I don’t know how many 419 scam letters I’ve received, promising me untold wealth if I would just communicate with them and send them all of my bank account numbers. I would than receive 30 percent of $48,000,000. Not bad, but why do they always pick $48,000,000? I’ve guess they’ve taken a marketing course and never say it’s $47,999,999.99, because they’re trying to give you something, not sell you something.
Believe it or not, they’re having a hard time. Their income of $30,000 to $60,000 a month has been cut in half or more due to the worldwide downturn in the economy. Americans are just not putting out the money like they use to.
The scammers make their income from promising brides who some how never appear because someone stole the plane fare money at Western Union and would you please re-wire me some more money? I’m very anxious to meet you and marry you, so please send me more money, resulting in some of our fleeced victims losing over $25,000 US. US, you notice they always say US? They want your American dollars not Nigerian coins.
I’ve blogged about how their latest and greatest scam is to look for listings for sale on Craigslist, take the pictures and addresses from the listings. Than offering to rent the listed house for a very low price. Of course they are never there to show the house and just send them the first and last months rent to an overseas address.
The sad part is that it’s not funny; U.S. authorities say Americans — the easiest prey, according to Nigerian scammers — lose hundreds of millions of dollars a year to cybercrimes, including a scheme known as the Nigerian 419 fraud, named for a section of the Nigerian criminal code. Now financially squeezed, Americans succumb even more easily to offers of riches, experts say.”
From the Washington Post
“Felix, like four other self-proclaimed scammers interviewed, did not want his full name published for fear of arrest or angering allies. But the swindlers spoke as if conning were an ordinary trade — one made more cutthroat in challenging times.
Felix and Banjo said they started as college students. Their campus, one state away from Lagos, teemed with young men with fancy cars, designer clothing and beautiful girlfriends — scammers all.
In the lingo of swindlers, Felix said he went “on the street.” He got “tools”: formats, or “FMs,” for letters; “mailers,” or accounts that send e-mails in bulk; and huge lists of e-mail addresses, bought online.
In good months, he said, he has made $30,000, which he blew on clothes, hotel rooms and Dom Perignon at “VVIP” clubs. These days, he lamented, proceeds are down 40 percent.”
His proceeds were $30,000 a month and now they are down 40%, that’s still $18,000 a month! So remember, if it’s to good to be true, it’s not true. Be careful of 419 scams, don’t fall for them.