The Nigerian scam got famous a couple of years ago and now it feels like (atleast to me) like it is the term of getting a letter with some “important” person related to important persons related to great WEALTH… and needs your help to save the world and then in the end give you money on top of that… and make you a rich person…
…We all like that movie, right?
Their tactic is obviously to aim for people that felt empathy for the story and also desire for the reward 🙂 lol!
It is a well know tactic, and do you know WHY this “Nigerian” (can be from any place such as Dubai, London) mail keeps comming?
Because it is still a way to get peoples money, the tactic works.
The “real name” of a scam like this is:
Advance-Fee Scam (Empathy Targeted)
According to wikipedia:
An advance-fee scam is a type of fraud and one of the most common types of confidence trick. The scam typically involves promising the victim a significant share of a large sum of money, in return for a small up-front payment, which the fraudster requires in order to obtain the large sum. If a victim makes the payment, the fraudster either invents a series of further fees for the victim, or simply disappears.
Yepp, sounds like the same stuff like the “Nigeria scam” to me 🙂
This is how the one I recieved the other day look like… I erased the names and other stuff because who know, it might be the real deal 😉
My name is (Some strange name you never heard before), the personal attorney to late son of (some super famouse and/or some super rich).
Since after death of my client and upon maturity of his time deposit with Emirates National Bank of Dubai, I have made several inquiries to my late client’s embassy to locate any of his blood/ extended relatives in order to put claims to his funds deposited with Emirates National Bank of Dubai, but all attempts have proved futile and unsuccessful. I decided to trace his relatives over the Internet, to locate any member of his family but of no avail, hence I contacted you.
I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client in the UAE prior to his death before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the Emirates National Bank of Dubai where these huge deposits were lodged. Particularly the time deposit US$21M.
The bank has issued a notice to me to provide the next of kin or have the funds confiscated within the next 21 official working days. Since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over 3years and some months now, I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin to the deceased.
Once the deal is successfully completed and the funds released in your name, we will share the funds in the ratio of 60% to me and 40% to you,
I will work out all the technical details for a smooth movement of the funds out of the bank if
I get your response about your readiness to cooperate with me.
All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this deal through . I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.
Contact me urgently if you are interested.
Best regards,
(From the strange “but important” person who sent you this story)
Nice story huh?
So, I assume that you know about these type of scams and maybe even found them a bit comic in some aspects but I am pretty sure we all agree on that this just as low of a scam as any other scam, or maybe even lower.
Who knows, maybe you have fallen victim for one of these Nigerian email scams to? It is nothing to be ashamed of as it can really happen to anyone before you know how they works.
If you have, tell us below, it can help others
If you want to see my page on how to spot a scam online click here
You can not know something until you know it, right 🙂 I guess all of us have encountered scams in our life online and offline 🙂
Hello John! I like your profile picture and the way your post is conversational and friendly.
I think that the ‘Nigerian Scam” is funny as well, but I have been asked about it by family members and friends on occasion. I think there are many people who believe these (it’s just human nature to really) and when they realize its fake are a bit ashamed to admit it, don’t you think?
So, in your opinion, is there something we could do to prevent so many of them from profiting from this crude scam (usually at the expense of the elderly)?
Thanks for the info!
-Val
Thank you Val, glad you found it helpful and thanks for your comment 🙂
Yes I think you might be right about people feeling ashamed to admit these kind of scams, all of us have at some point been victim for differents scams in other areas of life also, right?
What I always recommend is education, if you want to learn how to make money online then get a good education and learn the basics and from there you keep building and building. It isn´t harder than that really… Once you are educated you will never fall for a scam never again.
The absolute best platform for a beginner in this subject I would say is (without a doubt) this one: https://startmakestopwaste.com/the-wealthy-affilia…
Hope that helps 🙂
/Best regards
Thanks for the answer back. Good point, I will have to pass on this information to family and friends as well to educate and hopefully prevent lost time and money for someone.
HI there,
This type of scam is all but too common sadly. But..if ever I am feeling poor I can just check out my spam folder and wow..billionaire with all the funds offered of this type all in Millions…
Same or similar story in all of them! If they were all true or remotely true my grandfather or great grandfather certainly lived a charmed life as Don Juan De Marco with many children in many places (that he never visited!)!
Lol!
Hi John,
I get a lot of scam spam these days telling me that a payment has been made to or from an account or subscription (the last one was about Apple, with whom I have no subscription).
Sometimes they look quite convincing, but may give themselves away by a strange locution, spelling or grammar mistake.
Of course, the return email is always worth checking.
Hotmail gives you an option before you delete such emails of sending a “phishing scam” notice to them, and I seem to have to use it every time I check my account!
All the best,
DH
Hello, John!
I can´t believe that people are still using that type of scam, but I think that what surprises me the most, is that people are still falling in it.
I guess that if something works, there’s no need to change anything, only tweak it.
But you are right, everyone that receives an email like that is going to get intrigued and I think that’s the reason people fall for it.
Thank you so mush for this post, I will pay more attention to all type of “opportunities” like this!
With respect
Santiago