Flashermac Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 [color:red]People who fall for so-called "Nigerian scams" aren't victims at allâ??in fact, they're greedy and should be jailed, according to Nigerian high commissioner Sunday Olu Agbi.[/color] He said today that Nigeria has gained a bad reputation because of the scams perpetrated by "a minuscule number of people", and that those who find themselves involved with the scams are equally as guilty as those running them. "The Nigerian Government frowns very seriously on these scams... and every day tries to track down those who are involved," Olu Agbi told the Sydney Morning Herald in response to a previous article on Australians falling for Nigerian scams. [color:red]"People who send their money are as guilty as those who are asking them to send the money."[/color] Out of the 140 million people in Nigeria, Olu Agbi said that fewer than 0.1 percent were involved in Nigerian scams. The scams, also referred to as 419 scams or advance-fee fraud, predate the Internet, but have exploded in recent years thanks to the proliferation of e-mail and instant money transfers. Although the scams can take on many formsâ??from payments for products sold on eBay or Craigslist, to deposits on houses and purchases of plane tickets for "true love" on the other side of the oceanâ??they all follow the same general theme. Scammers send huge checks to unsuspecting victims with some story attached to explain the overpayment, and the victim is expected to wire back the difference immediately. Eventually when the checks are deposited, they bounce and the victim is out a lot of money. Sometimes, victims are tricked into thinking they'll eventually be paid back and continue to participate in this endless cycle of sending money, especially if the scammer is wooing them romantically (which happens more commonly than one might think, to both men and women). Although this kind of fraud originates from all over the world, it seems to have an unusually high concentration in Africa and, specifically, Nigeria. This has, unsurprisingly, cast Nigeria in a negative light. Olu Agbi said that Nigeria's reputation for being involved with the scams has even hurt the country's ability to land business deals. "[T]hose who want to transact business with us are always very suspicious," he told the newspaper. Still, Olu Agbi's "blame the victim" mentality won't help Nigeria win any friends, but education on how to spot 419 scams and avoid falling for them can certainly go a long way in curbing their growth. After all, once victims stop blindly forking over cash, scammers will have to figure out some other way to make money. Nigerian logic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian2 Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 I always thought that S Tsow was a crook. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devils reject Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 This is beyond belief. That's like asking a mugging victim : 'What were you doing out this late at night?' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 Hi, "Out of the 140 million people in Nigeria, Olu Agbi said that fewer than 0.1 percent were involved in Nigerian scams." That could still be 140,000 people "That's like asking a mugging victim : 'What were you doing out this late at night?'" Right. And girls wearing sexy clothing are asking to be raped. Unfortunately there's a lot of people who do think like that. And not just in Nigeria. Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 Disagree. He's not really wrong, tho' IMHO his choice of words is: I would not call the victims guilty, cuz that implies wrongdoing. I would call them at fault tho', as their actions directly lead to their situation. And that's the difference. You guys compare it with a mugging or a rape. Both of those crimes are one-sided: that is, the victim did nothing. But these 419 crimes are counting on someone's greed to override their common sense, so the victims there ARE as much at fault as the scammer (tho' not criminally so). Apples & oranges. Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devils reject Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 That's not how I see it. For every action there's a reaction. If there's no action in the first place? The only thing you can accuse these scammed people of is being stupid. Nothing more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Himmaparn Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 Great PR... blame the victims... that will no doubt help them immensly in cleaning up the wonderful image most folks have of Nigeria... What bullshit this guy is spewing. It is well known that the Nigerian government could care less about catching these criminals. If they were serious they could have shut down these enterprises long ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USVirgin Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 Yes, for similar reasons, I believe the Thai government should shut down all internet cafes as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
engine driver Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 These scammers are criminals, to imply it's the victims own fault is a bit smug. Did anyone see the Serbian guy story on the front page of Pattaya Paper last week, 21st? Found dead by his wife when she got back home. He ended up with no money and did him self in because scammers had left him with nothing. I know his wife so I know a lot not in the papaer. The paper also failed to mention that what money he did have on him when he died was stolen by the Police in the apartment. How low can some people get? be it Nigerian scam artists or stealing off the dead. He did not fall prey to a 419 but an internet investment scam. I guess he was being greedy by hoping to make a bit of money. His body is now in Bangkok awaiting PM which takes a month according to Police.These scammers can take a lot more than a persons cash! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted August 25, 2008 Report Share Posted August 25, 2008 That's not how I see it.For every action there's a reaction. If there's no action in the first place? The only thing you can accuse these scammed people of is being stupid. Nothing more. Seems like you are agreeing with me...if they did not react to the stupid letter asking them for money to get money, then no harm. And I was very clear about liability vs blame. I don't get it people. If I stick my fingers in an electrical outlet and get shocked, it is not the electric company's fault. Yes, there is a lot of sadness in this world, but that doesn't change the facts. Greed blinds these people and they fail to take simple precautions to protect themselves. I'm not saying they deserved to be ripped off, but I feel no sadness for them. It was their own fault, pure and simple. Regards, SD -- if you send me $100k, I'll send you $2m. Really. Trust me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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