I am recycling this because, in spite of the pervasiveness of "phishing" and all its attendant attrocities, and in spite of the huge press reports and prosecutions, people still fall victims to these "scams". I am not talking about the ones that promise you extra inches on your manhood or promises to take off 100 of those 800 pounds of fat while you sleep. I am not even talking about the ones that promise you a bazillion dollars for little or no efforts. No, my original piece was centered on the ones that blantantly ask you to help them bakrupt one country while you get rich doing so. Here's what I wrote back then. Sadly, it is still true today.

The Nigerian '419' SCAM - my position

'419' SIMPLY EXPLAINED:

"419' is a fraudulent scam (aren't all scams fraudulent?) perpetrated by SOME Nigerians soliciting assistance of third-parties (usually but not exclusively, foreigners) in a scheme to defraud NIGERIA by TRANSFERRING  a non-existent, but supposedly ill-gotten GOVERNMENT money into a foreign private account for eventual distribution by BOTH the SCAMMER(S) and the eventual VICTIM.

The SCAM is carried out this way. The scammer sends out a mail to a potential victim. The scammer claims to be in one way or the other connected to a government agency or knows someone who is. The scammer, by virtue of his connection, has knowledge of a certain fund (money) which BELONGS to the NIGERIAN government, but which is laying fallow somewhere and needs to be diverted somewhere for the EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT of the scammer and the intended victim. UPFRONT, the intended victim is made aware of the fact that A CRIME IS ABOUT TO BE COMMITTED, but against NIGERIA, not the VICTIM or the VICTIM'S country. The victim is told upfront that the money to be diverted to a private account belongs to the PEOPLE OF NIGERIA and not the SCAMMER.

The scammer will inform the victim that he/she is ONLY required to be a conduit for the commission of this crime by providing, or arranging for the provision, of a bank account where the money will be transferred to. The victim is enticed with a promise of something in the range of a third to half of the illegal money when the transfer is completed. Because the amount supposedly involved is usually in the millions, this turns out to be a great enticement, AND MANY PEOPLE FALL PREY.

Now, there is a lot of variation to this scam, but they all boil down to the same solicitation: 
HELP US DEFRAUD NIGERIA AND THE NIGERIAN PEOPLE AND BE RICH IN THE PROCESS.

my position:

1. SCAMS like this don't happen to honest and legitimate business people.

2. SCAMS like this are just a variation of what these foreign "BUSINESS PEOPLE" are really doing to Nigeria. I posit that things like this happen behind the scene in the high places in NIGERIA (remember ABACHA, BABANGIDA and how much they have stashed away in foreign accounts.

3. SCAMS like this will ALWAYS happen BECAUSE, since the intended fraud happens for real and the real payoff to these CRIMINAL 'VICTIMS' are so mind-boggling, it would be difficult for them (the 'VICTIMS') to distinguish between a legitimate (ah!) proposal to defraud NIGERIA and a fake one for them to lose money.

4. SCAMS like this happen, not only in NIGERIA, 'nough said.

5. A legitimate business person doesn't go into a business proposition in which the intended end-result is FRAUD. If they do that, then they are not legitimate.

6. The letters sent out by these scammers are so poorly worded and the scheme puerile, it makes you wonder how these VICTIMS get entrapped.

7. The 419 coalition berates the Nigerian government for doing NOTHING or not doing ENOUGH to stem the perpetration of this scam. Incredibly, the 419 Coalition has not deemed it fit to condemn these fraudulent foreigners who go to NIGERIA solely with the intention of DEFRAUDING NIGERIA. The 419 Coalition has not called upon the respective governments of these fraudulent foreigners to prosecute them for attempting to defraud NIGERIA and the NIGERIAN PEOPLE.

8. The current Nigerian government has been battling for the repatriation of BILLIONS OF DOLLARS stolen from NIGERIA by NIGERIANS WITH THE ACTIVE ASSISTANCE OF THESE 'VICTIMS' to no avail because the SWISS, the BRITISH, the AMERICAN (etc) governments love it when other countries' monies are used to shore up their own economies.
   We don't hear anything in the press when arrangements to defraud NIGERIA succeeds like they do most of the time. The 'VICTIMS' don't complain, their governments are happy and the press winks.

This definition is taken from The 419 Coalition
A Five Billion US$ (to date) worldwide Scam which has run for the last Thirteen Years under Successive Governments of Nigeria. It is also referred to as "Advance Fee Fraud", "419 Fraud" (Four-One-Nine) after the relevant section of the Criminal Code of Nigeria, "The Fax Scam" and "The Nigerian Connection" ( mostly in Europe ). However, it is usually called plain old "419" even by the Nigerians themselves.

The Scam operates as follows: the target receives an unsolicited fax or letter from Nigeria containing either a money laundering or other illegal proposal OR you may receive a Legal and Legitimate business proposal by normal means. Common variations on the Scam include "overinvoiced" or "double invoiced" oil or other supply and service contracts where your Bad Guys want to get the overage out of Nigeria; crude oil and other commodity deals; a "bequest" left you in a will; and "money cleaning" where your Bad Guy has a lot of currency that needs to be "chemically cleaned" before it can be used and he needs the cost of the chemicals. Or the victim will just be stiffed on a legitimate goods or services contract...the variations are very creative and virtually endless.

At some point, the victim is asked to pay up front an Advance Fee of some sort, be it an "Advance Fee", "Transfer Tax", "Performance Bond", or to extend credit, grant COD privileges, whatever. If the victim pays the Fee, there are many "Complications" which require still more advance payments until the victim either quits, runs out of money, or both. If the victim extends credit etc. he may also pay such fees ("nerfund" etc.), and then he is stiffed with NO Effective Recourse.

The Nigerian Scam is, according to published reports, the Third largest industry in Nigeria. Our research demonstrates rather conclusively that, in effect, successive Governments of Nigeria ARE the Scammers - therefore, victims have little recourse in this matter, and monies stolen by 419 operations are almost Never Recovered from Nigeria.

SAMPLE LETTER OF SOLICITATION

This is a sample of the letters the "VICTIMS" receive from the scammer. If you get one of these, send out thousands (or even hundreds) of dollars to the writer, then end up getting scammed, you ought to be shot if you complain. I have added some comments in red, but otherwise, the letter is printed in its entirety.

I AM BELLO USMA, SECRETARY TO THE NIGERIAN FOOTBALL
ASSOCIATION,PARENT BODY OF THE NIGERIA '99 LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE, AN AFFILIATE OF FEDERATION OF INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION (FIFA). (Any legitimate business person should be able to verify this information)

IN THE COURSE OF OUR PREPARATION TO HOST THE WORLD YOUTH SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP TAGGED NIG'99 EARLY THIS YEAR HUGE SUMS OF MONEY RUNNING INTO MILLIONS OF UNITED STATES DOLLARS WAS BUDGETED BY THE THEN MILITARY GOVERNMENT FOR THE SUCCESSFUL ORGANIZATION OF THIS COMPETITION.

IN THE SAME VEIN, FIFA VIA HIS (?) PRESIDENT ,SEPP BLATTER
MADE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AVAILABLE FOR THE SAME PROJECT NOT TO TALK OF CORPORATE ORGANIZATIONS AND FOOTBALL LOVING INDIVIDUALS WHO MADE HUGE DONATIONS. (notice how the sentences run into each other and how poorly-worded they are? This trend is all over the page of this letter)

HOWEVER IN MY CAPACITY AS THE SECRETARY, TO BOTH THE LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE (LOC) AND THE NIGERIAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION (NFA), I AND SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES IN SENSITIVE POSITIONS (notice this) WERE ABLE TO OVER-INVOICE MOST CONTRACTS WHICH WERE AWARDED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND THE REFURBISHING OF THE 8 STADIA USED FOR THE COMPETITION. THE CONTRACTORS WHO HANDLED THESE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN PAID-OFF. (money in question is ill-gotten and does not belong to the writer)

IT IS PERTINENT TO KNOW THAT A TOTAL OF THIRTY TWO MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS (US$ 40,520,000) WAS REALIZED AS OVER-INVOICE AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF ALL THE STADIA. THIS OVER-INVOICED SUM IS LYING IN A SUSPENSE ACCOUNT IN LONDON READY FOR REMITTANCE INTO AN OVERSEAS ACCOUNT. (thirty-two = 40,520,000?)

(here comes the STEALING PART, the writer is not even disguising the intention here)
DUE TO THE RECENT DIRECTIVE BY THE PRESIDENT TO CLOSE ALL LOC FOREIGN ACCOUNTS WITHIN 17 DAYS FROM THE 29TH OF JULY I HAVE BEEN UNANIMOUSLY MANDATED TO SEEK FOR A HONEST AND TRUSTWORTHY FOREIGNER WHO WILL ASSIST IN ENSURING THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER OF THE ABOVE SUM WHICH WE HAVE BEEN SAFEGUARDING INTO HIS PERSONAL/COMPANY ACCOUNT SINCE THE NIGERIAN CODE OF CONDUCT DOES NOT ALLOW US TO OPERATE A FOREIGN ACCOUNT.

ON SUCCESSFUL REMITTANCE OF FUND (US$ 40,520,000.00) IT IS AGREED THAT 30% OF THE TOTAL FUND WILL BE FOR YOU, WHILE 5% WILL BE USED TO SETTLE ANY EXPENSES THAT MIGHT BE INCURRED BY BOTH PARTIES AND THE REMAINING 65% WILL BE FOR US (TO BE INVESTED FOR US INTO FOREIGN INVESTMENT BY
YOU IN YOUR COUNTRY). (see how much the payoff is. The reason this is irresistible to the 'VICTIM' is because the 'VICTIM' knows that things like this actually happen. The 'VICTIM probably knows some of his colleagues who have actually done a real one. He is counting on this being genuine. Can you spell GREED!)

YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED AND CURIOUS AT AN OFFER LIKE THIS, BE REST ASSURED THAT THE MODALITIES AND LOGISTICS TOWARDS SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER OF THIS FUND HAS BEEN WORKED OUT. ALL WE REQUIRE FROM YOU IS YOUR CO-OPERATION. THE PROPOSITION THOUGH MAY NOT FALL WITHIN THE WIDE
SPECTRUM OF YOUR BUSINESS CONSULTING AND COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES KNOW IT STRICTLY THAT YOUR BUSINESS LINES DOES NOT MATTER, RATHER YOUR WILLINGNESS TO TAKE PART TOWARDS THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THIS PROJECT IS MOST PARAMOUNT.

THIS TRANSACTION IS LEAK PROOF AND URGENT. WE KINDLY REQUEST THAT YOU ACCORD IT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SECRECY IT DESERVES. YOUR SWIFT RESPONSE WILL BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED. PLEASE YOU CAN REACH ME BY E-MAIL BELLOUSMA@YAHOO.COM OR THROUGH MY FAX NUMBER : 873-761-966-261.
(a lookup of this email address, the fax number, and a verification at the embassy would have revealed that the writer is not whom he/she claims to be)
THANKS
BEST REGARDS
BELLO USMA
25 JUN 1999

More Scam Letters Samples
Scam letter from  a 'Nigerian official of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation'
Scam letter from 'Ibrahim Tukur - Chairman Nigerian National Petroleum Corp.'
Scam letter from 'Dr. Anthony Enahoro Kome of Nigeria Petroleum Trust Fund'
Scam letter from 'Dr. Dandyson Ugo - An accountant at NNPC'
Scam letter from 'Lucky Osa - Chairman Contract Award Department, NNPC'
Scam letter from 'Sarki Shehu'
Scam letter from 'Eegr. Clement Esu'
Scam lettersfrom 'Clement Akpamgbo & Associates'

SAMPLE OF SCAM REPORT BY The 419 Coalition

ABUJA MIRROR: MAY 19-25, 1999
LEAD STORY:

Nigerian "419ers" hit the Internet

NIGERIAN white collar and advance-fee fraudsters who have brought untold
damage to their nation's image have now invaded the Internet with their
nefarious activities.

The scammers who had effected their fraudulent acts through letters sent by
fax to gullible, greedy and unimaginative people abroad who lose huge sums
of money to the crooks, in the belief that they would benefit from some
obviously dubious transactions, like contracts at NNPC or the Central Bank
of Nigeria (CBN).

Abuja Mirror investigations have unearthed a frightening new dimension to
the scam as the scammers have now started posting their letters on the
Internet with the hope that they would trap more victims through the world
network of computers.

In the past one week alone, Abuja Mirror has accessed over seven of such
letters making fantastic and obviously fraudulent business proposals which
can only appeal to the naive, greedy or outrightly foolish Internet
subscribers. 

For instance, one individual who described himself as Richard Kellogs
posted a mail from an e-mail address: richard kellogs@hotmail.com, 
stating that he seeks assistance for one of his clients whom he claims 
is "the son of a top government official who served in the past military 
regime here in Nigeria (and who) wishes to invest the sum of US 
$30, 000,000 (thirty million dollars), in Africa, America, Europe or Asia".

The "Business Consultant" who claims he is writing from the obviously
non-existent address of 9 Press Avenue, Lagos, Nigeria, further states:
"For obvious reasons, our client does not wish to place this fund with
established financial institutions. It is his desire that the deal be
handled as quietly as possible without possibility of any leakage to the
press. He has therefore instructed us to look for a reliable foreigner to
invest this money on his behalf".

"If you agree to act as a fund manager", the letter continued, "we shall
release the sum of US $30 million to you if you meet our requirements. The
money is available in cash and upon a favourable response from you, we
shall know how to commence business with you".

The letter then promised advanced payment commission of 15 per cent of the
total sum to the 'fund manager' as well as an annual commission of 10
percent of the returns on investment for the first five years..."

Another writer who seems to have netted a victim, claims to be the son of
the late first president, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and that the 'cruel military
government' in Nigeria has been frustrating his attempts to invest his late
father's huge fortune in the country, and is therefore looking for an
interested foreigner who would serve as a broker for the purported huge
sums.

From the exchanges on the net, it is obvious that an interested foreigner
has fallen for the scam, and a meeting has been fixed in Ghana where the
foreigner will definitely be set up and ripped off through the demand of
sundry sums.

Yet another scam e-mail posted by one "Ahmed Mustapha" from
"Ahmed.Mustapha@yahoo.com", and addressed to one Carlo Pace, on 
May 13, 1999, states: "My name is Ahmed Mustapha, a staff of Federal 
Ministry of Finance. Following approval for the payment of debt owed to 
creditors of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the budget of 1998, I have 
the mandate of my colleagues to source for a reliable businessman who 
will help us to claim some of this approved money".

The mail continued, "Out of the approved $836 million for debt repayment,
$233 million is non existing loan which we have carefully included and now
need a potential foreign partner who will assist us to receive it and
invest on our behalf. For a start we are ready to apply for an immediate
payment of $33 million ..."

Continuing the mail declared, "The process of transferring this money is
known to us and we are ready to share it on the ratio of 60%: 40% once we
can jointly finance the transfer of the funds to your account or any
company account nominated by you. It will take a maximum of two working 
weeks". As usual the businessman was requested to furnish the writer with
his address, fax/phone numbers as well his banking details, and instructed 
not to reveal the information to anyone.

Fortunately, the scam deal seems to have fallen flat on its face, as the
mail addressee scoffed at the mail and drew the Internet subscribers to the
scam, stating that the mail was an old story from Nigeria.

It would be recalled that the different relevant agencies in Nigeria like
the CBN, the Police and the Ministry of Information have been warning
nationals of all nations to be wary of scam letters from Nigeria and to
make contact with Nigerian missions before taking up business propositions
[with Nigeria].

419 Coalition Comment: We appreciate this piece in the Abuja Mirror,
though it does, as is customary in the Nigerian media, concentrate on
Classic 419 and ignore so-called Legal 419 ( like the Will Scam, Contract
Fraud, COD Goods and Services Fraud ) in which there is no question
whatever of victim as co-conspirator, etc. Additionally, the Bad Guys have
been attempting to use the Net for their operations for over two years
now, this is in actuality nothing new. But, the general view is that given
the mass of information available concerning 419 readily available
on the Net, on demand, 24/7 ( including this site ), the odds of successful
419ing are less via the net than by other means -- though the Bad Guys
still try, of course, and will keep on trying. On the warnings from CBN etc.
etc., we are afraid that we here still see these as largely a smoke screen
convering butt againt the inability or unwillingness of the Nigerian
authorities to make counter-419 a priority matter in which the criterion
for successful operations is the Repatriation of stolen monies on the
same scale as it is absconded with ( see GOV of Nigeria Media
Campaigns menu item on front page of this site, that was written several
years ago, and we are afraid nothing much has changed, though we
are always hopeful that it will; and that large scale quantifiable results
will be obtained consistently from GOV of Nigeria efforts in this
matter ).