The Work at Home Scam Blog

Even if you haven’t heard of Nigerian 419 scams, if you have an email address you’ve more than likely been exposed to them. They originated in Nigeria, but are now popping up from all over the world.

In the beginning, mostly well-to-do individuals were the recipients of the scam emails. The writer usually claimed to be in possession of a large amount of money that they needed to get out of the country due to overpayment from a government contract. They were looking for someone to have the money transferred into his or her bank account, then transfer it into another bank account, keeping a percentage of it for their troubles.

Today this scam has many forms. Some letters claim that a long-lost relative has died and you are the recipient of his or her inheritance. Others claim government oppression and attempts to seize money that is rightfully theirs. Still others claim that you have won a large cash prize in a lottery or sweepstakes from another country. The emails are now going out to people from all walks of life, and new twists are surfacing all the time.

If you take the bait, the scammer will start communicating with you about the funds transfer, requesting personal information such as your home address, phone number, and bank account number. Many ask you to come overseas to complete the transaction. And at some point they will ask for an advance payment to cover taxes, attorney fees, bribes, or some other fee.

If you receive a letter like this, do not even reply to it. Many of these people are skilled scammers, and will stop at nothing to convince you. And there have been numerous reports of people getting started with one of these deals, then backing out, only to receive death threats.

Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!