Nigerian letter frauds combine the threat of
impersonation fraud with a variation of an
advance fee scheme in which a letter, mailed
from Nigeria, offers the recipient the
"opportunity" to share in a percentage of
millions of dollars that the author, a
self-proclaimed government official, is trying
to transfer illegally out of Nigeria. The
recipient is encouraged to send information to
the author, such as blank letterhead stationery,
bank name and account numbers and other
identifying information using a facsimile number
provided in the letter. Some of these letters
have also been received via E-mail through the
Internet. The scheme relies on convincing a
willing victim, who has demonstrated a
"propensity for larceny" by responding to the
invitation, to send money to the author of the
letter in Nigeria in several installments of
increasing amounts for a variety of reasons.
Payment of taxes,
bribes to government officials, and legal fees
are often described in great detail with the
promise that all expenses will be reimbursed as
soon as the funds are spirited out of Nigeria.
In actuality, the millions of dollars do not
exist and the victim eventually ends up with
nothing but loss. Once the victim stops sending
money, the perpetrators have been known to use
the personal information and checks that they
received to impersonate the victim, draining
bank accounts and credit card balances until the
victim's assets are taken in their entirety.
While such an invitation impresses most
law-abiding citizens as a laughable hoax,
millions of dollars in losses are caused by
these schemes annually. Some victims have been
lured to Nigeria, where they have been
imprisoned against their will, in addition to
losing large sums of money. The Nigerian
government is not sympathetic to victims of
these schemes, since the victim actually
conspires to remove funds from Nigeria in a
manner that is contrary to Nigerian law. The
schemes themselves violate section 419 of the
Nigerian criminal code, hence the label "419
fraud."
Some Tips
to Avoid Nigerian Letter or "419" Fraud:
If you receive a
letter from Nigeria asking you to send personal
or banking information, do not reply in any
manner. Send the letter to the U.S. Secret
Service or the FBI.
If you know
someone who is corresponding in one of these
schemes, encourage that person to contact
the FBI or the U.S. Secret Service as soon
as possible.
Be skeptical
of individuals representing themselves as
Nigerian or foreign government officials
asking for your help in placing large sums
of money in overseas bank accounts.
Do not believe
the promise of large sums of money for your
cooperation.
Nigerian letter frauds combine the threat of
impersonation fraud with a variation of an
advance fee scheme in which a letter, mailed
from Nigeria, offers the recipient the
"opportunity" to share in a percentage of
millions of dollars that the author, a
self-proclaimed government official, is trying
to transfer illegally out of Nigeria. The
recipient is encouraged to send information to
the author, such as blank letterhead stationery,
bank name and account numbers and other
identifying information using a facsimile number
provided in the letter. Some of these letters
have also been received via E-mail through the
Internet. The scheme relies on convincing a
willing victim, who has demonstrated a
"propensity for larceny" by responding to the
invitation, to send money to the author of the
letter in Nigeria in several installments of
increasing amounts for a variety of reasons.