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Nigerian Scam Artists Taken For $33,000

Posted by timothy on from the respectfully-for-your-most-elegant-attention-and-regards dept.

smitty777 writes "An Australian woman who was being used by a group of Nigerian scam artists stole over $33,000 from the group who employed her. Her bank account was being used to funnel the cash from a dodgy internet car sales website. Irony aside, it makes one wonder how these folks ever got the nerve to go to the police with this matter. Those of you wondering, this article offers some answers to the question of why so many of these scams originate from this area."

5 of 229 comments (clear)

  1. Hello, I am a Nigerian Prince and you're a mark by elrous0 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Those of you wondering, this article offers some answers to the question of why so many of these scams originate from this area.

    There was also a Fortune article on this from years ago. It's hardly anything new. Anytime you combine poverty, internet access, and police/political corruption--you're going to get fraud. That's true in Nigeria. It's true in parts of eastern europe. It will be true about anywhere someone who makes $1 a day gets internet access and can suddenly interact with people who make $50,000 a year. Welcome to one of the downsides of a flat earth.

    Bet it pays a helluva lot better than trying to farm on unfertilized poorly-irrigated soil with some crappy non-GM seed that Sean Penn gave you.

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    1. Re:Hello, I am a Nigerian Prince and you're a mark by bkmoore · · Score: 5, Insightful

      ....Anytime you combine poverty, internet access, and police/political corruption--you're going to get fraud....

      And millionaire investment bankers / corporate raiders don't ever scam people? When poor people do it, it's criminal, when the wealthy do it, it's a free market.

    2. Re:Hello, I am a Nigerian Prince and you're a mark by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      e.g. Enron, Lehman Brothers, AIG...

  2. Actually, the Nigerian scammers got away... by Dzimas · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The Nigerians didn't get scammed. She merely diverted the funds stolen from the unfortunate Australian car buyers for her own use.

  3. Another view of the reason. by LoyalOpposition · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...why so many of these scams originate from this area.

    I asked that same question of a missionary who had just come from Nigeria. His answer was that there is a culture there of "you're a clever individual if you can get the other fellow to pay for your lunch." For what it's worth...

    ~Loyal

    --
    I aim to misbehave.