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Originally Posted by Tim Mousel
Hi,
I've been getting a lot of emails lately from loser people that want me to teach their child. The scammers will send a check that will cash. They will then want you to send a portion of that money to the person arranging the trip for their child. A few weeks later, the check they sent you will bounce (and no, I didn't fall for the scam!). Here is an example of such an email:
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This is often called a "419 scam", originating out of Nigeria (and all over West Africa).
It's often used with many scenarios- most including western union. They'll wire the money to you, of which you wire only a portion back. Yours clears before theirs does and.. wham.
I've seen Americans, Dutch, Brits, everybody really, get scammed for anywhere from $500 to $60,000 USD!
I've read that an estimated $5 billion dollars was lost to these scams from the US in 2005 alone.
And if that's not bad enough- no 419 scam artist has EVER been successfully prosecuted in the United States to date.
Kinda makes your blood boil a little bit doesn't it?