Complaint Review: Mary Lewis

You will find many of the scams.

These Nigerians aren't stupid. They may be stuck in Nigeria, but they still beat a lot of Americans when it comes to brains.

The way the con works is that the Nigerians offer to buy something from you. Let's say that the item costs $1,000. The Nigerians will send you a cashier's check or money order for $2,500. You are told to ship the item out. Then, take the rest of the money and send it to someone in Nigeria. They let you keep several hundred extra for yourself.

Many people do that. They send a money order to Nigeria, as requested. The problem is that the cashier's check you received is made on a computer. Even the bank can't tell that. They find out after the check is rejected.

So, now you are out whatever you mailed off to Nigeria. Plus, you owe your bank the money back for the fake check. The s**t hits the fan. You get hit with overdraft fees. Returned check fees. Plus, you're out hundreds of dollars.

You see, most people think a cashier's check is as good as cash. It's worthless if it's made on a computer. Also, many people think that if a bank accepts a check, then it's good. Wrong again. Even if the bank shows the deposit in your account, it still don't mean s**t. The check has to clear the banking system. Only after your bank gets the money is the check considered to be good. Until then, you got nothing.

Naturally, that takes days to happen. The Nigerians get whatever they can out of you in that time.

In the future, watch out for more Nigerian fraud. Those idiots are good.

Basically, to protect yourself, you need to place a one-way valve on your money. Money should only come in to you. You can never let any of your money go out, no matter what the reason. That means never give out any account numbers. Never give out a credit card. Never accept anything except cash, unless it's the normal paycheck from your job. Naturally, you never buy anything over the internet. Especially from an auction site.

You see, people with nothing to do sit around all day and think this stuff up. They have a good understanding of human nature. And, they use your own greed against you. It's so easy to get sucked into these frauds. But, as long as you use the one-way valve method, you're fine.

There are many scams going around - some have been around for years others are fairly new.

1) A long, lost relative died in Nigeria and they have millions of dollars in a Nigerian bank and the person contacting you can send it to you but they need money to bribe, pay off someone, etc. (you get the drift) and if you send money there is always one last fee to pay. Of course you will keep paying until you wise up.

2) The newer one is (in this case it was a guitar) but usually it is a car. You advertise a car for sale (say $10,000). A person from Nigeria sends you a cashier's check or money order for $15,000. He probably even gives information on where to ship the car. He/she tells you to WIRE the additional $5,000 to his friend/relative to someplace in the States or overseas for some kind of payment. You take the cashiers check/money order to the bank and they accept it. You immediatley WIRE the $5,000 to whoever. Two weeks later your bank says the casiers check or money order is counterfeit. Now you are out the $5,000. There are many variations of this: someone may actually pick up your car to which you assign title and give him $5,000. Two weeks later the bank calls and says the casier's check is counterfeit. The only way to handle this is to put a hold on everything until the check/money order clears.

3) Another scam similar to the first is where you get a letter (email thses days) that say they are the wife or son or daugter or cousin or something of someone who died. The dead person had embezzled millions of dollars by skimming oil money (oil is a large export of Nigeria) and the relative cannot just go to the bank and withdraw it, they need to have the money wired to an account outside Nigeria. Guess what, you were selected to be the lucky one. They talk of $25,000,000 and they will split it with you 50/50 or give you 10% for helping them. But, they need seed money to get the process going. Of course you will keep paying until you wise up.

Once your money is gone there is about nothing you can do other than report this to the FBI and the Secret Service. You can check the Websites or just search Google for "nigerian scam" and you will find lots.

It is amazing how many people fall for these scams. The second one sound legitimate because you actually get a money order (who ever heard of a counterfeit money order?) and the bank looks at it and says it is good. But wait until it clear to do anything. Never send money to a third party either.

I hear a lot of this Nigerian scam stuff. What is it about?