The Nigerian Scam - fun!

[janestarz]

I've received at least three offers from a guy from Nigeria (or whereabouts) to give me over a few million dollars, if only I would give my passport and whatnot. Sense a scam? Well it is.

On the net it's known as the 419 scam, which promises you a shitload of dough if only you are willing to give them your passport and/or a transfer fee of a few thou', just so you could get the money. The money - ofcourse - never gets there.

Thanks to Slashdot NoKey and I just read the bait Jon Barry set for the people that contacted him. He's a blast with Photoshop - and the English language. He actually tricked the guy who was trying to scam him into sending him a picture of his naked self. Anything for five thousand British pounds, right? read the Jon Barry story - it's a few pages long mind and features very adult content.

So without further ado, I present you with The 419 eater!

Comments

[nokey.livejournal.com]

Now Sna, if you get mentally scarred just by our stories, you better not read the Jon Barry story.
It made me sick to my stomach. And THAT is saying something!

[coen.livejournal.com]

The Nigerian Scam has existed for over a hundred years. In the black old days before internet, the scam used traditional mail. Now that most people and companies have email, the Nigerian scam has become far more active. I have received messages of this kind from Indonesia, Nigeria, and whatever countries you can think of. Always countries far away, where you don't know anyone, so you can't check up.

The most amazing thing about it is, that people always fall for this. People walk right into it, with their eyes wide open. They've been doing it for a century, and they still do. That really amazes me.