The best defense from and aggressive scam offense is education. This book lays out various scams people are hit with and fall for. It's a must read if you are considering a positive response to an offer too good to be true. Love, money, and more.
419 is the Nigerian criminal code for such scam operations.
Don't be scammed. Be informed.
Counter-fraud specialist
Don't Be Scammed
The book Nigerian 419 Scam “Game Over!” catapulted Brian Wizard deep into the fray of the weird world of the Nigerian Fraud Industry. People from all over the world sought his knowledge and experience in fighting the ongoing success of the scam industry. This story depicts four 419 scams Brian Wizard followed as they developed, putting in his two cents worth whenever possible.
The book starts with a piece titled, The Personality Change of a 4-1-9 Victim.
The four following stories are mostly email exchanges between Brian, and a 419 target/victim and the 419er trying to steal as much money as he can. The scams depicted are:
The Reload, which happens as a ploy to steal even more money from a 419 victim of a Classic Black Money Scam by transferring the case to a new 419 scammer who offers a way the victim can have their stolen money returned. Just send them money and all the problems will be solved.
The Classified Ad Scam. This scam finds its victims by answering classified ads with an interest to buy whatever is being offered for sale. The catch is, they overpay, with instructions of how to immediately transfer the excess to an account used by the man who will come and pick up the purchased item. Weeks later, the item is not picked up, no contact with anyone made, and the bank calls to explain how you now owe them the full balanced of the fraudulent check.
Romance Scam. This scam focuses on people’s desire to find love. The fraudsters contact the victims and pose as an immediate love interest. There is always a problem, a money problem. They were working in the states, were paid in US Postal Money Orders, that they can’t cash as they have found new work in some other place, far, far away. “Honey, would you be so kind as to cash this $5000 worth of postal money orders for me and then send the money to me? It will make our being together happen much faster.”
Then the bank calls, or the police come and the victim is responsible for all $5000 of fraudulent Money Orders, owing that much, and maybe more if prosecuted as a part of the fraud.
The Employment Scam. The target/victim receives an excellent job offer in a foreign country. They only have to pay a small service fee to make the employment offer an excellent career move. This one job offer can cost you every penny you can scrounge, and maybe your health and well-being. Alternatively, you can have fun with it as the target of this scam did.
The best weapon, defense, and offense against the success of the Nigerian 419 Scam, and others, is EDUCATION, and this book supplies that.
Learn and be aware,