This scam usually begins with the perpetrator contacting the victim via email, instant messaging, or social media using a fake email address or a fake social media account. T… See more

In recent years, efforts have been made by governments, internet companies, and individuals to combat scammers involved in advance-fee fraud and 419 scams. In 2004, the Nigeria… See more

Irreversible money transfers
A central element of advance-fee fraud is that the transaction from the victim to the scammer must be untraceable and irreversible… See more

There are many variations on the most common stories, and also many variations on the way the scam works. Some of the more commonly seen variants involve employmen… See more

Estimates of the total losses due to the scam are uncertain and vary widely, since many people may be too embarrassed to admit that they were gullible enough to be scammed t… See more