Although Nigeria is not the sole source of this particular problem, it is a national leader in scams worldwide.  So, although I focus on Nigeria here, rest assured that this article applies to many sources worldwide.  Nigeria is a MAJOR (and apparently unstoppable) source of phishing, rip off and scam emails.  Nigerian crimminals have as  many approaches to ripping you off as there are people doing it (thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands).  It is a business that seems to pay them well, because more and more are entering into it as a career choice.  We in the US are (generally) a kind but extremely gullible and ill educated culture when it comes to the dark side of owning a computer and scam artists know how to play us, big time. 

One common trick to recognizing their email is the bad spelling, even worse grammer and what I call the "blah blah factor" (lots of words designed to suck you in, but more words than necessary and in very poor sentence structure - bad English).  They will draw you in using any imaginable story -- including, "I need your item -- it is a matter of life and death" blah blah blah....I am acting on behalf of poor relatives, missionaries, etc. ..and I will pay you handsomely for it. blah blah blah"  However they choose to create their story, its sole purpose is to relieve you of as much of your money as possible before you find out you are being lied to and cheated.  Eventually you will finally STOP paying (and for some victims, that takes YEARS!!!). 

On eBay they have been known to bid and win items from sellers to start the scam. They will often get in touch with the buyer after the auction is over and profusely thank you.  They will often ask if they can complete the sale outside of eBay.  They offer to pay you a handsome bonus if you will do so, (DON'T).  Even if you refuse to take it outside eBay, they will STILL persist with being happy they won and wanting to complete the deal.  They will offer to pay you more than the asking price, requesting that you simply pass the extra money they give you on to their contact (relative or freind) immediately.  They count on you doing this because their check or money order will bounce generally after you have already passed the overpayment on (leaving you with the emptied account).

Inside or outside of eBay, they will then tell you they are going to send you more money than is necessary for the payment because they need to ask you a favor.  They will ask you to kindly pass on the over payment (less a handsome pass through fee for you), to someone else on their behalf (missionaries, mother, destitute friend, sister who is ill, friend dying of cancer...blah blah blah etc.).  When you eagerly agree, they have ya!

They will then send a check or money order in a large amount to you.  You deposit it in your account, send the item they bought off to them, and do as they asked PayPaling (or otherwise sending) the additional money to the third party they designated.   No problem -- you have their money right?  So, what's the big deal? 

A week to ten days later, your bank tells you the huge check you deposited was no good (and in some cases you will pay for that misstep in chargeback fees).  They then deduct the funds from your account (and often a $25.00 fee, too).  Now, you not only do not have their money, you do not have your item and worse yet, you do not have the money you sent off to the missionary or destitute friend!  Nigeria wins -- you loose.  You are out what you sent to help and it is not recoverable!!!!. 

I have seen their work on Craigslist too, a variation on this theme.  Be advised, they are relentless.

They also love posting pictures they find on the web of good looking male and female models (stolen from the websites of others).  They create a fake personna and background for this god or goddess like creature.  Then they contact you to seek help as a desperate man or woman who needs your help as a matter of life and death.  They are in horrible straights (hungry, sick, hospitalized, homeless or much more) and need YOU to help rescue them.  Oh don't worry they tell you, you will be rewarded handsomely "when I get back home and have access to my trust fund" or "My father will reward you handsomely for rescuing me and/or I will love you forever."  The stories can vary from plausible to outlandish, but they know how to market it to YOU to get your money. The things they need money for are never ending --they will need help to subsist, a meal, a plane ticket to get back home to the US or Europe from Nigeria, pay bail or bribes to survive imprisonment, get hospital care, a hotel, rental car, bribe money, blah blah blah! 

They take that story on the road and phish till they find unaware, lonely people who want to help.  The, the process of milking the victim for as long as possible begins in ernest.  They keep coming back for more.  Interestingly, as they milk the mark, they are also pretending to fall in love with him or her -- which ads to the mark's desire to help and rest assured -- they know this well.  The romance simply makes it easier to bleed the mark for longer and more.  When necessary, they escalate to phone calls, usually made by those among the scam artists with great accents (often English) and beautiful voices.  They know what you want to hear and tell that to you!  It is a lie -- all of it!

Lonely women have spent their entire retirements, have mortgaged homes and run up obscene credit card bills chasing this dream.  Even when these scammerss are shown to be what they really are (thieves and liars), these women persist and refuse to believe it is a lie -- so great is their own need they will hang themselves with it!!  The thieves start by asking for small amounts, i.e. cab money, or for a meal and escalate to telephone, hotel or hospital bills.  They slowly ratchet up to bogger ticket items such as airfare to come see the "person they are in love with and going to marry".... blah blah blah.....always with the repayment promise, that will never happen of course. 

It is a completely sick situation.  They are amazing at using social engineering techniques to take your money!!  So, PLEASE don't fall for it -- millions have because it has spawned a very successful industry in that nation and many others. They do what works, and perfect techniques as they go along.  They will prey on your lonliness, your religious beliefs, your kind and understanding nature, your need to be needed -- whatever it is, they will figure it out quickly and suck you in. 

One chief appeal that often succeeds well, is to appeal to our own greed or desire to get something for nothing.  We just want to believe that if we do a simple favor it might net us $250K windfall.  Trust me, it won't.  DO NOT let your greed override your sensibility and blind you to the coming rip off!! If it is too good to be true, it is a fake. 

Maybe you won't send money...so they just continue to bully or talk you into mailing the items they won at auction, insisting that payment was made on this date and time and here is the transaction number.  You look in payPal and don't see it but they insist.  It is a bonus if they can convince you that they paid for auctions, when they didn't.  If they are convincing or bullying enough, you send the merchandise (a recent eBay scam), they get the item, you get no money and have no way to recover the item or the money.  They get free stuff -- you get zip.

To be immune to this scam (and many others), learn how to use eBay and PayPal well.  Never ship before you actually see the payment no matter what anyone tells you!  If you ship internationally, make sure the international money order or check clears your account before shipping.  NEVER, EVER get involved in any deal in which you are to be paid handsomely to pass some money through your hands or accounts to someone else(that is money laundering and a federal offense).  Never agree to be a middle man to pass anything on to someone else as a result of the eBay deal.

Ebay Reviews and Guides offer much necessary information in remaining safe in your transactions.  I have more than 70 Guides and several deal with internet security....to be forewarned is to be forearmed.  This is my newest guide on that subject.  Spend some quality time reading to protect yourself and your accounts.  Don't make it easy for liars and thieves on eBay.  Learn how the system works and what to look out for to avoid scammers, con artists and thieves.  You will have a much happier time buying and selling!

Want to know more?  Visit my guides for great, easy to follow instructions on many different aspects of buying selling and safety on eBay.  Please drop by my auctions (Pepper120851) for uncommon bargains daily.  Take a peek at my store "The Write Place" where there is always a SALE going on everyday because YOU name the price you pay for everything you find there!  I also offer the best combined shipping on eBay -- only $1.00 for each additional item.  Check out my return policy and feedback -- you CAN bid with confidence!

Pepper