Although similar to older scams such as the Spanish Prisoner, the modern 419 scam originated in the early 1980s as the oil-based Nigerian economy declined. Several unemployed university students first used this scam as a means of manipulating business visitors interested in shady deals in the Nigerian oil sector before targeting businessmen in the west, and later the wider population. Scammers in the early-to-mid 1990s targeted companies, sending scam messages via letter,[3] fax, or Telex.[4] The spread of e-mail and easy access to e-mail-harvesting software significantly lowered the cost of sending scam letters by using the Internet. In the 2000s, the 419 scam has spurred imitations from other locations in Africa, Philippines, Malaysia, Russia, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, and the United States.
The number "419" refers to the article of the Nigerian Criminal Code (part of Chapter 38: "Obtaining Property by false pretences; Cheating") dealing with fraud.[5] The American Dialect Society has traced the term "419 fraud" back to 1992.[6]
The advance-fee fraud is similar to a much older scam known as the Spanish Prisoner scam[7] in which the trickster tells the victim that a rich prisoner promised to share treasure with the victim in exchange for money to bribe prison guards. An older version of this scam existed by the end of 18th century, and is called "the Letter From Jerusalem" by Eugène François Vidocq, in his memoirs.[8]
Insa Nolte, a lecturer of University of Birmingham's African Studies Department, stated that "The availability of e-mail helped to transform a local form of fraud into one of Nigeria's most important export industries."[9]
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The following is an example of a Nigerian letter/email/advance-fee fraud alleged to be from Aisha Ghazafi but in fact it is from other fraudsters.
My advise to you is: Never answer to this kind of emails.
M. Baloch
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To Baloch Community- Sweden
from Aisha Ghazafi!
| Greetings to you, I am very sorry to contact you through this means. I hope you will understand and bear with me if I explain to you my present condition. I am Aisha Ghaddafi Al-Qahsi. I am the only daughter of President, Col. Muammar Ghaddafi who is being wanted by the Transitional Council in Libya since the fall of his regime. I am now in Algeria on exile and I am really passing a lot of troubles. First, my husband Ahmed Al-Ghaddafi Al-Qahsi was killed in July this year during the war. I put to bed his fourth child only a few days ago as I entered Algeria on exile. To make matters worse, I was banned by the United Nations from travelling out and above all, the government of Algeria gave me and other members of our family in Algeria an order not to communicate on phone with anybody outside Algeria, including my father who is still trapped in Libya. I can only manage to reach my father occasionally through mail.While I was still the Libyan Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations in charge of Right of women, fight for HIV Aids, and Poverty Alleviation, I got through donations and grants huge sums of money which I used in running the Charity organization called WA ‘TASSIMU CHARITY. Presently, there is a sum of $9.5 Million United States Dollars I lodged in a Security company in Ouagadougou Burkinafaso since the year 2010 which would have been used in helping victims of drought in Somali and other African Countries in dire need.Since I found myself in this situation, which only Allah knows why, I want this money which is in Ouagadougou to be received by you and taken care of, on my behalf till I know my fate and that of my family. If you assist me in receiving and keeping this money,I promise in the name of Allah, the most benevolent that I will reward you handsomely.If you are honestly willing to assist me, please reply through this my personal mail address. Thank you my dear. Aisha Ghaddafi |
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