By Will Sturgeon, 24 February 2003 14:55
NEWS Many of you read our email conversation with one Mr Madu Frank last week, in which recounted our experiences stringing along a conman who was trying to commit the notorious Nigerian 419 scam. The feedback we have received from this article and the subsequent coverage has been incredible - with readers from as far a field as Australia, Nigeria, Norway, the UK and the US all writing in to have their say on an issue which is clearly a global phenomenon. While some readers just wanted to ask "why do they all type in capital letters", others had more serious comments to make, such as highlighting widespread indifference from ISPs and the police. Others turned the spotlight on those who fall for this scam. "Wasting money protecting the gullible and stupid" From Bernie Greene "I'm amazed there are so many agencies of one kind or another 'combating' this kind of fraud. It seems to me there are quite a few bureaucrats whose sole job is to find excuses to set up new departments to spend more money whilst being totally ineffective at doing anything useful for the taxpayers. "I cannot understand the need for such. A limited sensible PR campaign with media such as silicon.com pointing out the obvious scams should be the very most that is needed. Do we really need to spend taxpayers' money in a futile attempt to protect the gullible and stupid?" Since I instigated a spam filter it's no longer a problem From Phil Mather "I didn't realise how widespread this was or that it had driven someone to violent retribution!! "We've had a couple of them land here but since I've instigated a spam/scam filter its no longer a problem. I'm stopping about 10,000 spam emails per month. "I also find it hard to believe people actually divulge those sorts of personal details to anyone via an email, but it obviously takes all sorts to make the world. "I've had the same, indifferent attitude from some ISPs when talking to them regarding spam/abusive mail." No luck with the police From Tony Evans "I wish you greater luck than I did when taking the last [419 scam mail] I had to the Police station. 'Oh, yes sir, we get loads of these, we are aware of it,' and then the letter was filed - in the bin." A Nigerian writes, part one From Reginald Arutoghor "These people deserve to be in jail. I am a Nigerian and can tell you that most of us are honest and hardworking people. But a few fraudsters like these give us a bad name. Once again, thanks for showing Mr Frank that he is the fool." A Nigerian writes, part two From Valentine Amalu "I just read your article about you playing along with a Nigerian con man. I am Nigerian too. One obvious fact about scamming, is that you can't get scammed if you are not greedy. If a deal seems too good to be true, then it most probably isn't true. There are so many greedy and ignorant people out there, and that's why they fall prey. I am not excusing those fraudsters, just don't be greedy, be smart and you wont be conned. It's pretty simple." Fighting back From Phil Bell "I've found that setting up an email address with the same provider (e.g. Yahoo!) and then emailing the 419 scammer with four 500MB attachments usually works. As the average Yahoo! or Hotmail inbox will then be full hopefully this will somewhat annoy the scammer into leaving me alone. This I feel also helps stop other less 'net aware' people from being drawn in." Great thinking Phil, though we should probably urge people to consider the advice we offered last week, which included the contact details for several organisations battling this fraud. Fighting back... with even less subtlety From Lee Broxson "I recommend people reply with a subject body of "F*CK OFF". I have sent this response a few time now and strangely never had a reply!" Tell them you're the law... From Jim Price "I have had about twenty 'Nigerian scam' emails (as well as several from Sierra Leone and one from Zambia). "My tactic has been to reply to them saying that I am a serving police officer, that I have reported the email to their ISP (I do), the Nigerian Police (I would if I could find an email address) and Nigerian High Commission in London (they don't even bother to reply) and that I don't want anything to do with any such illegal activity. "Amazingly, three of the perpetrators have subsequently replied to me, one saying there was nothing illegal about what he was trying to do and two carrying on as though they still expected me to co-operate with them." Victims only have themselves to blame From Richard Percival "I think it is a remarkable reflection on human gullibility and greed that the 419 scam is so successful and long lived. But people have only themselves to blame - information today is so easily available." Let us know your thoughts on this issue. Email editorial@silicon.com
Comments
There are 3 comments. Join the discussion
1. Uwem Ekpoudom
The people who have been scammed are not some innocent and gullible westerners as have been portrayed.
You must be criminally minded to want to participate in such schemes, quite simply put, what banks keep their saves open so people can walk in / out with millions, and also, who would you place say £10000 and realise multi-millions in a matter of days. That would have to be a very vibrant stock market.
Do I sound hash, no its just reality, the people who get scammed should be treated in much the same way as the perpetrators.
2. Tarik Izzet Khan
I don't think the problem is that greedy people have been "scammed". The problem is that people like me, who are not interested in reading this junk e-mail, get scores of them. It wastes time and resources.
3. bea
Uwem, ur not harsh, ur only being realistic.