Books By Jules Fonba

amazon.com/author/julesfonba

This is the number one fraud game on the internet right now, with a popularity gone beyond all smashed hits one can gather, touching all borders of the world. It is deeply admitted to being the West African Criminal Networks. But many new questions arise nowadays like, are they, the only nationals practicing this Advance Fees Fraud (AFF)? 419 is that specified section of the Nigerian Criminal Code which bitterly condemns that act, that`s, the penal code, under fraud and con artistry. A deception intentionally put at hand, in order to secure unlawful benefits, and wealth. Yet, the lucrative aspect of the games is so much so that, many chances the risk, even to the height of government officials deeply conniving with the bandits. 419 involves credit card fraud, Nigerian letters, Disbursement/ payout of money from wills scam, Work in a hotel abroad scam, Purchase of real estate scam, credit card fraud, Romance scam, Transfer of funds from over-invoiced contracts scam, Phishing/Spoofing etc. That’s email exchanges, online phone calls, online payments, online chats, current information, and free commercial ADS sites. Wearing the visage (identity) at times of true online companies i.e., PayPal, eBay, accosted with fictive sites or governments faces i.e. Nigeria bank, American green card lottery, to a perfect make-believe to nourish.

This kind of cyber fraud was already in the corridors, before it explosive popularity now. It was widely known as the “Spanish Prisoner Letter” during the 16th century. It involved postal mail, but by the early eighties, 419 saw its grand entry and takeover, to be the world`s most talk about, cyber scam, till today. Coming to the question posed in the first paragraph, this crime art is no longer an issue of West Africans or Africans of Nigerian Nationals based in one European nation or the other, true they might be the stars of it. But has become an “An All Nation Business.” It is only a personal desire then to a computer possession. Others become scammers, if been a victim and want to take revenge; the big difference here is that some are more organized, well-disciplined and connected to state officials. Making it a solemn state affaire when least troubled.

It is that person or group of persons, known as 419er, of any reasoning age, who cannot be seen physically on the first instance. That person that has the prankish ability to use a computer or the internet and bring out a well-labeled system, to ripe you off, of what rightfully belongs to you, in the name of a deal that is going to make you everlasting rich. Or in the cheapest sale, you’ve ever encountered on the internet; over a product that you best know well, to be very expensive or rare. Who has developed all diversify forms to come to you, as a seller, a businessman, an agent, a contractor, a philanthropist, an investor, a war victim, a widow, a heritor, lover etc. A perfect transformer; with all the force to gather his goal, and swell his pockets.

This game plan, always having for target business tycoons, big companies, individuals, educational centers, charities, and governmental locations, has seems to pin a lot of destruction to the economy. With exactitude, 419ers know where to get the contacts for their future preys, on websites that give directories of potential partners or enterprises, newspapers with emails contacts, commercial libraries, trade journals etc. And with the success they make from the scheme, turn at times, to reinvest into the swindle or/and go wider into immigration fraud, drug trafficking, stolen identity crime, credit cards theft; in order to have more power and reaching the target with all cleanness of make-believe. Nigeria alone has the prestige of mails and emails as the third biggest exporting material in their economy. Particularly with their Facsimile machines faxing style, benefitting from web manipulations and going scot free, proving that, scamming has gone full crime organization and much money has been invested to enhance this bogus theory.