Combating The Nigerian Email Scam

You’ve almost certainly received an email similar to the one below.

Despite being well-known and transparent, says Websense Security Labs (Websense) in its recent blog, the Nigerian email scam (also known as the 419 scam, a reference to the article of the Nigerian Criminal Code that such activities violate) retains its place on the list of top ten internet/email scams for 2012, and still results in millions of dollars of financial loss-and sometimes worse-for its victims. In its blog, Websense tried to find out how an obvious fraud like this continues to reel people in.

Research from Microsoft suggests that email messages full of misspellings, grammar mistakes, and outrageous stories may actually work in the scammers’ favour. Although it may appear counter-intuitive, Websense says it seems that the more implausible the bait, the better the chances the scammer has of actually collecting some money.

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Of course, most people will immediately delete an email like the one shown here (which includes an ironic warning against email scams), leaving the less savvy as easy prey for the scammers, which is exactly what they are looking for. In this way, they weed out the skeptical and cautious and reduce the pool of potential victims to those who are more likely to produce revenue. Because the scam and its Nigerian connection are so well known, there are even reports that non-Nigerian scammers may claim to be Nigerian-again, a means of weeding out the suspicious and homing in on the easy to fleece. Like legitimate businesses, scammers are also looking to optimise their operations, and don’t want to waste time on unproductive activities, explains Websense.

Scambaiters are out to make them do just that, and look ridiculous into the bargain. One site dedicated to this “cybersport” explains the game: “You enter into a dialogue with scammers, simply to waste their time and resources. Whilst you are doing this, you will be helping to keep the scammers away from real potential victims and [messing] around with the minds of deserving thieves.”

In addition, the site notes:
“For the most part these criminals are not ‘poor people trying to scratch a living’, but are indeed very prosperous compared to their law-abiding countrymen, and many operate in highly organised and highly successful criminal gangs. Millions of dollars are stolen on a DAILY basis, with absolutely no thought given to victims, who are losing vast amounts of money, homes, relatives, jobs and worse.”

Scambaiters pose as potential victims and lead scammers in a merry dance. Some pretend to misunderstand the scammer’s instructions, leading to repeated communications from increasingly frustrated scammers, while others send receipts for non-existent airline tickets to prove they are on their way to Africa with the money. Their only concern now is recognising their contact at the airport arrivals hall. “Could you kindly send a photo of yourself holding a sign with my name [insert name with humorous or indelicate double meaning] to ensure we are able to meet?” As Websense points out, they can and they do.