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.