The Nigerian Scams is a misnomer, a name coined globally to refer to a number of scams popularly perpetrated by Nigerians but yet is not strictly unique to Nigerians. It seems Nigerians have earned a bad reputation globally for various social ills one of which is scams. Although these criminals make a small percentage of the population, they seem to have developed a notoriety that is hard to shake.

Although Nigerian scammers are in the minority, they make up a large chunk of the world’s leading scammers hence why certain scams have earned themselves the distinct title of “The Nigerian Scams”. Below are 5 of the most devastating scams known to hail from Nigeria. Be informed, don't be a "Mugu" and it will save you alot of trouble.

Job Scam

In the heat of searching for a lucrative job, many uninformed and desperate job seekers are often targeted by a new breed of scammers who post fake job interviews. You’ll often find that these job scams target fresh job entrants who haven’t experienced much when it comes to the dreaded job search.

Online Sales Scam

Some scammers have taken to selling damaged or non-existent electronic or digital products via blogs and other online social networks. The items vary from laptops to blackberry phones or even e-books. Often times these products, have very attractive prices and a limited time for the offer thus creating a sense of urgency. The scammers often times request the would-be victim to make purchase by depositing into a bank account and once payment is confirmed, delivery would be done within days. But often times this never happens.

Contract Scam

Ever received a phone call from someone you vaguely remember? Usually this person knows your name and might have a few personal details about you but could try to play smart with you by mentioning a time or place where you may have met usually the victims can vaguely remember the caller. The long and short of it all is that you’ve been awarded a mouth watering contract, but in order to profit from it you have to make some deposit into an account operated by scammers. This type of scam usually involves at least two people so expect the initial caller to introduce you to another person who is the one awarding the ‘contract’.

Romance aka 'Yahoo Yahoo' Scam

The Romance scam is perhaps the most pathetic of the dreaded Nigerian Scams. The scammers are ready to swindle anyone, especially emotionally vulnerable elderly people in search of true love. The scammers are not satisfied with stealing from their would-be victims but even go as far as winning their hearts in order to break it. The victim is hurt by the fact that he/she was tricked by someone they really cared for. As the month of love, February is truly the month that this type of Scam flourishes, so beware!

Lottery Scam

Imagine receiving an sms that you’ve just won N1 million in a promo you didin't even participate in. The way the lottery scam works begins with the scammers send out random messages to subscribers within a network hoping that one gullible person will contact them via the phone number they provide and steps to follow to claim their prize. The sad thing is although this scam is over a decade old people still fall for them. Perhaps the creativity and variation of the lottery scam makes simple minded people vulnerable. Keep this piece of advice in mind; never ever send phone card vouchers or money to anyone as a step to claim a prize you’ve won. It makes no sense to do so at all.

http://www.abujafood.com/news-digest/bite/1120-top-5-notorious-nigerian-scams-you-must-know.html

9c @op

Time will tell on them