SCAM: The Nigerian Advance Fee Scheme
The Nigerian Advance Fee Scam has been around for quite a while,
but, despite many warnings, continues to draw in many victims. In
fact, the Financial Crimes Division of the Secret Service receives
approximately 100 telephone calls from victims/ potential victims and
[5] 300-500 pieces of related correspondence per day about this scam!
Here is a sample of a letter a victim may receive:
“Dear Sir,
Confidential Business Proposal
Having consulted with my colleagues and based on the information
[10] gathered from the Nigerian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, I
have the privilege to request for your assistance to transfer the sum
of $47,500,000.00 (forty seven million, five hundred thousand United
States dollars) into your accounts. The above sum resulted from an
over-invoiced contract, executed, commissioned and paid for about
[15] five (5) years ago by a foreign contractor. This action was however
intentional and since then the fund has been in a suspense account
at the Central Bank of Nigeria Apex Bank.
We are now ready to transfer the fund overseas and that is where
you come in. It is important to inform you that, as civil servants, we
[20] are forbidden to operate a foreign account; that is why we require your
assistance. The total sum will be shared as follows: 70% for us, 25% for
you and 5% for local and international expenses incident to the transfer.
The transfer is risk free on both sides. I am an accountant with the
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). If you find this
[25] proposal acceptable, we shall require the following documents:
(A) Your Banker’s name, telephone, account and fax numbers.
(B) Your private telephone and fax numbers for confidential and
easy communication.
(C) Your letter-headed papers stamped and signed.
[30] Alternatively we will furnish you with the text of what to type
into your letter-headed paper along with a breakdown explaining
comprehensively what we require of you. The business will take us
thirty (30) working days to accomplish.
Please reply urgently.
[35] Best regards”
Be careful. This scam can be physically dangerous as well as
dangerous to your finances.
Avoid these scams like the plague! Don’t let promises of large
amounts of money impair your judgment.
http://www.scambusters.org/NigerianFee.html Access: 28th April, 2007 (Adapted)
According to the text, we can say that people who believe in this kind of scam probably think
