What is 419: the Nigerian Scam?

Authorities have named the scam after the number of the article in the Nigerian constitution that deals with the matter - 419.

Every year, Tens of thousand of individuals and organisations worldwide fall victim by participating in the globally networked Nigerian 419 Scam. Traditionally contacted via e-mail about business proposals, deceased estates, securing government tendering contracts or winning lotteries, the participants of these scams lose their life savings or in the case of organisations, their credibility, after they are persuaded by proposals with very tempting outcomes. Statistics have shown that new scams are being developed on a daily basis creating new ways to entice and decieve new victims, however the biggest victim of these scams is Africa itself.

Fraudsters are crippling Africa's development Process by utilising identity fraud to lure victims into their traps, identity fraud in the form of official documentation linking the scams to Ministers, Senior Civil Servants and Government Departments, thereby discrediting honest Governments and tainting their name to the international business community. International organisations are reluctant to venture into Africa due to the confusion and misrepresentation these scams have created, depriving the African Continent of much needed investment to fast track its development programs.