM ABACHA.
--------------------------------------------------------
Wondering why I have deleted the email address and phone number.
Because, believe it or not, people call these numbers and send
email to these accounts and lose their money - fast.
What happens? A nice guy or gal picks up the phone at the other
end and starts pulling you into the scam. At first they need a
thousand dollars, perhaps, for postage or some small official
fee. They are fast talkers who do this all of the time - and of
you do give in and give them the money you don't have a chance.
You are hooked and you are hooked bad.
They depend upon greed and prey on the weak. You think, "wow, I
can get a million dollars", and "well, it's a risk but I'm only
going to risk that first thousand". Foolish person.
Once you've given them your thousand (the amount varies) they
start to reel you in. They will call to tell you they need
another $10,000, perhaps, for bribes to customs officials.
You'll pay because you've already paid a thousand, and because
it sounds like the money is just about to be transferred into
your bank account.
So you'll pay. Then you'll call and you'll have to give them
another amount, bigger this time, and deliver it in person,
perhaps. You'll do it - you've already spent a lot of money and
you don't want to lose it. You'll deliver the money and then be
given a story - only to get another call.
This time you will be very suspicious, and you might be told
they need to "wash" all of the money. You want to see, they'll
meet you and indeed, they will have a handful of black money.
They'll use some solvent and like magic the money is clean.
They will explain that the money was hidden and got "dirty" and
now they need perhaps $50,000 to clean it. Some people have paid
as much as half a million dollars at this point. The stories are
sometimes different, sometimes the same, but you'll pay. Because
now the greed is mixed with fear and a little more greed -
you've actually had the money in your hands now.
How long does this go on? Until you won't or can't pay anymore.
Then you just get thrown away. People disappear, calls aren't
return, and if you do get hold of someone they deny knowing you
or give you some excuse.
Report it to someone? Who? The FBI? Sure, they know all about
this scam. Yes, they will take your data and add it to their
database - but the scam is not operated on United States soil
and there is no one to catch - at least no one who can be found.
There is also little or no evidence - it's very difficult to
catch this kind of thief.
So what do you do?
Use your brain.
Don't under any conditions give money to scammers. How do you
spot a scam? Simple. The offer is too good to be true. It's that
simple. Get a million for doing nothing? Come on. Doesn't happen
(unless you win the lottery). Don't even respond. Just delete
the emails or throw away the letters.
Be smart.