Of the Internet Scams and our West African Brothers

This is a distinctly oga story. Really, our beloved brothers from West Africa refuse to learn. I am not sure whether this is pure stubborness or just plain stupidity. All I know is that they are very persistent with this thing. They are caught every other day with international crimes – if not drug peddling, then it is money laundering or internet fraud.

I know it is unfair to stereotype, after all don’t we have Kenyans, Europeans, Asians, and Americans who are equally guilty of one kind of theft or another. As I write this piece, my credit card has been blocked after some fraudstar accessed my details and made some unauthorised transactions – I don’t know how. The case is still being investigated by the Banks anti-fraud department.  Anyway, back to our brodas from West africa. I know that there are many, who frankly speaking are law abiding. I for one had a Nigerian mentor who had been in my country for over twenty years and I can attest to the fact that the spiritual guidance I received from him cannot be purchased by money.

Nevertheless, I cannot bring myself to understand what these “online widows” are always expecting to get from their “charitable ovatures.” I receive an average of two mails each week with someone from Nigeria either offering an irresistible business deal or some kind of charity. Normally, the storyline is the same. She is a wealthy childless widow who has been diaognised with some incurable disease and has a very short time to live. usually, she is willing to give her fortune for some “worthy cause” and assumes that she is dealing with an honest Christian who is out to reciprocate their philanthropic feelings.

The storyline sometimes alternates with a young orphan who is seeking to trandfer her parent’s wealth (in secret) to your country where she would invest as well as seek education. Usually, she is running away from her relatives who are out to ponder her late parents’ wealth and like the widow, she too trusts that you are the kind of person who could accord her the help she needs – usually with a promised financial benefit in the end.

Oh, and something else. There are these scams that congratulate you for winning a lottery and then proceed to send you a list of requirements to enable you claim your cash – usually in euros. The interesting part is that they make you look like an idiot, hoping you will believe that you won a lottery that you never even played. Arrrrggggg, who is fooling who.

One condition has to be met though, give your full details including your banking information. I have never ever given anything so i don’t know how these stories end.

What puzzles me is that these scums do not target the iliterate poor species of mankind. No, the targets, who more than often fall prey to the devious schemes are well schooled, computer literate individuals who have reasonable bank accounts.

Why then are they easily deceived? Greed and desire for more is our undoing.People bite more than they can chew. they fall prey because they are often willing to reap where they never sowed in the first place. With all their schooling, they are easily deceived. Indeed, it is the fool who says in his heart that there is no God. It is the lowering down of our moral standards and the refusal to recognise the pre-eminence of the deity that leads us to our ultimate slaughter house.

Godliness with contentment is of greater gain, at least my Bible tells me so.

I am still puzzled as to why the West african brothers continue to invest in this risky enterprise despite the fact that many scums are unearthed and the perpetrators arrested. Is it because there are still so many greedy gullible homo sapiens out there? Your bet is as good as mine.

See this article CNN article for a related story.