Five Ways To Avoid Nigerian Scam
The Nigerian scam is popularly known as ‘419’, obtained from Section 419 of the Nigerian Criminal Code.
For some reason, the notoriety of scamming has stuck with Nigeria, despite the fact that we are not the country with the highest number of scammers or cybercrime.
There are different types of these so-called Nigerian scams and there are also simple ways to protect yourself from being a possible victim.
The most popular 419 scams are:
1. Advance fee fraud: the scammer will reach out to you with a story that if you can give them a particular amount of money, they’ll be able to unlock more money. They’ll then promise that they’ll return your money plus extra from the one they would unlock.
2. Romance scams: You meet someone online, fall in love with them and then you start to finance his/her lifestyle with the promise that you are the love of his/her life. Unfortunately, you’ll never meet them and they’ll eventually move on to a new target.
3. Phishing: this happens when you are redirected to another site where your card details will be taken and later used to steal from you.
Fear not, because there are certain ways you can protect yourself from scams. Here are five ways to avoid getting scammed:
1. Strictly avoid ‘too good to be true’ deals: if an offer appears like it’s too good to be true, then it’s probably not real. If someone offers you a deal that sounds fishy, illegal or way cheaper than usual, resist the urge to be greedy and remove yourself from the conversation.
2. Verify all information during transactions: if someone sends you legal or governmental documents, find other ways to verify their authenticity. Make sure you can confirm that they are real before the scammer gets you.
3. Don’t pay anyone online for employment/love: you shouldn’t have to pay for a job or for anyone to love you. If an organization requests some type of payment for a job, research and make sure the company exists first and then, still refuse to pay. If you are dating someone (strictly online) and they are always requesting for money, run because you are being used.
4. Don’t send your bank/card details to people you don’t know or trust: Avoid sending any confidential information (like your card number, CVV or security pin) about your finances to someone you don’t know. Also, avoid inputting them on sites that look suspicious.
5. Remember that all scammers are not Nigerian: one rookie mistake people make is assuming that they can only be scammed by Nigerians. In fact, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) revealed in 2019, that ‘China and Russia have been the largest source of attacks in cyberspace since 2006’.
