Nigerian Money scam

You wouldn't think that people still fall for this scam but they still do. I'm talking about the Nigerian banking scam.

What is it and how does it work?

The target receives an unsolicited email and asked to be an investor, or told that money has been left to them from a will.

The 'investors' are contacted, typically with an offer of the type "A rich person from the needy country needs to discreetly move money abroad, would it be possible to use your account?". The sums involved are usually in the millions of dollars, and the investor is promised a large share, often forty percent. The proposed deal is often presented as a "harmless" white-collar crime, in order to dissuade participants from later contacting the authorities. Similarly, the money is often said to be the embezzled funds of a recently deposed or killed dictator. The operation is professionally organized in Nigeria, with offices, working fax numbers, and often contacts at government offices. The investor who attempts to research the background of the offer will often find that all pieces fit perfectly together.

These scams have been around since the 1980's but other variations have been around since the 1500's.

I sometimes get emails such as this. Mostly I mark them as spam through Yahoo, but ocassionally I get angry and hit reply with swear words. I know that neither one will stop them but it makes me feel a bit better.

The reason I bring this up is because of this article. "Michigan treasurer falls for Nigerian scam" also it's been alleged that Mary Winkler, who murdered her husband, was also tangled up in this scam.

Thomas Katona, the treasurer of Alcona County for 14 years, embezzled $1.2 million from the county and lost to the scam, he also lost $72,500 of his own money. EVEN AFTER his bank warned him he was probably being swindled.

How greedy do you have to be to keep sending money even while not getting anything in return? And to keep doing it even while people are telling you not to?

I guess the beauty of the scam and why it's been so successful for so many years, is that no matter the income level, no matter the job they have, or how much experience or schooling people have, they can still be taken. And for tons of money. What is it? A fool and their money are soon parted. Hee.

Just remember, no one is going to give you money for nothing. And if it sound too good to be true...


$30 snow shoveling (I wish this snow would stop)
$100 church