The 419 scam process

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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 22 Oct 2015 Posts: 4

Hi all
Is there anyone hear who knows the finer details of how the scam operates, for example.
It always seems to start with the initial contact offering an alternative email address to reply to.

The next stage seems to focus on getting your details, your name ,address ,tel number and some form of photo ID is requested like a passport or drivers licence .

It then enters another stage where a third party is introduced like a banker or lawyer, and their main purpose is to get you to part with some money in the form of a fee.

I used to think this third party was the same person you've been dealing with from the start but now I'm wondering if it operates like this,
the first person who contacted you has the task of just getting your details for identity fraud which they either sell on or are passed onto the third party you are introduced to and then if the scammers actually manage to con someone out of some money they then receive some money also.

Does anyone have a clear idea who's involved from start to finish.

thanks Chris

Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2016 3:55 pm

chrrissss wrote:

Is there anyone hear who knows the finer details of how the scam operates

I think anyone who has been here long enough and seen enough scams is qualified to answer that, so you're going to get plenty of good information in this thread I reckon.

What you are asking, however, is a "yes and no" kind of question. We can outline basics of a 419 scam and make generalizations because they are often scripted. However, they are not set in stone. There are many different kind of scam scripts and even then it's a question of how each scammer utilizes the script.

The steps you have noticed are very common for a classic kind of scam, but not necessarily true for many of the more recent scripts.

Quote:

I used to think this third party was the same person you've been dealing with from the start but now I'm wondering if it operates like this

Again, a yes and no question. One scammer can play many characters, because having more than one is a mind trick that helps him to establish his story and its reality. However, it has been proven many times that scammers can also operate in small gangs and cells, so the first guy you are dealing with may very well be a catcher who then passes you to someone higher up in the hierarchy.

However, don't get delusional. These guys are not exactly a mafia. They are loosely organized and small compared to the stereotypical image of organized crime. In general, that image is outdated anyway. The modern organized crime works more like we see the scammers working: small and loosely connected groups that are united by a common goal and disband once its achieved.

Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2016 6:00 pm

My two cents...

The next stage seems to focus on getting your details, your name ,address ,tel number and some form of photo ID is requested like a passport or drivers licence .

They don't really need any of this and will ignore it 99% of the time. This is just a way to ensure that you're going to do what you're told. The exception being that, if an ID is sent, they now have something use to scam someone else.

It then enters another stage where a third party is introduced like a banker or lawyer, and their main purpose is to get you to part with some money in the form of a fee.

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I'm seeing an increasing percentage of the initial messages asking for cash (pretty much all of them, a change from a few years ago). There are a couple of formats, for example the "trunk box full of money", that are pre-built to have a second character.

I used to think this third party was the same person you've been dealing with from the start but now I'm wondering if it operates like this,
the first person who contacted you has the task of just getting your details for identity fraud which they either sell on or are passed onto the third party you are introduced to and then if the scammers actually manage to con someone out of some money they then receive some money also.

It can be the same person but you'll see the change in writing style when it shifts. You may also see the change back as the lads change "shifts". There are some that will pass you off after the first two scripts but my experience is that the majority of the lads I've been able to get fully engaged stay with me the whole time. They're certain they're going to get paid and don't want to share.

The barrister shift seems to be on the decline as scripts are re-written and stolen and updated. They appear to come in bunches and then shift (you'll get a whole run of Janet Yellen and James Comey messages these days which replaced the piles of Usman Bello, Gaddafi's daughter and Michelle Obama of the last few years). Much like us, since they're using their accounts for 419 work they're probably getting the same spam that we are and using other lads' stuff.

Fixed color formatting - bware419ers

Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2016 5:15 am

loualsindor wrote:

It can be the same person but you'll see the change in writing style when it shifts. You may also see the change back as the lads change "shifts". There are some that will pass you off after the first two scripts but my experience is that the majority of the lads I've been able to get fully engaged stay with me the whole time. They're certain they're going to get paid and don't want to share.

A change in writing style is a good thing to look out for, but it doesn't always mean it's a different lad. Most scammers use pre-written replies. A good strategy in general is to get lads off their script by asking a lot of questions. If you can do that, and determine that there are two different people, you can use it to your advantage to create confusion between them.