2007-10-24 17:27:49 · 15 answers · asked by rashid m 1 in Business & Finance ➔ Personal Finance
It's a scam
2007-10-24 20:41:22 · answer #1 · answered by Prince By Tor 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An advance fee fraud is a confidence trick in which the target is persuaded to advance relatively small sums of money in the hope of realizing a much larger gain. Among the variations on this type of scam are the Nigerian Letter (or 419 fraud) and "The Spanish Prisoner."
The 419 scam originated in the early 1980s as the oil-based economy of Nigeria went downhill. Several unemployed university students first used this scam as a means of manipulating business visitors interested in shady deals in the Nigerian oil sector before targeting businessmen in the west, and later the wider population. Early variants were often sent via letter, fax, or even Telex. The spread of email and easy access to email-harvesting software made the cost of sending scam letters through the Internet extremely cheap. In the 2000s, the 419 scam has spurred imitations from other locations in Africa and Eastern Europe.
The number "419" refers to the article of the Nigerian Criminal Code (part of Chapter 38: "Obtaining Property by false pretences; Cheating") dealing with fraud. The American Dialect Society has traced the term "419 fraud" back to 1992.
The advance fee fraud is a derivation of a much older scam dating back to 1588 in the form of a Spanish Prisoner scam. The fictitious prisoner would promise to share non-existent treasure with the person who would send them money to bribe their guards.
2007-10-25 14:36:16 · answer #2 · answered by John S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, sure you have ... after all we all know that there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, that the streets of London are paved in gold and that 'you have won the Lottery' emails are true ....
Well OK, I guess the last one above IS totally unbelievable ..
.. anyway, have a nice 419 scam - ADVANCED FEE FRAUD ...
2007-10-25 02:25:57 · answer #3 · answered by Steve B 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look up consumer direct, on the internet or in the phone book, and report this con / scam / fraud
2007-10-25 03:59:36 · answer #4 · answered by John S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you in bed, and dreaming about riches again ?
2007-10-25 02:02:41 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah sure.
2007-10-25 17:30:36 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yipee im RICH
2007-10-25 00:30:35 · answer #7 · answered by blahgoshgurlie♥ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ignore it!
2007-10-25 13:49:45 · answer #8 · answered by Jim 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I't not a question.
2007-10-25 00:32:29 · answer #9 · answered by crengle60 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
scam email i guess.
2007-10-25 00:30:20 · answer #10 · answered by sweetylemonmas 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋