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Message: <blockquote data-quote="AtulaSiriwardane" data-source="post: 4070165" data-attributes="member: 120286">Consequences  Monetary loss estimates Estimates of the total losses due to the scam vary widely. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snopes" target="_blank">Snopes</a> website lists the following estimate:“ The Nigerian scam is hugely successful. According to a 1997 newspaper article: "We have confirmed losses just in the United States of over $100 million in the last 15 months," said Special Agent James Caldwell, of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secret_Service" target="_blank">Secret Service</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_crime" target="_blank">financial crimes</a> division. "And that's just the ones we know of. We figure a lot of people don't report them."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-SnopesNigerianScam-7" target="_blank">[8]</a> ” Although the "success rate" of the scam is hard to gauge, some experienced 419 scammers get one or two interested replies for every thousand messages. Stephanie Nolen of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Globe_and_Mail" target="_blank">The Globe and Mail</a> said that an experienced scammer can expect to make at least several thousand dollars per successful scam letter.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-38" target="_blank">[39]</a>Ultrascan Advanced Global Investigations, a Netherlands-based firm which has been studying 419 matters since the mid-1990s, has prepared a table quantifying 419 operations by country for 2005 and 2006. These stats are based on Ultrascan's in-house investigations and include, by nation: number of 419 rings; number of 419ers; income of the 419ers (the amount of losses by victims to the 419ers); and additional data. The 419 Coalition view is that these stats present a reasonably conservative and realistic look at the extent and magnitude of 419 criminal operations worldwide. Since 1995, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secret_Service" target="_blank">United States Secret Service</a> has been involved in combating these schemes. The organization will not investigate unless the monetary loss is in excess of 50,000 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_dollar" target="_blank">US Dollars</a>. However, very few arrests and prosecutions have been made due to the international aspect of this crime.In 2006, a report by a research group concluded that Internet scams in which criminals use information they trick from gullible victims and commonly strip their bank accounts cost the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom" target="_blank">United Kingdom</a> economy <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_pound" target="_blank">£</a>150 million per year, with the average victim losing £31,000.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-39" target="_blank">[40]</a>  Physical harm or death<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Some victims have hired <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_investigator" target="_blank">private investigators</a> in Nigeria or have personally traveled to Nigeria, without ever retrieving their money. There are cases of victims being unable to cope with the losses and committing suicide.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-419FraudLondonMetropolitan-40" target="_blank">[41]</a> In November 2003, Leslie Fountain, a senior technician at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglia_Polytechnic_University" target="_blank">Anglia Polytechnic University</a> in England, set himself on fire after falling victim to a scam; Mr. Fountain died of his injuries.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-Fountain-41" target="_blank">[42]</a> In 2006 an American living in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa" target="_blank">South Africa</a> hanged himself in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Togo" target="_blank">Togo</a> after being defrauded by a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghana" target="_blank">Ghanaian</a> 419 con man.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-42" target="_blank">[43]</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">In February 2003, a 72 year-old scam victim from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czech_Republic" target="_blank">Czech Republic</a> shot and killed 50-year old Michael Lekara Wayid, an official at the Nigerian embassy in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prague" target="_blank">Prague</a>, and injured another person.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-ContinueMSNBC-43" target="_blank">[44]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-44" target="_blank">[45]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-45" target="_blank">[46]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-46" target="_blank">[47]</a></li> </ul> Kidnapping<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Osamai Hitomi, a Japanese businessman was lured to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johannesburg" target="_blank">Johannesburg</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa" target="_blank">South Africa</a> in a 419 scam and kidnapped on 26 September, 2008. He was then taken to Alberton, south of Johannesburg and a $5 million ransom was demanded from his family. Seven people were arrested.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-47" target="_blank">[48]</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">On 23 September 2008, a Kenth Sadaaki Suzuki, a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweden" target="_blank">Swedish</a> businessman, was lured to South Africa and kidnapped. He was taken to a house in Rosettenville in Johannesburg and robbed of all his belongings. Thereafter a ransom of €20 000 was demanded from his family. Two people were arrested. They are also linked to the kidnappings of three <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" target="_blank">American</a> Citizens and possibly other similar cases<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-48" target="_blank">[49]</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">On June 2, 1996 in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lom%C3%A9" target="_blank">Lomé</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Togo" target="_blank">Togo</a>, 419ing kidnappers held a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweden" target="_blank">Swedish</a> businessman for $500,000. Swedish police and the kidnappers negotiated before the kidnappers released the man on June 12, 1996.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-StateDeptPaper-28" target="_blank">[29]</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">From September 1995 to April 1997, conmen held at least eight Americans against their will. In 1996 the embassy repatriated ten Americans who fell victim to 419 schemes.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-StateDeptPaper-28" target="_blank">[29]</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Joseph Raca, a former mayor of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northampton,_England" target="_blank">Northampton, England</a>, was kidnapped by scammers in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johannesburg" target="_blank">Johannesburg</a>, South Africa in July 2001. The captors released Raca after they became nervous.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-49" target="_blank">[50]</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dănuţ Tetrescu, a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romania" target="_blank">Romanian</a> who flew from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucharest" target="_blank">Bucharest</a> to Johannesburg to meet with con men in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soweto" target="_blank">Soweto</a> area of Johannesburg, was kidnapped in 1999 and held for $500,000.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-50" target="_blank">[51]</a></li> </ul>Murder<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">29-year old George Makronalli, a Greek man, was murdered in South Africa in December 2004 after responding to a 419 scam.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-News24murder-29" target="_blank">[30]</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Kjetil Moe, a Norwegian businessman, was reported missing and ultimately killed after a trade with Nigerian scammers in Johannesburg, South Africa (September 1999).<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-51" target="_blank">[52]</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">One American was murdered in Nigeria in June 1995 after being lured by a 419 scam.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-52" target="_blank">[53]</a> From 1994 to April 1997 419 scammers murdered 15 people in total.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-StateDeptPaper-28" target="_blank">[29]</a></li> </ul> Emotional harm Victims, in addition to having lost tens of thousands of dollars, often also lose their ability to trust. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/419_Eater" target="_blank">419 Eater</a> website says, "Although there is no serious physical injury, many victims of con-men speak of the betrayal as the psychological equivalent of rape". Victims may blame themselves for what has happened, resulting in overwhelming guilt and shame. If the victim has borrowed money from others to pay the scammer, these feelings are magnified. Further compounding the problem is the public opinion of scam letters and scam victims. Scam letters are often viewed as humorously moronic, and the people who fall for them equally so, in complete disregard to the fact that people from all walks of life at every level of education fall for these scams. The victim, having lost money through the scammer's manipulation of payment methods such as money orders or cheques, may become distrustful of the financial system. Scam victims may stop trusting and giving money to churches, legitimate charities and, in the extreme, even service providers such as their electric company because of their requests for money. Some victims commit <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide" target="_blank">suicide</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-419FraudLondonMetropolitan-40" target="_blank">[41]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-Fountain-41" target="_blank">[42]</a>In other cases, the victim will continue to contact the scammer after being shown proof that they are being scammed or even being convicted of crimes relating to the scam, having been drawn so deeply into the web of deception that their trust in what the scammer tells them overrides everything else in their life.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-53" target="_blank">[54]</a> Such victims are easy prey for future scams, digging themselves even deeper into financial and legal trouble.   Arrests In 2004, fifty-two suspects were arrested in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsterdam" target="_blank">Amsterdam</a> after an extensive raid.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-54" target="_blank">[55]</a> An <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_service_provider" target="_blank">Internet service provider</a> had noticed the increased email traffic. None were jailed or fined, due to lack of evidence. They were released in the week of July 12, 2004. On November 8, 2004, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nick_Marinellis&action=edit&redlink=1" target="_blank">Nick Marinellis</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney" target="_blank">Sydney</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia" target="_blank">Australia</a>, was sentenced to 4 1/3 to 5 1/4 years for sending Nigerian 419 e-mails.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-55" target="_blank">[56]</a> In October 2006 the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsterdam" target="_blank">Amsterdam</a> police launched Operation Apollo to fight internet fraud scams operated by West Africans and notably Nigerians. Following this investigation police have arrested 80 suspects, most of them from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria" target="_blank">Nigeria</a>, and seized from their homes lists of email addresses, as well as fake documents. On June 16, 2007 111 people were arrested for being in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Netherlands" target="_blank">The Netherlands</a> illegally and suspicion of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraud" target="_blank">fraud</a>, although their implication with the email scams is yet unknown.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-56" target="_blank">[57]</a>Authorities in Nigeria have been slow to take action and for many years nothing was done. Nigeria has a reputation for criminals being able to avoid convictions through bribery and rumours abounded of official connivance in the scams.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-57" target="_blank">[58]</a> In 2003 however the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_and_Financial_Crimes_Commission" target="_blank">Economic and Financial Crimes Commission</a> (EFCC) was charged with tackling the problem.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-58" target="_blank">[59]</a> A couple of success stories including convictions in a large 419 case were reported in 2005.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-59" target="_blank">[60]</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Edna_Fiedler&action=edit&redlink=1" target="_blank">Edna Fiedler</a>, 44, of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympia,_Washington" target="_blank">Olympia, Washington</a>, on June 25, 2008, pleaded guilty in a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tacoma" target="_blank">Tacoma</a> court and was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Probation" target="_blank">probation</a> in an Internet $1 million "Nigerian check scam." She conspired to commit bank, wire and mail fraud, against US citizens, specifically using Internet by having had an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accomplice" target="_blank">accomplice</a> who shipped counterfeit checks and money orders to her from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagos" target="_blank">Lagos</a>, Nigeria, last November. Fiedler shipped out $ 609,000 fake check and money orders when arrested and prepared to send additional $ 1.1 million counterfeit materials. Also, the U.S. Postal Service recently intercepted counterfeit checks, lottery tickets and eBay overpayment schemes with a face value of $2.1 billion.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-60" target="_blank">[61]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-61" target="_blank">[62]</a>   Victim becoming a criminal Victims of the fraud sometimes fall directly into crime by borrowing or stealing money to pay the advanced fees, believing an early payday is imminent. Credit-card fraud, check kiting, and embezzlement are among the crimes committed to pay the advances, with an expectation of having the money to repay the unauthorized loans. <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Former Alcona County (Michigan) Treasurer Thomas A. Katona was sentenced to 9-14 years for his embezzlement of more than US$1.2 million in county funds in a Nigerian fraud scheme, which represented 25% of the county's budget for 2006.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-62" target="_blank">[63]</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Robert Andrew Street,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-63" target="_blank">[64]</a> a Melbourne-based financial adviser, who fleeced his clients for over AU$1 million which he sent to the scammers in the hope of receiving US$65 million in return. Eventually the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Securities_and_Investments_Commission" target="_blank">ASIC</a>) investigated the victim, who had now become a conman himself.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A bookkeeper for the Michigan law firm<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-64" target="_blank">[65]</a> Olsman Mueller & James who in 2002 emptied the company bank account of US$2.1 million in expectation of a US$4.5 million payout.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">John W. Worley fell for a Nigerian scam and was convicted of taking money under false pretenses.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-65" target="_blank">[66]</a></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Eichenwald" target="_blank">Kurt Eichenwald</a>, author of The Informant, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Whitacre" target="_blank">Mark Whitacre</a> defrauded <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archer_Daniels_Midland" target="_blank">Archer Daniels Midland</a>, a food products manufacturer for which he was a division president, embezzling US$9 million during the same period of time that he was acting as an informant for the FBI in a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_fixing" target="_blank">price fixing</a> scheme that ADM was involved in. His illegal activities in trying to procure funds for payment of his supposed Nigerian benefactors cost him his immunity in the price-fixing scandal, according to Eichenwald's book, The Informant. Eichenwald lost his credibility, his job, and his career in journalism because of lying about his payments to a source in a recent case.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-66" target="_blank">[67]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-67" target="_blank">[68]</a> James Lieber, author of Rats in the Grain and an attorney, also wrote a book about Whitacre in which he disagreed with Eichenwald's conclusions about Whitacre and the Nigerian scam.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-68" target="_blank">[69]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-69" target="_blank">[70]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-70" target="_blank">[71]</a></li> </ul>Terms used by 419-scammers Fall mugu (to)To be fooled, to become victim of advance-fee fraud.Flash of accountCause the victim's bank account to temporarily show a large credit. This is intended to induce the victim to believe in the deal and send money. The credit gets reversed by the bank when it is discovered that the original cheque or electronic transfer was fraudulent.FormatThe scheme or script of an advance-fee fraud, e.g., the late dictator format (the scammer pretends to be a relative of a dictator, e.g. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryam_Abacha" target="_blank">Maryam Abacha</a>, "Wife" of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sani_Abacha" target="_blank">Sani Abacha</a>), the next of kin format, the lottery format.Guyman, guyScammer engaged in advance-fee fraud.JokemanA <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scambaiter" target="_blank">scambaiter</a>.LuxciniAn investment scam involving a line of men's luxury clothing based in Beverly Hills, CaliforniaMaga, mugu, mugun, mahi, magha,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-eat-22" target="_blank">[23]</a> mahee, mayi, mayee, mgbada(antelope)Victim of advance-fee fraud. "Mugu" means "fool" and is often used as an insult by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scam_baiting" target="_blank">scam-baiters</a> referring back to the scammer.Modalitiescommonly used term for methods of funds transfer.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-71" target="_blank">[72]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-FSecure-2" target="_blank">[3]</a>NwachukwuAn advanced fee fraud posing as a Stock Options trading corporation.Oga or ChairmanBossOwner of the job, CatcherScammer who makes the first contact with a victim and then passes him on to another scammer who finishes the job. The latter shares the spoil with the former.RunsAn (illegal) activity.Yahoo millionaires,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-72" target="_blank">[73]</a> yahoo boys<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud#cite_note-73" target="_blank">[74]</a> ScammersYahoo yahooThe act of scamming, especially through the use of a Yahoo! mail address.</blockquote>

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