Advance-fee scam and Mike Matusow: Difference between pages

Revision as of 04:16, 8 December 2006

Revision as of 21:54, 11 July 2007

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{{infobox poker player

'''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.

|firstname=Mike

|lastname=Matusow

|nickname=Mike The Mouth

|image=Mike Matusow.jpg

|caption=Mike Matusow at the 2006 World Poker Tour 5 Diamond Bellagio tournament

|hometown=Las Vegas, Nevada

|wsop bracelet count=2(+1)

|wsop money finishes=20

|wsop main event best finish rank=6th

|wsop main event best finish year=2001

|wpt titles=''None''

|wpt final tables=1(+1)

|wpt money finishes=4

}}

'''Michael Matusow''' (born [[April 30]] [[1968]] in [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], [[California]]) is an [[United States|American]] professional [[poker]] player, residing in [[Henderson, Nevada]]. Matusow's nickname of "The Mouth" reflects his reputation for trash-talking at the poker table. He is also known for his habit of ruining hours or days of good play with a single spectacular misjudgment, (known as a "Mike Matusow Blow-up" or "Mike Matusow Meltdown").<ref name="pokerlistings">{{cite web|url=http://www.pokerlistings.com/poker-player_mike-matusow?show=bio

The most visible form is the '''Nigerian Letter''' or '''419 fraud''', named after the section of the [[Nigerian criminal code]] that it violates. Originally sent by mail, and later by fax, the Nigerian Letter is now sent almost exclusively by e-mail. A typical letter claims to come from a person needing to transfer large sums of money out of the country. As the Nigerian letter variation of the fraud has become well known, the gangs operating the scams have developed variations. The target is often told that they are the beneficiary of an inheritance or invited to impersonate a beneficiary of an unclaimed estate.

|title=Mike Matusow - Poker Player Profile|publisher=www.PokerListings.com|author=Anonymous|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref>

Matusow began playing poker seriously in the early 1990s, first while working as a [[poker dealer]], then as a professional player.<ref name="fulltiltprofile">{{cite web|url=http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/mikeMatusow.php

In a variation of "[[Spanish Prisoner|The Spanish Prisoner]]" fraud, the target is told that a wealthy individual is being held hostage and will reward those who help transfer of the ransom money. Another common gambit is a fake lottery in which the target is told that they have 'won' a large prize but must pay an administrative fee before they receive it.

|title=Mike Matusow|publisher=[[Full Tilt Poker]]|author=Anonymous|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref> His successes include being a 2-time [[World Series of Poker]] bracelet winner,<ref name="99wsop3500">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=7856|title=1999 World Series of Poker $3,500 No Limit Hold 'em event results|publisher=[[The Hendon Mob]]|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref><ref name="02omahahilo">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=4416|title=2002 World Series of Poker $5,000 Omaha hi/lo event results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref> and the winner of the 2005 [[World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions]].<ref name="05wsoptoc">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=14994|title=2005 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref> His success brought him increasingly into contact with [[illegal drug]]s and in September 2004, he was sentenced to six months imprisonment.<ref name="ppm">{{cite news | last = Kaplan | first = Michael | title = Me and My Big Mouth | date = [[August 2006]] | url = [[http://www.totalgambler.com/theplayers/playerinterviews/1259/me_and_my_big_mouth.html]] | accessdate = [[2007-06-01]] }}</ref><ref name="lasvegasvegas">{{cite web|url=http://www.lasvegasvegas.com/pokerblog/archives/001648.php|title=Mike Matusow Sentenced|publisher=www.LasVegasVegas.com|author="flipchipro"|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref> He has played in many tournaments around the world and his winnings (as of 2007) total about 5 million dollars.<ref name="stats">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=s&n=170|title=Mike Matusow - Stats|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref>

==Early years==

In one development of the scheme, the perpetrators use a counterfeit [[cashier's check]] to buy an expensive item such as a car or boat from people advertising goods in online classifieds. The target is given a fake check for an amount greater than the value of the item, and asked to return the difference.

Matusow suffered from [[bullying]] when going through school and did not attend college. He attempted to get work as an [[auto mechanic]], but did not complete the required studying for the job. He later worked at his family's furniture store.<ref name="ppm">{{cite news | last = Kaplan | first = Michael | title = Me and My Big Mouth | date = August 2006 | url = http://www.totalgambler.com/theplayers/playerinterviews/1259/me_and_my_big_mouth.html |Total Gambler | accessdate = 2007-06-01}}</ref>

Matusow's first experience of poker was playing [[video poker]] in the [[Westin Causarina Las Vegas Hotel, Casino & Spa|Maxim Casino]] at the age of 18, which he played regularly, to the extent he suffered from [[repetitive strain injury]] in his shoulders and arms. He occasionally stole money from his mother's purse and at one point attended [[Gamblers Anonymous]] meetings. Matusow was taught [[Texas hold 'em]] in 1989 by a [[rounder]] named Steve Samaroff. Early in his career, he won 81 out of 82 sessions and $250,000. He also worked as a [[poker dealer]].<ref name="ppm">{{cite news | last = Kaplan | first = Michael | title = Me and My Big Mouth | date = [[August 2006]] | url = [[http://www.totalgambler.com/theplayers/playerinterviews/1259/me_and_my_big_mouth.html]] | accessdate = [[2007-06-01]] }}</ref><ref name="fulltiltprofile">{{cite web|url=http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/mikeMatusow.php

The most recent scheme is to ask individuals to deposit a check into their account then to forward a percentage (80%-90%) to a company that supposedly is owed the amount. Of course the check is counterfeit and by the time the depositor's bank finds that out, the funds have been transferred. This scheme appears to be perpetrated by Nigerians living outside their country.

|title=Mike Matusow|publisher=[[Full Tilt Poker]]|author=Anonymous|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref>

==World Series of Poker==

==419 Fraud==

At the [[1998 World Series of Poker]] (WSOP), Matusow paid one-third of [[Scotty Nguyen]]'s entrance fee into a satellite event for the $10,000 [[betting (poker)|no limit]] Texas hold 'em main event. Nguyen went on to win, and gave $333,333 to Matusow in return for his partial stake.<ref name="ppm">{{cite news | last = Kaplan | first = Michael | title = Me and My Big Mouth | date = [[August 2006]] | url = [[http://www.totalgambler.com/theplayers/playerinterviews/1259/me_and_my_big_mouth.html]] | accessdate = [[2007-06-01]] }}</ref> In [[2001 World Series of Poker|2001]], he finished 6th place in the WSOP $10,000 no limit Hold 'em main event. Matusow claims that the decisive hand was when he was [[bluff (poker)|bluffed]] by eventual champion [[Carlos Mortensen|Juan Carlos Mortensen]], but did not trust his instincts to call.<ref name="ppm">{{cite news | last = Kaplan | first = Michael | title = Me and My Big Mouth | date = [[August 2006]] | url = [[http://www.totalgambler.com/theplayers/playerinterviews/1259/me_and_my_big_mouth.html]] | accessdate = [[2007-06-01]] }}</ref><ref name="01wsopme">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=3066

These scams have come to be associated by the western media with [[Nigeria]] due to the massive proliferation of such [[confidence trick]]s from that country since the early 1990s, as well as the reputation of the country for corruption.

|title=2001 World Series of Poker $10,000 No Limit Hold 'em main event results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref> At the [[2004 World Series of Poker|2004 WSOP]] main event, Matusow was a focal point of [[ESPN]]'s coverage, as he verbally attacked eventual champion [[Greg Raymer]].<ref name="04wsopme">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=6628|title=2004 World Series of Poker $10,000 No Limit Hold 'em main event results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref><ref name="raymerwebsite">{{cite web|url=http://www.fossilmanpoker.com/faqs.htm

|title=FAQs|publisher=www.FossilmanPoker.com|author=Raymer, Greg|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref><ref name="pokerbabes">{{cite web|url=http://www.poker-babes.com/bio/mike-matusow/|title=Mike Matusow|publisher=www.PokerBabes.com|author=Rosario, Shirley|authorlink=Shirley Rosario|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref> In the [[2005 World Series of Poker|2005 WSOP]], Matusow finished 9th out of 5,619 players in the main event, winning $1,000,000.<ref name="05wsopme">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=14015|title=2005 World Series of Poker $10,000 No Limit Hold 'em main event results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref> Several months later, he won the [[World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions|WSOP Tournament of Champions]] in a heads-up battle against [[Hoyt Corkins]], earning another $1,000,000 in the process. He also placed third in the Tournament of Champions the following year.<ref name="05wsoptoc">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=14994|title=2005 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref><ref name="06wsoptoc">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=15520|title=2006 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref>

=====World Series of Poker bracelets=====

Originally the schemers contacted mainly heads of companies and church officials. However, the use of [[e-mail]] [[spam (electronic)|spam]] and [[instant messenger|instant messaging]] for the initial contacts has led to many private citizens also being targeted, as the cost to the scammers to make contact is much lower.

{| class="wikitable"

! style="background: #E9E9E9;" | Year

! style="background: #E9E9E9;" | Event

! style="background: #E9E9E9;" | Prize Money

|-

| [[1999 World Series of Poker|1999]]

| $3,500 No Limit Hold 'em

| $265,475<ref name="99wsop3500">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=7856|title=1999 World Series of Poker $3,500 No Limit Hold 'em event results|publisher=[[The Hendon Mob]]|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref>

|-

| [[2002 World Series of Poker|2002]]

| $5,000 Omaha Hi-Lo Split

| $148,520<ref name="02omahahilo">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=4416|title=2002 World Series of Poker $5,000 Omaha hi/lo event results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref>

|}

==Other poker events==

Another recent variation involves the use of fake cashier's checks to pay for high-value items in Internet auctions. The scammer sends a check for more than the purchase price asking that part of the money be forwarded to a 'shipper' or 'freight forwarder' after the funds have cleared. This will usually happen quickly as banking practice assumes that banks are liquid at all times and that there is no credit risk. The vendor will only discover that the check was fraudulent and the transaction has been voided a few days later, by which time the intermediary will in most cases have been paid.

[[Image:Mikematusow2.jpg|right|thumb|Mike Matusow in the [[World Poker Tour]] Bad Boys of Poker II event.]]

In October 2004, Matusow made his first [[World Poker Tour]] (WPT) final table at the UltimateBet Aruba Classic, earning $250,000 for 3rd place.<ref name="wptaruba">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=8650|title=WPT Aruba Poker Classic results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref> In 2006, he finished runner-up to [[Tony G]] in the WPT Bad Boys of Poker II in heads-up play.<ref name="badboys2">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=17366|title=WPT Bad Boys of Poker II results|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref> Matusow also appeared in [[Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament|Poker Superstars III]], where he made it to the Elite Eight. In the winner-take-all championship match, Matusow beat seven other players to win $500,000. He also appeared in the second and third season of [[High Stakes Poker]].<ref name="ps3">{{cite web|url=http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/5398712

==Warnings issued by United States government==

|title=FSN: Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament 3|publisher=[[Fox Sports Network]]|author=Anonymous|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref><ref name="hsp2">{{cite web|url=http://www.pokernews.com/news/2006/5/high-stakes-poker-second-season.htm|title='High Stakes Poker' Back For A Second Season In June|publisher=www.PokerNews.com|author=Burton, Earl|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref>

The United States [[Federal Trade Commission]] has issued a consumer alert about the Nigerian scam. It says:

:"If you receive an offer via email from someone claiming to need your help getting money out of Nigeria &mdash; or any other country, for that matter &mdash; forward it to the FTC at [e-mail]."<ref>[http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/nigeralrt.htm FTC consumer alert]</ref>

In September 2006, Mike made his debut on the [[European Poker Tour]] (EPT) in Barcelona; however, he was eliminated on the first day. In early 2007, Matusow appeared on two episodes of [[Poker After Dark]] where he finished 3rd and 2nd respectively. He plays [[online poker]] under the following aliases: "dill pickle" ([[UltimateBet]]); "mrpokejoke" ([[PokerStars]]); and "Mike Matusow" ([[Full Tilt Poker]], where he is also a member of "Team Full Tilt").<ref name="pokerlistings">{{cite web|url=http://www.pokerlistings.com/poker-player_mike-matusow?show=bio

The [[United States Department of the Treasury]] maintains an account for the public to send 419 related documents:

|title=Mike Matusow - Poker Player Profile|publisher=www.PokerListings.com|author=Anonymous|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref><ref name="fulltiltprofile">{{cite web|url=http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/mikeMatusow.php

:"You may also email the 419er documents, especially any banking data they may have given you, marked as described above, to Task Force Main in DC [e-mail]; that is also acceptable."

|title=Mike Matusow|publisher=[[Full Tilt Poker]]|author=Anonymous|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref> As of 2007, his total live tournament winnings exceed $4,800,000.<ref name="stats">{{cite web|url=http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=s&n=170|title=Mike Matusow - Stats|publisher=The Hendon Mob|author=Butt, Robert|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref>

==HistoryPersonal life==

In September 2002, Matusow held a party in a VIP booth of [[The Palms]], providing free ecstasy to friends. He was introduced to undercover [[Narc (Narcotics)|narcotic agent]] Mike Fento, who claimed he was involved in an [[organized crime]] family in [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]] that planned to open a [[strip club]]. Matusow claims that Fento got him involved in [[money laundering]] and asked him to score drugs for him. Matusow discovered from one of his dealers that Fento was an agent, but was arrested at his house on [[September 25]] [[2003]] for "selling and trafficking controlled substances." The police offered to allow him to wear a [[Covert listening device|wire]] to help them secure evidence on a nightclub owner, but Matusow refused as the person was connected to organized crime and could have had him killed.<ref name="ppm">{{cite news | last = Kaplan | first = Michael | title = Me and My Big Mouth | date = [[August 2006]] | url = [[http://www.totalgambler.com/theplayers/playerinterviews/1259/me_and_my_big_mouth.html]] | accessdate = [[2007-06-01]] }}</ref> Matusow was in prison from September 2004 to April 2005. During this time, Matusow lost his $250,000 winnings from his WPT final table on sports betting. [[John Juanda]] was one of the few poker players who visited him.<ref name="ppm">{{cite news | last = Kaplan | first = Michael | title = Me and My Big Mouth | date = [[August 2006]] | url = [[http://www.totalgambler.com/theplayers/playerinterviews/1259/me_and_my_big_mouth.html]] | accessdate = [[2007-06-01]] }}</ref><ref name="lasvegasvegas">{{cite web|url=http://www.lasvegasvegas.com/pokerblog/archives/001648.php|title=Mike Matusow Sentenced|publisher=www.LasVegasVegas.com|author="flipchipro"|accessdate=2006-08-06}}</ref>

{{unreferenced-section|date=December 2006}}

The 419 scam originated in the early 1990s 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 greedy 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. While various figures have wildly claimed that the 419 scam employs as many as 250,000 people in Nigeria, in reality it has often been linked to small organized gangs often working in concert in western cities and in Nigeria. In recent years, the 419 scam has spurred imitations in various trouble spots in Africa and Eastern Europe.

Upon his release, [[Phil Hellmuth|Phil Hellmuth Jr]] loaned him $5,000 to start up a new bankroll. At the 2005 WSOP, however, he lost most of the $750,000 bankroll he had built up from Hellmuth's original loan and even convinced friends to take away his [[Computer keyboard|keyboard]] and [[Mouse (computing)|mouse]] so he could not play online poker.<ref name="ppm">{{cite news | last = Kaplan | first = Michael | title = Me and My Big Mouth | date = [[August 2006]] | url = [[http://www.totalgambler.com/theplayers/playerinterviews/1259/me_and_my_big_mouth.html]] | accessdate = [[2007-06-01]] }}</ref>

In fact the advance fee fraud is a much older scam than that, dating back to 1588 where letters were written claiming to be from a prisoner trapped in a Spanish castle. The fictitious prisoner would promise to share a treasure with a person who would send them money to bribe their guards.

Matusow resides in a 3,700 [[square foot]] home in Henderson (with a cathedral ceiling) and bought a $90,000 [[BMW E63/E64|BMW 645 CI cabriolet]] from a $750,000 winning session at online poker.<ref name="ppm">{{cite news | last = Kaplan | first = Michael | title = Me and My Big Mouth | date = [[August 2006]] | url = [[http://www.totalgambler.com/theplayers/playerinterviews/1259/me_and_my_big_mouth.html]] | accessdate = [[2007-06-01]] }}

==Implementation==

</ref> He often wears a gold chain with the Hebrew symbol 'chai' around his neck.<ref name="ppm">{{cite news | last = Kaplan | first = Michael | title = Me and My Big Mouth | date = [[August 2006]] | url = [[http://www.totalgambler.com/theplayers/playerinterviews/1259/me_and_my_big_mouth.html]] | accessdate = [[2007-06-01]] }}</ref> Additionally, Matusow hosted Card Player's poker radio show / [[podcast]], ''the Circuit'', before being replaced by [[Gavin Smith]] and [[Joe Sebok]].<ref name="cardplayer">{{cite web|url=http://www.cardplayer.com/thecircuit/?page=11

{{unreferenced-section|date=December 2006}}

|title=The Circuit|publisher=www.cardplayer.com|author=Anonymous}}</ref>

The 'investors' are contacted, typically with an offer of the type "A rich person from the needy country needs to discreetly move money abroad, would it be possible to use your account?". The sums involved are usually in the millions of dollars, and the investor is promised a large share, often forty percent. The proposed deal is often presented as a "harmless" [[white-collar crime]], in order to dissuade participants from later contacting the authorities. Similarly, the money is often said to be the embezzled funds of a recently deposed or killed [[dictator]]. The operation is professionally organized in Nigeria, with offices, working [[fax]] numbers, and often contacts at [[government]] offices. The investor who attempts to research the background of the offer will often find that all pieces fit perfectly together.

==Notes==

If they then agree to the deal, the other side will first send several documents bearing official government [[stamp]]s, [[seal (device)|seal]]s [[etc]]., and then introduce delays, such as "in order to transmit the money, we need to bribe a bank official. Could you help us with a loan?" or "In order for you to be allowed to be a party to the transaction, you need to have holdings at a Nigerian bank of $100,000 or more" or similar. More delays and more additional costs are added, always keeping the promise of an imminent large transfer alive. Sometimes psychological pressure is added by claiming that the Nigerian side, in order to pay certain fees, had to sell all belongings and borrow money on their house.

<div class="references-small">

<references />

</div>

==External links==

In any case, the promised money transfer never happens. The money or gold does not exist.

*[http://www.mikethemouth.com/ Official site]

*[http://www.matusowtruth.blogspot.com/ Official blog]

*[http://www.worldpokertour.com/players/?x=profile&poker-player=8526 World Poker Tour profile]

*[http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=170 Hendon Mob tournament results]

*[http://www.myspace.com/mouthpoker Official Myspace]

{{World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions Winners}}

Such spam is often sent from [[Internet cafe]]s equipped with satellite Internet. Recipient addresses and email content are copied and pasted into a webmail interface using a standalone storage medium, such as a memory card. Some London-based gangs have been known to use [[spamware]] on laptops which they surreptitiously connect to the cafe's network, but even this software is notably out-of-date. While this method is significantly more labour-intensive per mail sent than others, it offers near-total anonymity and allows them to very quickly and easily relocate. The often very professional layout of web pages and so on used in the scams suggests that they do not lack technical sophistication.

[[Category:1968 births|Matusow, Mike]]

==Suspicious signs in emails==

[[Category:American poker players|Matusow, Mike]]

As well as the email subject or contents, there are often some clear signs that 419 scam emails contain which should alert a recipient to be suspicious:

[[Category:Jewish American sportspeople|Matusow, Mike]]

[[Category:Living people|Matusow, Mike]]

[[Category:Poker commentators|Matusow, Mike]]

[[Category:World Series of Poker bracelet winners|Matusow, Mike]]

[[Category:World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions winners|Matusow, Mike]]

[[de:Mike Matusow]]

# '''"Name dropping"''' - the use of a reputable business, government body, bank, or some event which is reported in a reputable online newspaper.

[[fi:Mike Matusow]]

# '''Inappropriate contact''' - for example, a lottery win may be emailed by a person claiming to work in a bank. Or, claims to be a lawyer but the email does not look like one written by a member of the legal establishment.

# '''Mobile phone numbers''' - the contact numbers will be cell (mobile) phones, or fax, not landline. In the UK, such numbers start with +44-7, 07- or 7-, although with public VOIP services increasingly available in major financial centres, use of apparently land line numbers (+44-20 for London) is on the rise.

# '''Free email accounts''' - the email will often not match the company claimed. Thus a person may claim to be writing from [[HSBC]] (a major bank) but the email address is a free [[Yahoo]] email.

==Variants==

===Invitation to visit the country===

Sometimes, victims are invited to a country to meet real or fake government officials. Some victims who so travel are instead held for ransom. In some rumoured cases they are smuggled into the country without a [[visa (document)|visa]] and then threatened into giving up more money, as the penalties for being in a foreign country without a visa are severe. In the most extreme cases the victim has even been murdered.<ref name = "News24murder">{{cite news |url=http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1641875,00.html

|publisher = News24

|title = SA cops, Interpol probe murder

|author = Philip de Braun

|date = [[2004-12-31]]

|accessdate = 2006-07-09

}}</ref>

===Credit card use through IP Relay===

In another variation of the scam, the scammer places calls through [[IP Relay]], a US federally funded internet telerelay service for deaf/hard of hearing/speech-disabled individuals. The scammer calls various businesses, attempting to purchase items with stolen or fraudulent credit cards. Oftentimes, individuals are targeted as well, most of whom have advertised a product or service online. {{fact}}

Typically, in an IP-Relay scam call, the scammer will place several calls using a Relay Operator. Calling to businesses or private parties, the scammer will inquire about merchandise/services offered, and then immediately and with few questions asked, attempt to purchase the merchandise. The scammer (who refer to each other as "guyman") then proceeds to ask the potential victim (known in Nigeria as a "Mugu"; a Lagos pidgin word for "fool") for an e-mail address, by which he can contact the victim to proceed with the closing of the fraudulent transaction.{{fact}}

The scammer proceeds to send the victim a counterfeit cheque or money order, with instructions requiring that it be cashed, and that excess funds be sent back to the scammer (advance fee fraud). When it is determined by the authorities that the money order is counterfeit, the victim is usually arrested and charged with various offenses relating to the scam.

Credit-card fraud is not the only kind of fraud reported through IP Relay. A relay scammer typically will use IP Relay for all fraudulent-related transactions/telephone calls within the United States{{fact}}.

Often a scammer will browse through online classified ads (such as craigslist.org) and will use the IP Relay service to contact sellers to make inquiries about the item listed in the ad. Most commonly the scammers target persons whose ads advertise live animals (i.e. puppies), automobiles, high-dollar electronic devices, etc. In this scenario, the scammer sends the seller a cheque for the advertised item with an overpayment- The victim is given instructions to cash the cheque or moneyorder and to wire the remaining balance via Western Union or Moneygram. The victim is at a loss in this situation when the authorities discover the cheque/money order is not legitimate.{{fact}}

Because of current FCC regulations and confidentiality laws, operators are required to relay every call verbatim and must adhere to a strict code of confidentiality and ethics. Thus no relay operator is permitted to make judgements about the legality and/or legitimacy of any relay call and must relay the call without interference. As such, the relay operator cannot warn victims even when they suspect that the call is a scam; Some sources claim that up to half of all IP relay calls are scams<ref>[http://msnbc.msn.com/ID/4781806 Con artists target phone system for the deaf], MSNBC</ref>.

===Romance angle===

{{unreferenced-section|date=December 2006}}

A recent variant is the [[romance scam]] which is a money-for-romance angle. The "victim" is approached on an [[Online dating service]] and becomes interested in a "lady" or "man" who has attractive pictures posted, generally stolen from online [[portfolio]]s of [[modeling agency|modeling agencies]]. The offending party claims to be interested in coming to visit the victim, but needs some cash up front in order to book the plane, hotel room, and other expenses. In other cases he or she may have just travelled to Nigeria (for tourism or business) and has been arrested by corrupt officials, or become ill from eating the local food, and needs an emergency wire transfer to bail or bribe his/her way out. As with other variants, money always seems to travel to Africa mainly via Western Union, and the "lady" or "man" always seems to come up with additional reasons for requesting more funds. This version of the scam is, at its core, identical to the classic Spanish Prisoner con, which dates back to the Renaissance.

This type of scam also frequently originates in [[Russia]] or [[Ukraine]] as well as Nigeria.

===Auction overpayment, fake check===

In another updated scam, the scammer offers to buy some expensive item (e.g., jewelry or a car, that the prospective victim advertised on [[eBay]], for example, or a legitimate classified-ads website such as [[craigslist]]) by official, certified, bank or cashier's [[check (finance)|check]]. The check will have an "accidentally" or mutually agreed higher value than the price of the item, so the scammer asks the victim to [[Telegraphy|wire]] the extra money to some third party as soon as the check clears. Because banks in the USA are required by law to honor a check within 1-5 working days (even before a check has cleared)<ref>{{cite news

|url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/31/AR2006053102004.html

|last = Mayer

|first = Caroline E.

|publisher = [[The Washington Post]]

|title = Banks Honor Bogus Checks and Scam Victims Pay

|page = A01

|date = [[2006-06-01]]

|accessdate = 2006-07-09

}}</ref>, they will report the proceeds as available for withdrawal before the check is presented to the issuing bank for clearance and the fraud is discovered. Most banks will hold the victim accountable for the value of the counterfeit check.

A variation on the eBay scam involves sending a request for payment for an item that the alleged seller does not own but claims to have sent. Since actual eBay item numbers are used this has been a nuisance for legitimate sellers.

===Fake escrow===

Another method is after winning a bid on items on the online auction site [[eBay]] (especially [[laptop]]s or other [[consumer electronics]]), to suggest to use an [[escrow]] service. The escrow service is fake and part of the scam. The victim will send the laptop or camera to the escrow service, never to hear from the scammer or escrow service again. The website of the escrow service will typically go offline after the victim has sent his goods. Some scammers send e-mails masquerading as official e-mails from [[PayPal]] to convince the victim that the escrow method is perfectly normal procedure; some of the e-mails contain spelling errors.

A variation of this scam is to adopt a more personal approach. The “buyer” bids for and wins the item on sale, only to then claim that it is actually to be a gift for a relative in Nigeria and asks for it to be sent direct there, even if the seller has specified that they will ship only within their own country. In order to facilitate the scam, the fake buyer will often create a brand new legitimate eBay user account complete with a fake address that is apparently in the seller’s home country, but which will not pass any kind of real inspection as they will often get the spelling, geography or postal code formats wrong. As with escrow scams, the eBay ID will disappear as soon as the victim has sent the goods, and the scammers tend to target inexperienced first time, private sellers

<ref>{{cite web

|url= http://blog.ravitek.com/?p=15

|title = Dear Mick Jaeger

|work= Ravi Tek

|accessdate = 2006-09-26

}}</ref>

===Western Union scam===

{{unreferenced-section|date=December 2006}}

This scam involves eBay and the appeal of high priced goods, usually electronics, for a bargain price. A seller will advertise an item, (camera, laptop, plasma TV) at low cost. The body of the ad instructs buyers to contact the seller directly outside of eBay at a yahoo or hotmail type account. When contact is made, the seller gives a long story about his problems receiving payment by Paypal - eBay's payment arm. The seller insists that the buyer send money by Western Union. The allure is that the product is a huge bargain; (eg. $2000 item for $700) Of course, if money is sent, it is gone forever and no product is ever delivered. The phoney seller usually has a list of prepared e-mails to respond quickly to questions from buyers; he'll go on about how his integrity is important, how he wouldn't risk his family's name, he's legit, check 'his' feedback etc.

The phoney seller makes the listing look credible by using a real eBay id to list the item. The real id has been stolen from a legitimate seller with good feedback, usually by means of e-mail phishing. EBay has a warning on its help site about this increasingly popular scam.

===Lottery scam===

{{main|Lottery scam}}

Lottery scam involves fake notices of lottery wins. The winner will usually be asked to send sensitive information to a free email account. This is a form of advance fee fraud as money in advance is often required and is also similar to [[phishing]]. A variant of the scam will appear to be sent by a [[lawyer]] representing the estate of some long-lost relative the victim never knows he or she had (the victim's surname will be inserted into the e-mail message) who perished along with his or her family in a [[car accident|car]] or [[fixed-wing aircraft|airplane]] [[accident]] last April. The scammer will claim to have gone to a lot of trouble to find the victim in order to give him or her a share of the millions of dollars available if the victim will forward his or her bank account information to the scammer.

Much like the Auction overpayment fraud detailed above, a new variant of the lottery scam involves fake or stolen checks being sent to the 'winner' of the lottery (these checks representing a part payment of the winnings). The winner will then be more likely to assume that the win is legitimate and subsequently more likely to send the advance fee. The check, and associated funds, will then be flagged by the bank when the fraud is discovered and recovered from the depositers account.

===Classified advertisement scams===

In a classified advertisement scam, scammers respond to an advertisement for anything that is being advertised at a reasonably high price (for example a car, a computer or a snowboard). There are various variants of this scam; typically, scammers, after an initial phase of feigned interest, agree to buy the item and offer to pay for it with a cheque with a much higher value than the agreed price, using various excuses. The scammer will ask to have most of the difference paid back in cash at time of collection, supposedly leaving the rest to the victim as a reward for their flexibility and inconvenience. The collection will be arranged soon after the money will be made available in the victim's bank account. The victim will not realise that having the funds available is different from having the cheque cleared, and therefore will happily agree to the terms. The cheque clearing process can take weeks, after which the bank will claim the whole sum back because the cheque is fake. <ref>http://www.loot.com/rs6/homepage.asp?action=q&t=/general/help/help_sections/selling/overpayment_scams</ref>

This is also used over the IP Relay. There is a case where the scammer requests a Driver's License or International Passport be faxed over as he represents a close friend of his who is dying.

===Escort scams===

{{unreferenced-section|date=December 2006}}

In this variant of a classified advertisement scam, a scammer answers an online escort advertisement, typically posing as a wealthy businessman traveling from Nigeria or London to the escort's city of residence. The scammer contacts an escort claiming to be interested in a long-term companionship arrangement of days or even weeks in length, the total time involved totalling to a substantial sum of money. The scammer offers to pay in advance by cheque in excess of the net payment and asks for remittance of the balance. This version is especially popular as escorts in many cases cannot safely contact legal authorities for any reason and are unlikely to report successful or attempted fraud. A variant of the escort scam involves translators and interpreters who are asked to escort a businessman or his family for a few days.

===Black money scam===

[[Black money scam]] or ''wash wash'': A "money cleaning" scam involving a huge amount of black papers (purportedly $100 [[United States dollar|USD]] bank notes covered by a black film to sneak them past the custom officers) that is shown to the victim, who is then requested to pay for “expensive chemicals” to cleanse the bills.

===Rental scam===

Where the victim (i.e., a prospective tenant) is looking to rent accommodation, the scammer will answer a classified advertisement offering a high-standard place for a low cost, even showing pictures of the said rooms. The victim is required to pay a deposit, but once the scammer has received the deposit he will disappear leaving the victim [[Out-of-pocket expenses|out-of-pocket]].

Where the victim (e.g., landlord) is looking to find a tenant for their accommodation, the scammer poses as an "interested" party who is looking to move to said ___location. On inquiry to the prospective [[tenant]], the victim receives a follow up e-mail indicating they will be sent a cheque by the tenant's new employer that will cover the rent, plus the new "tenants" living expenses (e.g., to purchase furniture). The victim is asked to forward the additional portion to their new "tenant" by Western Union (or similar).

===Bulldog puppy scam===

Much like the other scams detailed here this involves the promise of an item when all the necessary fees have been advanced. Adverts are taken out in newspapers offering bulldog puppies for sale. The animals in question being shipped from Nigeria or belonging to people working at the United Nations. The advance fees in this case being for the purchase of the animal and customs charges.<ref>http://nigeriapolice.org/forum/index.php?topic=159.0</ref>

==Consequences==

===Monetary loss estimates===

Estimates of the total losses due to the scam vary widely. The [[Snopes]] 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 [[Secret Service]] [[financial crimes]] division. "And that's just the ones we know of. We figure a lot of people don't report them." <ref>{{cite web

|url=http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/nigeria.asp

|title = Nigerian Scam

|work = [[Snopes]]

|date = [[2003-09-06]]

|accessdate = 2006-07-09

}}</ref>

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. An experienced scammer can expect to make several thousand dollars per month. <ref>http://www.globetechnology.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20051205.gtemail05/BNStory/Technology/</ref>

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. 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. 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 [[United States Secret Service]] has been (somewhat) involved in combating these schemes, but they will not investigate unless the monetary loss is in excess of fifty thousand [[United States dollar|US Dollars]]. 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 Nigerian scams cost the UK economy 150 million British Pounds a year, with the average victim losing 31 thousand pounds.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6163700.stm | title=Nigeria scams 'cost UK billions' | date=20 November, 2006 | accessdate=2006-11-20 | work=BBC News}}</ref>

===Physical harm or death===

*Some victims have hired [[private investigator]]s in Nigeria or have personally travelled to Nigeria, without ever retrieving their money. There are cases of victims being unable to cope with the losses and committing suicide. <ref>{{cite web

|url= http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm

|title = Fraud Alert - 419 Fraud

|work= London Metropolitan Police

|accessdate = 2006-07-09

}}</ref>

*One American was murdered in Nigeria in June 1995 after being lured by a 419 scam. *In February 2003, a scam victim from the [[Czech Republic]] shot and killed Michael Lekara Wayid, an official at the Nigerian embassy in [[Prague]]. <ref>{{cite web

|url= http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/apr03/030401d.asp

|title = Internet technology fueling Nigerian scam

|work = [[Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association]]

|date = [[2003-04-01]]

|accessdate = 2006-07-09

}}</ref> <ref>{{cite news

|url= http://www.radio.cz/en/news/37806

|title = Czech pensioner charged with murdering Nigerian consul

|work = [[Radio Prague]]

|date = [[2003-02-20]]

|accessdate = 2006-07-09

}}</ref>

*29-year old George Makronalli, a Greek man, was murdered in South Africa after responding to a 419 scam. <ref name = "News24murder">http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1641875,00.html</ref>

*Kjetil Moe, a Norwegian businessman, was reported missing and ultimately killed after a trade with Nigerian scammers in Johannesburg, South Africa (September 1999). [http://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/2000/05/26/205694.html]

*[[Mary Winkler]] shot her pastor husband to death on March 22, 2006 after allegedly being taken for $17,500 in a 419 scam.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,201755,00.html Fox News article that references mentioned check]</ref>

*Leslie Fountain, a senior technician at [[Anglia Polytechnic University]] in England, set himself on fire after falling victim to a scam; Fountain died of his injuries.<ref>{{cite web

|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cambridgeshire/3444307.stm

|title = Suicide of Internet Scam Victim

|work= [[British Broadcasting Company]]

|accessdate = 2006-09-26

}}.</ref>

===Arrests===

In 2004, fifty-two suspects were arrested in [[Amsterdam]] after an extensive raid. An Internet service provider had noticed the increased email traffic. None was jailed or fined, due to lack of evidence. They were released in the week of [[July 12]], [[2004]]. An entirely phony "Nigerian embassy" was also discovered in Amsterdam; another allegedly exists in [[Bangkok]].{{fact}}

===Reduced Nigerian Internet access===

Legitimate Nigerian businesses find that their e-mails increasingly fail to reach their targets, due to people and companies setting their e-mail clients to automatically mark all mail containing the words 'Nigeria' and 'Nigerian' or coming from Nigerian [[IP address]]es as [[Spam (electronic)|spam]], or even delete it out of hand.{{fact}}

===Proposed legislation===

As a result of the fraud, [[Nigeria]] is drafting legislation to make spamming a criminal offence punishable with a fine up to £2,000[[GBP]] and three years in jail. <ref>{{cite news

|url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1592717,00.html

|publisher = [[The Guardian]]

|title = Spammers face jail terms under proposed law

|date = [[2005-10-15]]

|accessdate = 2006-07-09

}}</ref>

==Examples==

Here is one example of a Nigerian Scam:

<pre>Dear,

I know this mail may meet you as a surprise but i have to start

by introducing myself to you,i am Mr. Name, a merchant in

Dubai, Arab Emirate. I have been diagnosed with Cancer which was

discovered very late, due to my laxity in careing for my health. It has

defiled all forms of medicine, Right now I have only about a few months

to live, according to my Medical Doctor. I have not particularly lived

my life so well, as I never really cared for myself but the oil

business. Though I am very rich, I was never generous, I only focused

on my business as that was the only thing I cared for. But now I regret

all this as I now know that there is more to life than just wanting to

have or make all the money in the world.

I believe when God gives me

a second chance and heal me I would live my life a different way from

how I have lived it. I have sowed a seed for my healing I have willed

and given most of my properties and assets to my immediate and extended

family members and as well as a few close friends.

I want God to be

merciful to me and accept my soul and so, I have decided to give arms

to charity organizations and give succour and comfort to the less

priviledged of the Tsunami Victims, as I want this to be one of the

last good deeds I do on earth.

So far, I have distributed money to

some charity organizations in India and Malaysia. Now that my health

has deteriorated so badly,I cannot do this my self anymore. I once

asked members of my family to close one of my accounts in Saudi Bank

and distribute the money which I have there to charity organization and

to the less priviledged in Bulgaria and Sudan Africa They cashed the

money but kept it only to themselves. Hence, I do not trust them

anymore, as they seem not to be contended with what I have left for

them already.

The last of my money which no one knows of is the huge

cash deposit of twenty two million dollars that I have in the Vault of

a Financial company in europe for safe keeping.

I want you to collect

this deposit on my behalf and disburse it to the Tsunami EarthQuake

victims in Asia and hurrican victms in America for the less

priviledged.

I will set aside 20% for you for your time and efforts.

I need your urgent reply so that I will not have to go on sourcing for

a credible person to handle this project.

If you are okey with the

condition, do not hesitate to send me mail (email} so

that i can furnish you up with all the informations needed.

I wish to

hear from you soon.

God bless you.

Mr. NAme

</pre>

Here is another example of a Nigerian Scam:

<pre>

FROM THE DESK OF.. DR AMIRI BABO

BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER

FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPT.

BANK OF AFRICA(B.O.A)

OUAGADOUGOU, BURKINA FASO

Dear Friend,

I am the manager of bill and exchange at the foreign remittance

department

BANK

OF AFRICA .

In my department we discovered an abandoned sum of U.S$25M US dollars

(Twenty five Million US dollars) in an account that belongs to one of

our

foreign customer who died along with his entire family in November 2002

in a

plane crash.

Since we got information about his death, we have been expecting his

next if

kin to come over and claim his money because we cannot release it

unless

somebody applies for it as next of kin or relation to the deceased as

indicated in our banking guidlines and laws but unfortunately we learnt

that

all his supposed next of kin or relation died alongside with him at the

plane crash leaving

nobody behind for the claim.

It is therefore upon this discovery that I now decided to make this

business

proposal to you so that the money will be released to you as the next

of

kin or relation to the deceased for safety and subsequent disbursement

since

nobody is coming for it and we don't want this money to go into the

bank

treasury as unclaimed bill.

The banking law and guidline here stipulates that if such money

remained

unclaimed after four years, the money will be transfered into the bank

treasury as unclaimed bill. The request of foreigner as next of kin in

this

business is occassioned by the fact that the customer was a foreigner

and a

Burkinabe cannot stand as next of kin to a foreigner.

I propose that 30% of this money will be for you as my foreign

partner,

in respect to the provision of a foreign account, 10% will be set aside

for

expenses incured during the business and 60% would be for me.

Thereafter I

will visit your country for disbursement according to the percentages

indicated.

Therefore, to enable the immediate transfer of this fund to you as

arranged,

you must apply first to the bank as relation or next of kin of the

deceased

indicating your bank name, your bank account number, your private

telephone

and fax number for easy and effective communication and ___location

wherein

the money will be remitted.

Upon receipt of your reply, I will send to you by e-mail a text of the

application which you'll fill in and send to the bank's email address..

I

will not fail to bring to your notice that this transaction is

hitch-free

and that you should not entertain any atom of fear as all required

arrangements have been made for the transfer.

You should contact me immediately as soon as you receive this letter

for

further clearifications.

Yours faithfully,

. DR AMIRI BABO

</pre>

==Terms used by 419-scammers==

;Akwukwo [http://dcartnews.blogspot.com/2006/05/art-fraud-alert-received-following.html], chekere, pepper: Fake check.

;Bill: The amount a scammer plans to extract from his victim.

;Ego, lalas, show: Money

;Fall mugu (to): To be fooled, to become victim of advance fee fraud.

;Flash of account: Cause 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 check or electronic transfer was fraudulent.

;Format: The 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. Miriam Abacha, "Wife" of [[Sani Abacha]]), the next of kin format, the lottery format.

;Guyman, guy: Scammer engaged in advance fee fraud.

;Maga, mugu, mugun, mahi, mahee, mayi, mayee: Victim of advance fee fraud.

;Modalities, commonly used term yet defies any rational explanation.

;Oga: Boss

;Owner of the job, Catcher: Scammer 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.

;Yahoo millionaires [http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2006/05/29/8378124/], yahoo boys [http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/1215/p07s02-woaf.html]: Scammers

==Scam baiting==

{{main|Scam baiting}}

Scam baiting is the practice of pretending interest in a fraudulent scheme in order to manipulate a scammer. The purpose of scam baiting might be to waste the scammers' time, embarrass them, cause them to reveal information which can be passed on to legal authorities in the hope that they will be prosecuted, get them to spend money, or simply to amuse the baiter.

==Danny Wallace==

In his book, "[[Yes Man (book)|Yes Man]]", in which for a period of time he attempted to say 'yes' to every invitation and opportunity, [[Danny Wallace]] almost fell for two scams similar to the 419 scam. Firstly, he received an e-mail supposedly from the son of a murdered Sultan, who wished to seek refuge in the [[UK]], and wanted to forward Danny his riches, and would share them with Danny when he arrived. Danny's friend Ian managed to talk him out of it before he went through with it fully, after responding to the e-mail. The second e-mail he received claimed that he had won a lottery in Europe, and must go to Holland to claim his winnings. Despite being warned of the risks of going, Danny ended up going to Holland, although in the end he did not meet the people who claimed to be giving him the money, finding out that one of them was the name of a Dutch supermarket.

==See also==

* [[Scam baiting]]

* [[Employment scams]]

* [[Spanish Prisoner]]

* [[Economic and Financial Crimes Commission]] (EFCC) The Nigerian financial authority mandated to investigate against advance fee frauds.

==References==

<references/>

==External links==

* [http://www.scamorama.com Scam related resources].

* [http://www.secretservice.gov/alert419.shtml US Secret Service Public Awareness Advisory] A brief overview about advance fee fraud.

* [http://home.rica.net/alphae/419coal/ 419 Coalition] Provides advise how to react if targeted by such schemes and maintains a directory of anti-419 related websites.

* [http://www.fraudwatchers.org/ FraudWatchers.Org] A voluntary virtual organization offering support and guidance to victims of internet frauds and scams.

* [http://www.419legal.org 419legal.org] Focused on 419 scams. Founded by a former senior officer of the South African Police Service, the site is an information repository for all aspects of 419 fraud.

*[http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/Crimes/Business/nigerian.htm Crimes of Persuasion] Nigeria Email Scams - Nigerian Advance Fee 419 Fraud

* [http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/nigeria.asp Snopes 419 webpage]

* [http://www.independentng.com/life/lsnov170503.htm Daily Independent Article on 419 scammers]

* [http://www.nigerianspam.com/ Site fighting Nigerian scams.] Run by people who are dedicated to eradicate Nigerian 419 scam.

* [http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/HBScams.shtml#nigerian419 CIAC Hoaxbusters web site with examples].

* [http://thescambaiter.com/ The Scambaiter] Fighting scammers worldwide for fun and justice.

* [http://f1rezone.tblog.com/post/1969905457 The Top 10 Internet/Email Scams]

* [http://www.scambaits.com/ ScamBaits] A dedicated community to waste 419 scammers' time and have fun in the process.

* [http://www.ebolamonkeyman.com/ Ebola Monkey Man] A popular 419 scambaiting site.

* [http://web.archive.org/web/20010303062015/http://www.brianwizard.com/work/nigerian_419.htm Nigerian 419 Scam "Game Over"] by Brian Wizard

* [http://www.419eater.com/ 419eater.com] An excellent collection of scambaiting stories, tips, and trophies

* [http://www.thespamletters.com/ The Spam Letters] A humor site featuring scambaiting exchanges and many other responses to spam.

* [http://maanzand.com/post/mobutu My Friend Kennedy Mobutu]

* [http://scamalicious.com Bustascam.com] unofficial scam busting site for ''craigslist.org'' sellers and buyers

*[http://four1nine.com Four1nine.com] Scambaiting letters, resources, and more.

* [http://www.scambuster419.co.uk/ scambuster419.co.uk] A collection of "scambusts" by Gilbert Murray, a resident of the fictional village of Gypping in the Marsh, serving to waste the scammers time and money whilst providing the reader with excellent entertainment at the scammers' expense.

===Databases===

* [http://www.urgentmessage.org urgentmessage.org] The website collects and analyzes 419 opening emails and allows users to view the tangled relations between scam schemes and authors via clickable graphs.

* [http://www.aa419.org/ Artists Against 419.] Provides a database of faked bank websites. These websites are used in 419 scams to convince a victim that the promised money are real.

* [http://www.scamdex.com Scamdex] A Searchable, Indexed database of email scams, phishing, lotteries and Advance Fee Fraud (419) scams.

* [http://www.potifos.com/fraud/ Nigerian Fraud Email Gallery]

===Books===

* [http://www.diesel-ebooks.com/cgi-bin/item/059585737X ''419 Scam''], ISBN 059585737X

{{Spamming}}

[[Category:Spamming]]

[[Category:Confidence tricks]]

[[Category:Fraud]]

[[Category:Internet fraud]]

[[de:Vorschussbetrug]]

[[es:Estafa nigeriana]]

[[eo:Antaŭpaga fraŭdo]]

[[fr:Fraude 4-1-9]]

[[it:Truffa alla nigeriana]]

[[he:העוקץ הניגרי]]

[[nl:Nigeriaanse oplichting]]

[[ja:ナイジェリアの手紙]]

[[no:Nigeriabrev]]

[[pl:Nigeryjski szwindel]]

[[ru:Нигерийские письма]]

[[fi:Nigerialaiskirjeet]]

[[sv:Nigeriabrev]]

[[zh:尼日利亞騙徒]]