Phishing

Nigerian internet fraud and scams are widespread on the web. In the past, hardened criminals conducted elaborate scams through the phone and mail. Since the digital age, fraud practices have extended to the internet. The most common approach is to send an email to a large list of collected email addresses. The content of the email alludes to a large sum of money that has fallen into the hands of the sender. The email purports to share the proceeds with individuals that can assist with the transference of the money out of the country.

By soliciting personal details from the target, Nigerian internet scams attempt to convince the individual to provide payments to assist with legal fees and the expenses of finalizing the money transfer. This usually involves confidential bank access details. In the past, a telephone number has also been supplied for the recipient to call for further instructions. Apon calling, the individual is asked a series of questions designed to provide confidential details to the scam artists who use this to compile profiles and locate other family members who might be susceptible to the ploy. In some cases, individuals are asked to send merchandise from the company that employs them as a sign of good faith for the transaction.

The extent of Nigerian internet scams have become so widespread that individuals that have been on the internet for any length of time often receive several different emails from different sources all in one day. The theme of the email is essentially the same but the story is carefully contrived to appeal to a person's greed or, in the case of alleged terminal illness, a person's sense of sympathy. Irrespective of the nature of the content, the most prudent move is to simply relocate the email to the trash can.

Individuals that come in contact with Nigerian identity theft scams can notify the local authorities about the content they have received. For the most part, catching the scam artists has proven to be difficult. The widespread corruption that prevails in countries like Nigeria create an elaborate legal minefield which shields access to these hardened criminals. In situations where individuals are required to meet in person, countries such as Africa are used as designated meeting places. The criminals will not travel to countries such as the US as they fear being captured and held for prosecution. Individuals that have been known to travel to destination have never returned after being disposed of by the fraud practitioners.

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