How do these Africa scams work?

[realg123]

I've been recieving a lot of emails from these peope who are away on business trips to Africa. Even today with an hour I recieved 2 emails regarding the same item.

Just curious how these scams work. If I'm shipping to Africa how would they then get items.

Email #1)
Thanks for your swift response I live (address removed), I’m really interested in buying this item, I would havelove to meet you and pay with cash or do the shipping myself to knowthe present condition on this item but presently am out of state for abusiness conference trip held in Russia I need someone I can trust tohelp me with the shipping as i am presently in Russia meanwhile I'llpay you $450 for the 3 items including shipping and handling fees to myCo- Worker wife who is studying in West Africa,as a gift please if youare OK with my offer send me your PayPal money request via my PayPalrequest sandraloveth90@gmail.com so that I can transfer your money as soonas I receive it. Awaiting your replyRegards.

Email #2)
ok thanks for the mail.....i want you to know that i just travel about2days ago due to the nature of my work so now i am inAfrica(Nigeria)and i will be there for like 5month ...so now i willlike you to get back to me with the shipping of the item to Nigeriacost via Dhl or ups as soon as possible and also with your PayPalAccount Name for the payment to be made at once ok...

[Raddo]

http://cellbiol.com/netwatch/nigeria...osts/4471.html

[realg123]

Thanks read some of it. But they're describing their stories. I was curious how it works. If they want the items shipped to Nigeria. Are they not after the items at all or are they stealing your paypay info?

[miniflight]

Thanks read some of it. But they're describing their stories. I was curious how it works. If they want the items shipped to Nigeria. Are they not after the items at all or are they stealing your paypay info?

I assume it is something like this:

Some people don't check their paypal account to see if the funds are in their account or not before shipping. In addition, might not really care if the paypal account don't have a confirmed address to ship to which isn't protected by the seller protection policy from paypal.

Finally, they are asking the seller to ship to someone who is at another country, which is a nono but some people might allow it if they don't have enough technological knowledge of how paypal works. For example:

1) Someone pays you with a confirmed address paypal account.
2) Tells you to ship it to another place other than the confirmed address.
3) Once the guy got the item, can file a dispute via paypal saying that they never got the item. Then they will win because you don't have proof that you delivered it. That is why it is always a good idea to ship it to a confirmed address on the buyer's paypal account, so you can provide proof and you are protected by the seller's protection policy provided by paypal.

Now that is just only one or two ways to scam, there are pently more out there!

[realg123]

Thanks but i dont understand how they recieve the item if they asked for it to be shipped to nigeria

[miniflight]

Thanks but i dont understand how they recieve the item if they asked for it to be shipped to nigeria

Well it is over the Internet so you can just make up things. Like you can say you are from USA (but you are from Nigeria) and telling them to send it to Nigeria for a friend or because you are going there for a few months. Or simply they operate a scam mill in Nigeria, you get comission for successful scams...lol who knows these days on the Internet!

[realg123]

lol yeah. it's terriable for the people who fall for it. I'm guessing they send out emails in bulk to everyone lol

[da_way]

I'm pretty sure they have a bot they use on Craigslist. Kijiji is better since they make you put in those weird numbers and letters.

[miniflight]

For me, I get a different type of scam, not sure how it works either lol

It is always something like someone has cancer and is about to die, or dead already then his/her estate is a lot of $$$. So a relative, or lawyer or estate trustee is emailing to help him/her to manage the estate and in the end I get a comission (e.g. 25% of the estate).

[sillysimms]

For me, I get a different type of scam, not sure how it works either lol

It is always something like someone has cancer and is about to die, or dead already then his/her estate is a lot of $$$. So a relative, or lawyer or estate trustee is emailing to help him/her to manage the estate and in the end I get a comission (e.g. 25% of the estate).

How that one works is that you have to send money to process you share or for something else. They take your money through Western Union and of course you get nothing from the non-existent estate.

There are some funny stories on this site from people who play games with the fraudsters:

http://www.419eater.com/

[van]

Thanks but i dont understand how they recieve the item if they asked for it to be shipped to nigeria

That's because they are in Nigeria. They receive tons of shipments on a daily basis, it's a way of life over there. Scams that can be done through the internet and on the phone, they do it all. Nigeria has lots of back alley call-center type operations, and Internet cafes used to ripping off "suckers" in the US/Canada.

There were news reports done on this in the past, as shown HERE. The amount of clueless idiots out there that fall for these scams never ceases to amaze me. That saying "there's a sucker born every minute" holds true.

[ryokinshin]

For me, I get a different type of scam, not sure how it works either lol

It is always something like someone has cancer and is about to die, or dead already then his/her estate is a lot of $$$. So a relative, or lawyer or estate trustee is emailing to help him/her to manage the estate and in the end I get a comission (e.g. 25% of the estate).

Dear friend,

The prince of Nigeria has died leaving you, his estranged cousin all of his wealth. Please send $1000 to process all your information and the money will be deposited into your account.

On topic, I always gets messages on eBay asking me to send items after Western Union cheques are sent to me.