This, generally quite nasty, scam (I will clarify later) has been around in various formats because the late 70’s. It is usually probably on the files of just about every fraud officer from every country, worldwide.

Originally this rip-off was perpetrated with the ‘victim’ receiving an actual letter postmarked in Nigeria, and to all intents and purposes looking like an official document! Within the letter, a bogus Nigerian official/civil servant informs the recipient of a big sum of money (millions of dollars) which has been ‘overpaid’ by the Nigerian Government whilst they have been procuring some contract or other. This so called ‘loose’ cash needs to be disposed of and to do this they need to recruit the providers of a willing third party, either a private individual or firm, to provide bank particulars so that the money can be deposited into their account.

The ultimate goal of this scammer is to convince the ‘mark’ that they have been singled out to become a partner in this (what would appear to be!) very profitable arrangement. The bogus official claims he can not use his own bank account and so asks the ‘sufferer’ to accept a large amount of fee for permitting this arrangement to take place.

If they actually handle to ‘hook’ someone in the course of the ensuing correspondence, then the gullible ‘mark’ is reassured varied types of documentation bearing official looking letter heading, and subsequently guided into providing all types of personal information together with, after all, bank details. Then when everything looks set to go, a slight problem (on the Nigerian side) happens! This is either a hiccup on the bank, a cash transfer problem and even some official that wants bribing. The, now well and really hooked ‘mark’, is asked to send a small amount of cash (in relation to the principal sum), this is to permit the transaction to proceed. Needless to say, if transferred, this cash is rarely seen again! Oh, and by the way, the millions of dollars never materialises into the sufferer’s bank account.

Now it has been known for meetings to be set up previous to the precise ‘stings’ and the sufferer or members of their households have truly been kidnapped and held for ransom. The bank details have additionally been used to empty any bank accounts.

These letters have now moved on somewhat and are normally acquired as emails, sometimes utilizing the bogus official route, different instances they’re from people (normally grieving widows) attempting to move inherited money out of the country to a ‘safer place’.

At the end of the day, regardless of which route they take, the fundamental thought is the same, they promise to place an enormous fortune into your bank account, however earlier than the transaction can go through, you have to send them some money to cover some minor administration cost.

Has this actually taken in folks, certain it has?

Are people still (after 30 years of it) being ‘taken in’? Unbelievably as it may seem they are. Why, do I think, this still happens. The reason is simple; greed overtakes logic!

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