How to Avoid Falling Victim to a Nigerian Scam22 Apr
Imagine if you were promised unheard of sums of money in return for your co-operation and a little ‘help’ – you would be tempted unless you knew better.
Anybody who uses email will no doubt have received one of these emails. The gist of the emails is that there is untold fortune somewhere, stuck due to government officials, death or a political or economic situation in some far off country. Or the person wants your help in getting some money in order to leave it to charity. Or (in a new version) a female wants to get married to you if you help her retrieve her fortune. These scams are also called 419 after the penal code number in Nigeria which applies to such scammers.
Will you ever get the money?
If you ever make the mistake of replying to this kind of email – and people globally have been victims – you will be led step by step by the scammers deeper and deeper into a hole, till you have given the money in the form of cheques or online transfers or in any other manner.
Once you have given a small amount, you will be suckered into giving more on some pretext or the other. You will be told that some government officials need to be bribed for instance. Then there will be some other obstacle that needs to be taken care of so more money will be required. You may even get very real looking letters with official seals to increase your confidence and get you in even further.
And once the scammers feel that they have taken all they can out of you, they will disappear. If you email them, you will receive excuses for some time, if you are lucky. If there is phone number or address it will be fake or temporary. You can surely kiss your money goodbye.
Can it be dangerous?
If you have only been swindled out of your money, you should actually be grateful because you can report these scams. However, if you have made the mistake of listening to the scammers and actually and personally gone to Nigeria, you will be charting dangerous waters.
You would have been told that you don’t require a visa to enter the country. The scammers bribe the airport officials to let you through and then you are their mercy. It is illegal to enter any country without a valid visa and then the scammers will hold this as a gun to your head to extract even more money, otherwise you can land up in prison in Nigeria!
In 1995 an American was murdered in Lagos and many people simply go missing, so it can be extremely dangerous.
The avenues open to you in different countries to complain
If you have been financially victimized by Nigerian scammers you should report to the appropriate authorities. Even if you are out of pocket by a small sum at money, you should report it and also narrate your story to the various internet sites.
U.S. - In the U.S. you can contact the Secret Service at Financial Crimes Division, 950 H Street, N.W. Washington D.C. 20223, or phone (202) 406-5850 or email them at 419.fcd@usss.treas.gov. You can even file a Financial Loss complaint (FIR) online with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) [formerly the Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC)]. This organization is in partnership with the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
U.K. – In the U.K. you can check out the London Metropolitan Police website section concerning Nigerian 419 Scammer Advance Fee Fraud http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm
You might fax all 419-Scam documents referencing South Africa, especially with those phone numbers or other banking information, to the Commercial Branch, South African Police Service, Head Office for further attention Superintendent SC Schambriel at facsimile number +27123391202, telephone number + 27123391203 or e-mail: hq.commercial@saps.org .za. if you have incurred any financial loss.
Australia – Australians are suppose to report 419 fraud matters in Australia to their local police and also report to Australian West African Organized Crime Section at er-waoc@afp.gov.au
Canada – Regional Offices of the RCMP Commercial Crime Branch are noted as the proper places to direct scam inquiries faced by Canadians. The phone/fax numbers of the nearest CCB office are available from in any local detachment of the RCMP/GRC. You can email such 419 Scam letters to them at WAFL@phonebusters.com
In other countries check with the local law enforcement authorities as to what you can do. However, do remember that since these scams usually involve another country, there is little that can actually be done to recover your money. Don’t let greed get the better of you and get suckered into these scams in the first place.
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