NCJ Number
177846
Date Published
1999
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This paper examines a variant of the “advance fee” fraud scheme used by Nigerian nationals.
Abstract
In the “advance fee” scheme, the perpetrator attempts to persuade the unwary that they will receive a substantial benefit in return for providing some modest payment in advance. It has been estimated that US $5 billion dollars has been stolen worldwide through the use of this scheme over the past decade. The most recent version of this fraud has been carried out on a wide scale by a group of Nigerian nationals. The paper examines the nature of this phenomenon and investigates the way in which its occurrence has escalated, not only in frequency, but also with respect to the seriousness and nature of the criminality involved. It also examines the reasons behind the development of the phenomenon and how traditional law enforcement measures have been of limited effectiveness in controlling it. References