Economic Slump Hurting Nigerian Scammers, Too
We're all feeling the current recession -- whether by losing our jobs, having less play money in our accounts, or simply being able to hire three servants for what one cost three years ago. But it's not just Americans who get the pinch. Would you believe Nigerian scammers are having a hard time of it, too? The Washington Post claims that young Nigerian men have to double-time it make what they were earning when Americans, the victim of choice, were feeling more flush. One scammer explains, "[Americans] don't have money. And the money they don't have, we want." According to the Post's interviews, profits are down 40-percent.
The Nigeran scam is by far the most commonly known Internet rip-off in existence. It typically goes something like this: A kind fellow drops you an e-mail informing you (usually in broken English) that your rich uncle has died and left you tons of money. He then promises to mail you a check with the funds -- only if you send him a check back for some smaller amount as a payment. There are dozens of variations, including one in which the scammer poses as one of your friends. The crime has become so common that those who perpetrate it have become cultural icons in Nigeria, having songs written that celebrate them. But, they're falling on hard times, and one scammer interviewed by The Washington Post is working even harder to get your cash -- staying up all night and buying traditional potions that purport to help in pulling the wool over our eyes. It's okay if you don't feel any sympathy -- we don't, either -- but be aware that you're probably due for even more messages about gifts from the dearly deceased, and requests from friends supposedly trapped overseas. [From: The Washington Post]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
dmcnabb said 12:10PM on 8-12-2009
The only idiots that fall for these scams are the ones so GREEDY that they lose their common sense. Like the one about the call or e-mail that you have magically won a lottery you never even entered. The only way to get your money is to send the person a "fee". How dumb can someone be to actually believe any real lottery or bank, etc. would require an extortion payment before giving you your winnings or inheritance, etc. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true.........IT IS A SCAM.
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farrowl said 12:28PM on 8-12-2009
Nigerian scam artists are little more than human garbage. It`s another country we should turn to glass. As far as falling for one of their scams is concerned, a person has to be incredibly stupid or exceedingly greedy.
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