Clarkhoward Home

Mon-Fri 1-4pm ET
Stations near you | help

Video Minute Archives
Daily Audio Archives
Rip-off Alerts
Call of the Week

Today's Show Notes
Previous Show Notes
Clark's Greatest Hits
Free and Cheap

Ask Team Clark
Call 10am-7pm ET
(404) 892-8227

Member Center
Blogs
Newsletters
Message boards
Meet the Team

Appearances
Books
Photos
TV
Talk to Clark 1-4pm ET:
(877) 87-CLARK or
(404) 872-0750

Advertisement
Ask Clark  Looking for something on the site? Search for it here!  Also see Clark's Greatest Hits
help

People continue to buy into Nigerian scams

How many times have you heard about or received an e-mail scam from someone in Nigeria? It’s known as one of the most pervasive e-mail crimes out there, yet people continue to get taken. The overall umbrella for these scams is known as a “419.” It’s basically a statute under the Nigerian legal code that means “fraud.” There are about a half a dozen scams coming out of this country, and they are all legitimate according to the country. An LA Times reporter went to Nigeria to find out more about these elusive yet prolific scams. He found Internet cafes set up for the purpose of scamming people, mostly Americans. They are actually called 419 cafes, and people who just want to surf the Internet are not allowed in. The people in the business see nothing wrong with what they are doing. In fact, they think it’s something certain types of Americans deserve if we’re willing to believe it. There is the “closest relative” scam, the “gorgeous person in trouble” scam, the “laundered money” scam, the “cheap oil” scam and of course the lottery scam. Nigerians in the business basically think Americans are greedy and willing to do anything for money. Don’t perpetuate that idea. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Unfortunately, Clark won't be able to answer any questions submitted via commenting. If you have a question, please try posting it to our message boards.

Add your comment

Security Image * Please enter the code shown at left
what's this?

What others are saying

  • fightback 419
    http://www.419eater.com/index.htm
  • Sweetheart Scam from Nigeria
    and pay for me to go back to school, he was going to take me shopping he was going to dress me like a queen. Yeah right.....He's probably some broken down man with no where to go. Once he received the money, he was going to call me and let me know the status of the sales, instead I get a call from some supposedly Nigerian doctor who is yelling on the phone that Richie has been shot in the arm and is in a coma, and that I need to send money for his medical bills. At first I thought this was some kind of game, so I hung up the phone. The man called back again and asked is this Regina? and do you know Pretty Richie Jazzmin? and I said yes and the man ask me why did I hang up the phone? Richie needs your help...as I began to listen to the voice I would almost say that it was Richie himself calling and trying to change his voice. I guess my adrenaline started to pump and and I yelled back at him that if Richie is in a coma, he will remain in a coma waiting for me to send anymore money...call his mother or his sister that he claimed was a missionary with her husband who had just lost his job.

    I find it very hard to be in a coma, and check emails from myspace....he was online today, and the moment that he saw that I was online he got off. I have sent him several emails requesting that he contact me, but I don't expect to ever hear from him again. The other part that really bothers me about this is that he used God's name in vain, claimed to be a God fearing man.

    I have contacted several of the women on his page to advise them of this scam. I have also sent a email to the FBI and BBB.

    He gave me the following information to wire the money to him: Pretty Richie Jazzmin 3 IBIOJOKE STREET OREGUN IKEJA LAGOS NIGERIA, 2341

    The wire money was sent from Western Union, MTCN # 457-383-7287 on 5/23/08 12:28 AM.

    If you would please look into this and let me know what you find out, I would appreciate it and look forward to putting this person away for a long time.
  • Sweetheart Scam from Nigeria
    I feel so stupid to have allowed this man to scam me like this.

    He later convinced me that what ever I could send him would be helpful and that he would try to convince the customs to accept partial payment until his customers buy the goods and then he would pay the balance in full this was to take place today, once he received $500 from me, which stupid enough I did wire him the money from my paycheck, knowing that I was short 16 hours of work due to a demotion from my current position. This man promised to by me a BMW,
  • Sweetheart Scam from Nigeria
    Once we started talking on the phone, he started talking about he hopes there would be no problems with his goods (computers) coming in on time because his customers were waiting for them. The next day he calls me on my cell phone and tells me that there is a problem, his goods arrived, but customs will not release them to him until he pays an additional $6000 and he only has $2000, he then asked me if I could get a loan for this amount and he would pay me back when he returns? I told him that I do not have that type of money and no way to get it, I advised him that he should contact his family to see what they could do for him. He stated that his mother has breast cancer and is on chemo therapy, and now she is worried about how she will get her treatment because he takes care of his mom as well as a daughter (supposedly) named Yolanda who is 12 yrs old. Note on his www.myspace.com/incompleteheartmeek, his profiles he said that he does not have any kids, and undecided if he wants any. We also did a lot of instant messages through yahoo, I have copies of the emails and IM I will send them to you as well.
  • Sweetheart Scam from Nigeria
    About a day later once Richie claimed to have just arrived in Nigeria, he emails me a phone number to call him (2348058335712) he told me not to worry about the bill that he would pay it once he arrived back to the states. My current cell bill is close to $500 USD, it will most likely get cut-off because I do not have this type of money.
  • Sweetheart Scam from Nigeria
    My name is Regina and I was recently a victim of a scammer in Nigeria who goes by several different names. Pretty Richie Jazzmin & Richie Jefferson. I met him on my space two weeks ago. We began to chat online, and then he said that he was getting ready to leave for Nigeria on business, but that he would return in two weeks after he sold his goods. He claimed that he was born in England and was raised in Albany, GA. This is also where he claims to have a home. Our conversation began to get very intense, he began to tell me that he loved me, and I asked him how could he claim to love me when he does not know anything about me nor has he every met me? He stated that you don't always have to meet people face to face to love them.
  • Scams
    What is the E=mail address you forward E-mail scams that you have received? Thanks

Advertisement


This week's poll
Which of these recent rip-off alerts shocked you the most?
Campuses taking kickbacks from health insurers.
AT&T settling a lawsuit over 3rd party billing charges.
Online loans coming with interest rates as high as 2,000%.
Scamsters pretending to collect funds for flood-relief charities.
All of the above.
None of the above.
see previous polls


Advertisement