iYogi Scam Alerts: Nigerian 419 Internet Frauds Are Scams That Hurt Many People

The Nigerian 419 Internet frauds are online scams that are often hard to understand at first glance. A scammer will ask a consumer to deposit a payment or funds into their personal bank account. After the funds are deposited, the consumer is asked to send all or a part of these funds in a money order to the scammer. The scammer spends this cash.

After the deposit is in the bank account, this money can take weeks to completely clear the system to become the property of the bank account holder. Banks will often let the consumer use the funds before they have completely cleared the system. If the original transaction bounces, the consumer must repay these funds and all bad transaction fees. more...

Here's what a typical message looks like:

Sample Email 1

From: angla stwarld;
Reply-To: *************@yahoo.com;
Date: Thu, 3 Mar 2011 07:10:31 -0800
Subject: Dearest one

Dearest one,

I know that this letter might come as a surprise to you but do consider it as an emergency. I am Miss Angela from Liberia.I presently reside here in Dakar Senegal due to the political unrest in our country.

I will be grateful if you will accept to lead me to the right channel of investing this fund after the achievement by any means of your assistance to transfer this fund to you as my partner and presently i live here in Dakar Senegal under the united nation organisation (refugee camp) because of the fund which is Nine Million Two Hundred Thousand united states dollars($9.2 million).This fund was deposited by my late father in a bank of Europe and i need your assistance in achieving this fund under your care as my partner.

Please i earnestly anticipate your kind assistance and i do hope to hear from you soonest for further clarifications.

Sincerely Yours,
Miss. Angela.

Sample Email 2

CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN)
INTERNATIONAL OPERATION DEPT.
CBN HOUSE, LAGOS NIGERIA.
TELEGRAM: CENBANK
REF NO: AUTH 06/IOD/2020/07
09:00AM Friday,23rd MAY,2008
REPLY TO: donmiginis1@****

VERIFICATION OF YOUR PAYMENT FILE.

FROM THE RECORDS OF OUTSTANDING CONTRACTORS, NEXT OF KIN FUND AND LOTTERY FUNDS DUE FOR IMMEDIATE PAYMENT, YOUR NAME/PARTICULARS WAS DISCOVERED AS NEXT ON THE LIST.

I WISH TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR PAYMENT IS BEING PROCESSED AND FROM THE RECORD IN MY FILE YOUR OUTSTANDING PART PAYMENT IS ONE MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS.

KINDLY RE-CONFIRM TO ME THE FOLLOWINGS:

1) YOUR FULL NAME:
2) CONTACTADDRESS:
3) PHONE, FAX AND MOBILE:
4) ADDRESS:
5) PROFESSION, AND AGE:

AS SOON AS THIS INFORMATION IS RECEIVED YOUR PAYMENT WILL BE MADE TO YOUR NOMINATED BANK ACCOUNT DIRECTLY FROM OUR PAYMENT CENTER AT M&T BANK IN NEW YORK OR CALIFORNIA U.S.A.

REGARDS,

MR. LEMO KING.
TELE/FAX:234-****
FOR: DR. DON MIGINIS.
DEPUTY GOVERNOR,
INTERNATIONAL OPERATION DEPT.
donmiginis1@****

Ever received a mail from a Nigerian official or diplomat or spam which claimed to make you richer by a million bucks or more?  Have you been a victim of the notorious Nigerian or 419 fraud and ended up in a complete fiasco? Share your story with us at iYogi and we will publish your story to ensure that innocent people do not get defrauded anymore by the Nigerian fraud.