A Guide to Avoiding Nigerian Scams

---

When you mention Nigerian scams, most people think of the 419 scam.
However there are a variety of Nigerian scams, and the scammer is not always based in Nigeria or a West African country. Most people link Nigerian scams to the advance fee fraud or419 scam that tries to trick victims into parting withtheir money by persuading them that they will receive asubstantial benefit in return for a modest payment inadvance.
However there are several other forms of Nigerian scams andthe scammer isn't always based in Nigeria. In the last fewyears some expatriate Nigerians have set up operations inBritain, Australia, United States, Hong Kong, Canada, Japanas well as other African countries so the business hasinternational dimensions now.
If you reviewed the background of Nigeria, it has created ascenario in which unsuspecting people could be persuadedthat funds located in Nigeria needed to be moved to Westerncountries in order to prevent them from being confiscated. As an example, during General Sani Abacha's regime,billions of dollars were taken from the national treasury.The family of General Abacha have recently handed back $750million worth of currencies taken from state funds andthese have since been deposited in the Central Bank ofNigeria [Times 1998].
One of the forms of Nigerian scam involves victims beinginformed  of the existence of loads of bank notes whichhave been coated with a mixture of Vaseline and iodine inorder to disguise their identity from the authorities.Victims are shown the money and told a special compound canbe used to 'wash' the money. Only a few real blackened U.S.$100 notes are shown and washed in front of the victimusing ordinary cleaning fluid.
The remaining material in the case is blank, blackenedpaper. The victim is asked to provide between U.S.$50,000 -U.S.$100,000 for a large amount of the cleaning fluid.After the advance fee has been received, the chemicals arenot delivered and the victim is left with a suitcase fullof worthless paper.
The main Nigerian scams tend to fall under the 419 scam,the Nigerian dating scam, the reshipping scam and theCraigslist/auction scam.   In general, the Nigerian scamsare based on one of the following:Defraud the government of'forgotten' or former regime accounts, transfer of fundsfrom over-invoiced contracts and government employees,assistance escaping the country with loads of wealth, saleof crude oil [or other commodities] at below market prices,money laundering, forgotten accounts, lottery winnings,gifts or bequests to charitable or religious organisationsthat have an overpayment element or 'fees' to release themoney, transfer of funds of now defunct businesses,purchase of real estate, chemicals to clean large amountsof money, wills, inheritances and death bed claims ofwealth and fake job offers where rebate required foroverpayment of wages.
  The sender of the Nigerian scams isusually: a senior civil servant from a department such asthe Federal Tenders Board, the Nigerian PetroleumCorporation, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministryof Finance or the Nigerian Export Promotion CouncilNigerian royalty or a political insider such as the son ofthe President of Nigeria, or a Nigerian prince or princess,an auditor or accountant with connections to Nigerianofficials, a relative or confidante of a deposed leader, aNigerian lawyer or businessman with a title such as Dr,Barrister or Chief. The money required in the Nigerian scams is usually tocover:fees and deed stamps, transaction fees or bribes,attorney fees, gifts, export or insurance fees to move themoney to a foreign bank account, stamp duty, fees forsigning, audits and VAT, Anti-terrorist certificate or drugfree certificate fees and registration fees, transfer taxesor licensing fees.
Regardless of the story or the characters, the theme ismuch the same. You are offered the opportunity to helpsomeone move money from one location to another, and inreturn, you will be rewarded handsomely.
Remember: Request for money from someone you don't know +distance = fraud. Do not provide your bank account detailsto anyone you don't know and trust, and no matter howtrustworthy they may seem, DO NOT SEND THEM MONEY.
Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com Steve Nickson makes it easy to avoid being scammed. Findout how scams work, how to recognize them, and the steps totake to avoid becoming a victim by visiting http://www.watchforscams.com.