How to spot a Nigerian Email Scam!
How would you like, out of the blue, to receive a check made out in your name for a few millions-and-a-half dollars? More than pleased for sure, unless you are aware of the most popular scam that it has become so noticeably, a part of.
The letter introduces the sender as being a person in distress, financially or otherwise. He dons a variety of facades-sometimes as an individual facing terminal cancer who wants help to distribute a substantial fund to charitable causes across the world. At other times, as a former CIA operative, a business man dealing in oil reserves, or as a former foreign official/Diplomat. They all have one thing in common: indirect access to a substantial sum of money which they seek (with your co-operation) to get hold of.
Nigeria is the place that they usually claim to come from. But nowadays you can find such letters coming from all parts of the globe.
It is divulged to you that for some reason (mostly legal), the sender is not able to directly credit the check in his own country. You were referred to him by a pastor (!!!) who knows you and had visited the scammer’s part of the world. The pastor had apparently spoken highly of your credentials as a wonderful human being.
For this reason (the letter would go on), the sender was willing to trust you by allowing you to encash the check into your account and agrees to part with 20% of the check amount as an appreciation of your efforts. Once you accede, he sends you the check by ordinary mail but along with instructions to encash it only after sending back a return check for the loan amount minus your commission.
The scam is revealed by the bank when they contact you and reveal that the check you received was a fraud. But by this time, your check would have been cleared and credited to the scammer’s account!
You realize too late that you’ve been taken for a ride!
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Hi. My son-in-law (attorney) have had a good laugh at what they will try next. (Nigerian scam). They will be reported. However, I’ve got them as far as mailing to the U.S. only to be stopped by L.A. customs and requiring an “anti-terrorist clearance” fee, that should have been paid in the uk. Got a good response for not paying the fee? email me at: nickybordonaro@hotmail.com
February 19th, 2008 at 5:10 pm