The Nigerian Scam

I don't know what is going on over there in Africa, but it takes a pretty un-creative individual to think this one up. Let's look at this:

Someone (Usually a woman with a dead husband who was some kind of Dignitary) emails you out of the clear blue saying she got your email from a business source (in my case this is bunk, radio personalities are not listed in business boards, sites, etc.). She tells your her sob story which is usually husband died, and for security reasons she can't get to the money unless it's transferred to an American account. So she wants you to transfer the money, which is usually between 1 and 15 million American Dollars, to an account you open. For this you get 10%. Hey 10 grand for a transfer? Wow... Who wouldn't look into this.

Except, when you email her back, you find you have to go to her Country for the transaction. This is where it gets shady. The deal will get threatened once you get there and you'll be asked to contribute a large amount of money to save the deal. People in the past who have fallen for this gem have been subjected to beatings and even murder upon refusal to donate funds to save the venture.

For your edification, here are the details of this email:

In almost every case there is a sense of urgency;

The victim is enticed to travel to Nigeria or a border country;

There are many forged official looking documents;

Most of the correspondence is handled by fax or through the mail;

Blank letterheads and invoices are requested from the victim along with the banking particulars;

Any number of Nigerian fees are requested for processing the transaction with each fee purported to be the last required;

The confidential nature of the transaction is emphasized;

There are usually claims of strong ties to Nigerian officials;

A Nigerian residing in the U.S., London or other foreign venue may claim to be a clearing house bank for the Central Bank of Nigeria;

Offices in legitimate government buildings appear to have been used by impostors posing as the real occupants or officials.

I recieved an email from a genius trying to pull one over on me. I kindly told him I knew who he was, what he was doing and reported it to the Secret Service. I further told him in the email that as long as I drew breath he would kill no Americans.

And for the rest of you idiots who think this works. Go ahead, make it as elaborate as you want. Include spots of land, airplanes, officials, rare works of art, animals - whatever... And I'll keep exposing you.

Now you know why they call me, Radio's Avenger.