What is a 419 Scam?
4-1-9 is the section of the Nigerian penal code against theft under false pretences. It has become the nickname for this international scam. Although the majority of these scams originate in West Africa, particularly Nigeria, they have been found in just about any country. The details may vary, such as the person being a victim of persecution, or an orphan, but the aim remains the same…to get you to give them your bank account details so they can steal your money. As heartbreaking as the stories they may send you are, or as promising the riches you could make, you must realise that these guys are the very worst kind of scammers looking to defraud you. Why is 419 an increasing problem? The answer is simple — The Internet. Scammers have begun to use the techniques of professional email spammers. The ease of buying large numbers of email addresses means that a very large audience can be reached for virtually nothing. In the past the sheer cost of sending international faxes or letters
A 419 scam is an attempt to steal money from people based on the premise that a person will gain extra money if they advance a small amount. The 419 scam derives its name from the Nigerian legal code 419, which is violated by perpetuating this deception. In the 1990s, such scams, especially through email, seemed to originate in large part from Nigerian criminals. The 419 scam is also called advance fee fraud. Generally, the 419 scam operates in two different ways. In one instance, a person receives an email from a person who claims they have huge amounts of money that they need to transfer into an out-of-country bank account. They may claim to be from any one of several Arab or African countries, though they often claim they live in Nigeria. Another variation of the 419 scam involves paying an amount over cost for an item at an auction site, or on sites like Craig’s list. The purchaser requests that a certain amount be forwarded back to them. This forwarding generally takes place befor
Many people do not understand what this term means. The419 scam is also called the advance fee scam. It basically consist of an email or letter from someone with access to a large sum of money. For example, they may claim to be a bank official with access to the funds within the account of a dead customer, or someone who needs help to smuggle a large fortune contained in a safety deposit box out of their country; there are countless variations on the theme. The email will ask you for your help in getting access to the money, and will offer you a percentage in return. The sums mentioned are usually very large, running to millions of dollars. All the Scammer needs, he says, is for you to nominate a bank account into which the money can be transferred. Once they’ve hooked their bait, the victim may be introduced to bogus solicitors and bankers,or other officials who will require you to pay fees up front to get the money signed over into your name. You may be asked to send money to help th
Fraud (usually advance fee fraud) perpetrated online or by email. There are many variations, but typically the victim is offered a very large sum of money (usually millions of dollars) in exchange for a relatively small amount of money (usually a few thousand dollars). Variants include lottery scams, inheritance scams and loan scams. Check out our big list of “Types of 419”.
