After posting the South African scam (www.AfricanCrisis.org), somene told me about this article warning of the Nigerian scam. The URL is:-
http://www.scambusters.org/NigerianFee.html
It ends with this warning:
If you have received a letter, but have not lost any monies to this scheme, please fax a copy of that letter to (202) 406-5031.
If you are outside the United States, you should report it to your local authorities and send documention via fax to the U.S. Secret Service.
Be careful. This scam can be physically dangerous as well as dangerous to your finances. Victims are almost always requested to travel to Nigeria or a border country to complete a transaction. Victims are often told that a visa will not be necessary to enter the country. The Nigerian scam artists may then bribe airport officials to pass the victims through Immigration and Customs. Because it is a serious offense in Nigeria to enter without a valid visa, the victim’s illegal entry may be used by the scam artists as leverage to coerce the victims into releasing funds. Violence and threats of physical harm may be employed to further pressure victims. In June of 1995, an American was murdered in Lagos, Nigeria, while pursuing a 4-1-9 scam, and numerous other foreign nationals have been reported as missing.
Recommendation: Avoid these scams like the plague! Don’t let promises of large amounts of money impair your judgment.