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Frauds - Scam

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Scams

A "scam" is a fraudulent practice of African origin that involves extorting funds from internet users by enticing them with a sum of money and promising them a share of it. The use of scams originated in Nigeria, which has also given them the name "419" in reference to the article of the Nigerian Criminal Code punishing this type of practice.

The scam approach is classic: you receive an e-mail from the only descendant of a rich African who recently passed away. The latter deposited several million dollars in a financial security company and your contact person needs a foreign associate to help him transfer the funds. Moreover, he is willing to pay you a non-negligible share if you agree to provide him with an account to transfer the funds.

By responding to a scam message, the internet user gets caught in a vicious circle that can cost him hundreds of dollars and even his life if he takes the bait.

There are in general two scenarios:

  • Either the exchanges with the crook are made virtually, in which case the latter will send a few "official documents" to reassure his victim and will gradually ask him to advance funds for lawyer's fees and then for customs charges, banking fees, etc.
  • Or the victim accepts, under pressure from the cybercrook, to visit the country with cash in hand, in which case he will need to pay money to be able to stay in the country, pay banking fees, bribe businessmen, and so forth.
    In the best case, the victim returns home by plane stripped of a non-negligible amount of money, and in the worst case, the victim is never seen again...

Some examples

Subject: ASSISTANCE

GEORGES TRAORE
ABIDJAN,CÔTE D'IVOIRE.
WEST AFRICA.
Hello,
Please excuse this intrusion that may seem
 surprising at first given that we do not know each other.
If you accept, I would like to present you with my situation and
 offer you a deal that may interest you.
My name is George Traore, I am 22 years old and the only son of my Father the
 Honourable Richard Anderson Traore who was a very rich man,
a Coffee/Cocoa merchant based in Abidjan, the Economic
Capital of the Côte d'Ivoire. He was recently poisoned by his
associates.
After the death of my mother on 21 October 2000, my father
took me under his care.
On 24 December 2003 my father passed away in a
private clinic (Lamadone) in Abidjan.
Before his death, in secret, he told me that he had deposited
 a total of ($8,500,000) Eight Million Five Hundred Thousand American
Dollars in a suitcase in a Financial Security Company
in my name as heir.
Furthermore, he told me that it was because of this wealth that he was
poisoned by his associates. He recommended that I find
a foreign associate who could honestly provide me with his
assistance to save my life and help me survive.
- Change of beneficiary;
- Serve as guardian;
- Provide an account for the funds transfer;
- Help me join him in his country;
- Invest in a profitable sector.
Moreover, I will give you 25% and 5% will be used for
expenses that may be made.
I would be grateful to benefit from your useful
advice.
NB: I suggest that you handle this matter with subtleness and
confidentiality in light of the degrading sociopolitical situation
we are currently living in.
God bless you!
GEORGES TRAORE.
Subject: NOTIFICATION OF APPROVAL

INTERNATIONAL TRANSFER DEPARTMENT
OFFICE
TO: MR. H. HERMANN
RE: INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT
WE ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF YOUR MESSAGE.
INDEED, WE HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED BY THE KONE CHILDREN TO TRANSFER
THE SUM OF $4 MILLION IN YOUR FAVOUR.
WE CONFIRM THAT THESE FUNDS WERE DEPOSITED IN OUR BANK BY MISTER
KEVIN KONE WHO, WHEN DEPOSITING THE MONEY, MENTIONED HIS DAUGHTER, ANGELA KONE, AS
THE BENEFICIARY.
TO THAT EFFET, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COOPEC BANK'S INTERNATIONAL
TRANSFER DEPARTMENT IS TAKING THE LIBERTY OF CONFIRMING THE APPROVAL PROCESS
OF THE SAID FUNDS IN YOUR FAVOUR. THE BANK IS REQUESTING LEGAL
DOCUMENTS FROM THE COURT OF JUSTIC HERE IN ABIDJAN SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE
COURT OF JUSTICE TO LEGALIZE THE TRANSFER PROCESS; AND NOTE THAT
SINCE SHE IS NOT THE ORIGINAL SIGNATORY OF THE DEPOSITED FUNDS BUT RATHER HER
LATE FATHER, THE BANK IS ASKING HER TO PROVIDE THE LEGAL DOCUMENTS LISTED
BELOW BY THE COURT OF JUSTICE SO WE MAY FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS
IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE TRANSFER OF THESE FUNDS TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT.
THESE DOCUMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
1) A MANDATE.
2) AN AUTHORIZATION CERTIFICATE FROM THE COURT OF JUSTICE.
3) A SOURCE OF FUNDS CERTIFICATE
ONCE WE HAVE RECEIVED THESE DOCUMENTS THE TRANSFER WILL BE
AUTOMATIC. UPON YOUR RECONFIRMATION, WE WILL UPDATE THE TRANSFER NOTICE
VIA OUR ACCOUNT WITH OUR CORRESPONDENT BANK
IN ORDER TO TRANSFER THE FUNDS TO YOUR ACCOUNT.
IF YOU NEED FURTHER INFORMATION, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME AT (225)
05 20 91 56 OR BY E-MAIL. HELP US SERVE YOU BETTER.
KIND REGARDS.

How to protect yourself from scams

When someone offers to help you easily earn large sums of money via the Internet, you are most definitely being scammed. The best solution, as always, is to delete the message. There is no point trying to fight these crooks yourself; competent services in various countries are already handling this type of affair.
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