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What's the harm in Nigerian emails?
Those Nigerian emails are actually "false check" scams that just begin with an unsolicited email. They typically involve a story of funds trapped in a foreign bank or lottery winnings. Read more about Nigerian emails
Here are 1,512 people who were harmed by someone not thinking critically.
Michael AxelAge: 68 |
Lost $400,000 |
| In the midst of allegedly embezzling money from his own clients, this stockbroker received an email from someone claiming to have an inheritance for him. He lost $400,000 to the fraud scheme. Read more | |
Dr. Louis A. Gottschalk (psychiatrist)Age: 89 |
$1.3 to $3 million |
| A renowned psychiatrist at UC Irvine, his son alleges in a lawsuit that he has squandered millions on scams, even travelling to Africa once. Read more | |
Thomas KatonaAge: 56 |
$1.2 million in public funds, 9 to 14 years in prison |
| As Treasurer of Altona County, he embezzled almost 25% of its annual budget to invest in a Nigerian email scam. He was setnenced to prison. Read more | |
Danielle MillerAge: 17 |
$3,600 |
| Although she is well aware of online scams, when she received an email titled "Job Offer" it seemed legit. The job was to cash checks. Now she's out $3,600 and embarrassed she fell for it. Read more | |
Ann MowleAge: 72 |
Suicide after life savings lost |
| She received an email about a Jamaican lottery jackpot. After sending a fee, the situation rapidly spiraled out of control. A year later her life savings were gone and she had become a recluse. She committed suicide. Read more | |
Rupert SessionsAge: 73 |
$300,000 |
| He was fleeced of his life savings by Nigerian scammers. Read more | |
Janella SpearsSweet Home, Oregon |
Lost $400,000 |
| She says she wasn't a sucker or easy mark, but she was curious about an email concerning large sum of money and an alleged lost relative. Over two years, she lost thousands and now is in debt. Read more & more | |
Geana Stutz & her familyAge: 33 |
Scammed of $4,100 |
| She received a convincing letter from a company claiming to want to hire her for consumer research, that contained a check. This is just a variant of the famous Nigerian scam, also known as a "false check" scam. Now the family is out $4,100. Read more | |
1,500 victimsMalaga, Spain |
Scammed a total of £21m |
| They targeted British retirees with scams regarding international lottery prizes. Spanish police broke up the ring and arrested 55 people. Read more | |
"John Doe"Age: 84 |
Scammed of $35,000 |
| A Nigerian immigrant convinced him he was due to receive $1 Million inducing him to pay various fees. The million never materialized, of course. The immigrant was prosecuted and sentenced to 30 months in prison. Read more | |