| In May 2008 Computing SA estimated that | | | | The victim would then wire the money never to hear |
| "cybercrime is worth tens of billions of dollars a year | | | | from the fraudster again. Or worse, they'd come back |
| and is now, by some estimates, larger than the drug | | | | asking for even more money. |
| trafficking trade." Many of us have received emails | | | | Tips to keep from becoming a victim: |
| from people attempting to defraud us. If you haven't | | | | 1. If it's too good to be true, it probably is |
| – you will. You need to be on guard so that you | | | | 2. Don't respond to outlandish claims |
| don't lose everything you have to these criminals. | | | | 3. Just because they mention "real people" doesn't |
| While there are a multitude of possibilities when it | | | | mean the email is real |
| comes to internet fraud we'll focus one of the big ones | | | | 4. Be paranoid |
| today. The 419 scam is an advance fee fraud. The | | | | One additional tip to keep from becoming a victim that |
| target is encouraged to advance a relatively small fee | | | | could apply to any email scam attempt is to see |
| with the expectation they will ultimately received a | | | | where the email came from. Following the instructions |
| much larger amount of money. Insa Nolte, a lecturer at | | | | at whatismyipaddress.com's trace email tool you can |
| the University of Birmingham states that this has | | | | see where in the world the sender of the email is. |
| become one of Nigeria's most important "export" | | | | Someone claiming to be just down the street isn’t |
| industries. In general the victims receive an email saying | | | | going to be sending mail from Nigeria. |
| that someone has a large sum of money that they | | | | While the rule about Fight Club is to not talk about it, it's |
| want to give to a person of high moral character who | | | | different with internet fraud. Talk about it with your |
| will use it for good. All they need to do is pay from | | | | grand parents, parents, and friends. Don't become a |
| banking fees in order for the money to be transferred. | | | | victim. Don't let someone you know become a victim. |