The Nigerian 419 scam [#Fraud Email #Scam]

Nigerian scams, also called 419 scams, are a type of fraud and one of the most common types of confidence trick.

There are many variations on this type of scam, including advance fee fraud, Nigerian Letter, Fifo's Fraud, Spanish Prisoner Scam, black money scam. The number "419" refers to the article of the Nigerian Criminal Code dealing with fraud. The scam has been used with fax and traditional mail, and is now used with the internet.

While the scam is not limited to Nigeria, the nation has become associated with this fraud and it has earned a reputation for being a center of email scam crimes. Other nations known to have a high incidence of advance fee fraud include Ivory Coast, Benin, Togo, South Africa, Russia, India, Pakistan, the Netherlands, and Spain.

History

An advance-fee fraud mail, with the recipient's name and address redacted

The Nigerian 419 scam is a form of advance fee fraud similar to the Spanish Prisoner scam dating back to the late 19th century. In that con, businessmen were contacted by an individual allegedly trying to smuggle someone connected to a wealthy family out of a prison in Spain. In exchange for assistance, the scammer promised to share money with the victim in exchange for a small amount of money to bribe prison guards. One variant of the scam may date back to the 18th or 19th centuries, as a very similar letter, entitled, "The Letter From Jerusalem" is seen in the memoirs of Eugène François Vidocq, a former French criminal and private investigator. Another variant of the scam, dating back to circa 1830, appears very similar to what is passed via email today: "‘Sir, you will doubtlessly be astonished to be receiving a letter from a person unknown to you, who is about to ask a favour from you ...' and goes on to talk of a casket containing 16,000 francs in gold and the diamonds of a late marchioness."


 The modern 419 scam became popular during the 1980s during the hyper-corrupt "Second Republic" governed by President Shehu Shagari. There are many variants of the letters sent. One of these, sent via postal mail, was addressed to a woman’s husband and inquired about his health and a long, unexpected silence. It then asked what to do with profits from a $24.6 million investment, and ended with a telephone number. Other official-looking letters were sent from a writer who said that he was a director of the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. He said that he wanted to transfer $20 million to the recipient’s bank account – money that was budgeted but never spent. In exchange for transferring the funds out of Nigeria, the recipient would get to keep 30% of the total. To get the process started, the scammer asked for a few sheets of the company’s letterhead, bank account numbers, and other personal information.

Yet other variants have involved mention of a Nigerian Prince or other member of a royal family seeking to transfer large sums of money out of the country.


The spread of e-mail and email harvesting software significantly lowered the cost of sending scam letters by using the Internet. While Nigeria is most often the nation referred to in these scams, they may be originated in other nations as well. For example, in 2006, 61% of Internet criminals were traced to locations in the United States, while 16% were traced to the United Kingdom and 6% to locations in Nigeria. Other nations known to have a high incidence of advance fee fraud include Ivory Coast, Togo, South Africa, the Netherlands, and Spain.


One reason why Nigeria may have been singled out is because of the comical, almost ludicrous nature of the promise of West African riches from a Nigerian Prince. According to Cormac Herley, a researcher for Microsoft, "By sending an email that repels all but the most gullible, the scammer gets the most promising marks to self-select." Nevertheless, Nigeria has earned a reputation as being at the center of email scammers, and the number, "419", refers to the article of the Nigerian Criminal Code (part of Chapter 38: "Obtaining property by false pretences; Cheating") dealing with fraud. In Nigeria, young men would use computers in internet cafes to send mass emails promising potential victims for riches or romance, and to trawl for replies. They refer to their targets as maghas – scammer slang that developed from a Yoruba word meaning "fool". Many also have accomplices in the United States and abroad that move in to finish the deal once the initial contact has been made.