I don’t know how many of you have received an email purporting to be from a person with a lot of money in Africa. Be warned this scam has been going on for a long time since the early 80’s. Its also called the 419 scam where the number refers to the penal code of Nigeria, the source of the scam. It is estimated that this scam is the third – fifth largest industry in Nigeria. Its ironic that the scam is still successful even after being around for more than 20 years. That maybe because the success of this scam is dependent on the basest of human emotions GREED. Everybody wants to find a way to make a quick buck (Including me).

I hadn’t seen these scam emails in a long time but for the last couple of weeks I have been getting quite a few of them. Some saying that they are royalty and some claiming to be ex-dictator’s sons. Though you get them from all over Africa but the source is still Nigeria, whose government most people feel is in cahoots with the scamsters.

The modus operandi is pretty simple, they want you to help them get money out of the country for which you will be paid a fee running into millions. In return you have to go to the African country and invest some money running in the thousands of dollars. But once you are hooked, they won’t leave you till they have got the last penny out of you.

Some resources about this scam are

The 419 coalition
The US Secret Service
Quatloos
A comprehensive site

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not any man’s greed.”
– Gandhi