How to avoid getting disastrously dot-conned online.

By Josey Teby

As an Internet user, have you received a letter, fax or e-mail asking you to help a Nigerian {or any other citizen who you previously don't know} with a bank transaction - and offering you a chance to share millions of dollars?

This is a typical Nigerian Scam which has been around for decades, but now it seems to have reached epidemic proportions with the use of the Internet.

While some people recognize that this scheme, also known as the -419 Advanced Fee Scam,- sounds too good to be true, unfortunately thousands of other people, daily, keep being victimized by this fraud.

It is not really their fault because daily these scammers keep coming up with newer twists and variations to the scams to defraud even the most scam conscious individuals.

Many people engaged in doing business on the Internet are increasingly becoming victims of this notorious scam despite all the warnings about scams in general.

*************How The Scam Works***************

In the Nigerian scam, scam artists entice their victims into believing they have been singled out from the masses to share in multi-million dollar windfall profits.

Typically, a company or individual receives an unsolicited letter, fax or email from a Nigerian claiming to be a senior civil servant.

In the email, the Nigerian informs the recipient that he is seeking a reputable foreign company or individual into whose account he can deposit funds ranging from $10 to $60 million, which the Nigerian government supposedly overpaid on a procurement contract.

In return, the recipient gets to keep a share of the millions.

There are dozens of different variations of this email originating from several countries, all involving a plea for help and a promise to share the riches.

But NOTE this clearly-

It doesn’t matter what the story is...

It doesn't matter what country is mentioned...

It doesn't matter how true it looks....

So far as you don't know the person before and he or she is offering you such an 'opportunity of a lifetime' of gaining millions of dollars within a short time for doing absolutely nothing...

Forget it...

... every single one is just a scam!

Laws passed in Nigeria outlaw the notorious Nigerian advanced-fee fraud letters. Victims of these scams have also included Nigerians... to show that not all Nigerians are involved in the scams.

In short, these scams started in Nigeria and has led to thousands of Nigerians losing their entire fortunes to these scammers. Many have been known to commit suicide for losing all they own.

Yes, even Nigerians themselves are victims!

The scams are perpertuated by just a few bad eggs from among the millions of honest Nigerians worldwide.

Such honest Nigerians have suffered in 2 ways from their few bad eggs in their midst.

One- by losing millions to the scammers themselves, Two- by being blacklisted by other people worldwide.

It is therefore important not to look at 'Nigerians' as the problem, but to look at the 'scammers' as the problem.

*******The use of the Internet for the scams********

Since April 1998, U.S. Postal Inspectors have seized and destroyed over 4 million Nigerian advance-fee fraud mails, resulting in an 80 percent decrease in the number of related complaints received by the Postal Service, law enforcement agencies, and consumer groups.

But with the Internet, these scam artists are now using emails to trap unsuspecting people, especially those with email addresses and websites...

... People doing their businesses on the Internet are more at danger of falling for these scams. These con artists do not target a single company or individual, but rather send out mass mailings, e-mails or faxes to as many people as possible.

Even Nigerians receive dozens of such emails on a daily basis... many still fall for the tricks.

The goal of the scammer is to delude the target into thinking he or she is being included in a very lucrative, although questionable, arrangement.

*********Some Characteristics of the Scam***********

• An urgent email from an alleged Nigerian government official offers to transfer millions of dollars in "over- invoiced contract funds" into the victim's bank account.
• The victim is asked to provide blank company letterhead, bank account information, and telephone and fax numbers.
• The confidentiality of the transactions is emphasized.
• Numerous documents with official looking stamps, seals, and logos appear to suggest the authenticity of the proposal.
• Up-front or advance fees are requested for various taxes, attorney fees, transaction fees, or bribes.
• Travel to overseas locations is encouraged to complete the transaction.
• Imposters posing as real occupants or officials may use offices in legitimate government buildings in Nigeria to meet with the potential victims.
• A problem with the transaction is staged, and the victim is urged to provide a large sum of money to save the venture.

It is easy to fall victim to this scam. Sometimes, it is impossible to tell a legitimate deal from an outright scam, especially if you do not seek outside help.

*********How to protect yourself************

• Learn how to avoid the bad deals by educating yourself and following some basic, common sense principles as outlined in ebooks like http://www.nigerianscambuster.com
• Always keep your private information private. Do not give your financial account numbers to strangers or companies with which you are not familiar. A scam artist can use this information to steal money from you just as easily as mugging you at gunpoint or in a darkened alley.
• Avoid being the next victim - if you receive an offer in the mail or via fax that sounds too good to be true - throw it away!

If you get an email offer - delete it ...

DO NOT RESPOND!

• Don't be of the opinion that the name 'Nigeria' must be mentioned before you are convinced it is a Nigerian Scam. These days, the sophisticated ones no longer mention the name- Nigeria. Also, other local criminals from other countries are now using the same tactics to dupe their own people.
• Learn all you can about the scam so as to avoid falling for the newer variations and twists of the scams.

Better still, visit http://www.nigerianscambuster.com so that you will be entitled to the bi-monthly newsletter which will keep you continually updated on the latest moves and tricks of these Nigerian scammers in particular and other Internet related scams in general.

Remember, it is a wild wild west out there... scammers are having a field day at YOUR expense.

Don't let them!

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