Have you ever wondered
what the 419 Scam is all
about? Do you wonder how people fall
for such deceits? Do
you want to know how to
protect yourself against
the scams?
If you answered yes
to any of the above
questions, then read
on.....
Nigerian 419 scam is
a variation of
advance fee fraud,
and as the name
implies, it violates
the section 419 of
the Nigerian
criminal code.
Nigerian 419 Scam is
a Global Phenomenon,
Thousands of
Innocent and
Greedy People
(Worldwide), Have
Fallen Prey To the
Deceits, But You Can
Avoid Being a
Victim. Quite
frankly, in some
cases, both the
perpetrators and the
victims are equally
guilty of the crime.
The perpetrator has an intent to dupe, while the victim wants to have a share of money that does not belong to him or her. We need to set the record straight before delving into the issue. All Nigerians are not scammers. It's a shame that a few bad eggs have perpetrated the proliferation of the advance fee fraud, thus giving the country a terrible reputation. Advance fee fraud is not peculiar to Nigeria alone, it is a universal problem. In fact the same type of fraud is quite popular in some of the developed, and other developing countries.
Typically, the
perpetrator sends a letter,
a fax or an email to
an unsuspecting
recipient promising
a lucrative business transaction,
quite often, it's a
large sum of money
that has been
inherited or
unclaimed and is
sitting in an
account accruing
interest. All that
is required is the
target's banking and
other personal
information and
in some cases, they
even have the
audacity to request
for a transaction
fee, to expedite the
process. The
gratification may
not necessarily
be money, it could
be a an oil deal, real estate ventures and
in most cases, it
would appear as a legitimate business proposal.
They may even send
what looks like a
legitimate document
from a supposedly high ranking official in Nigeria to substantiate the business proposal.
But how do you tell
what is real from
fake? It is very difficult to differentiate sometimes, but if
it sounds and looks too good
to be real, do not
respond, it may very
well be a scam -
Better safe than sorry!
How to Avoid Being
Scammed
What should I do to avoid being scammed? This is the
question
that comes up very
often in some of the
forums. It's almost
impossible to get your money back if you've
been scammed.
Here are some tips
to avoid being
duped:
Don't
transact business
with an unfamiliar
person
Always ask for and verify the
documentations
Do a background check on your business partner
Ask yourself, can I
get my money back,
if it fails
In fact, never pay
fees for
uninitiated services
Don't be pressured or hurried into making
decisions
If you decide to respond, limit your financial risk
Be sure that the
amount you're
giving, would not
greatly
jeopardize your
finances, should you
loose the money.
In a nutshell, it is advisable that you don't respond to any business proposal that you did not personally initiate,
particularly if
the person is
unfamiliar to you.
These are just some
of the tips to help
you avoid being
scammed.
What should you do if you or
someone you know, have been scammed
or have received Nigerian scam letter?
If you receive
such a letter, you can
forward the report
according to your
geographic location.
First and foremost, be sure to forward a copy to
Nigerian EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ).
Nigerian EFCC
is committed to
eradicating crimes
and corruption in
Nigeria. You can
also help enlighten
the public by
submitting a copy of
the letter to our
database of letters.
You may also take
several actions
depending on where
you are located.
USA: If
you are located in
USA, forward the suspicious offer to FTC at
spam@uce.gov
. For a detailed reporting
process,click here
Scam Letter Gallery
