My friend Dar, someone who is familiar, I’m sure, to regular readers of my Tech Net News column, has just passed on the following news report from South Africa, in which it was reported that an American woman was kidnapped by 419 scammers.
Even though the the majority of seasoned computer users (I hope), are familiar with the infamous “419” or advance fee fraud scam, in which the victim is encouraged to sent money to the scammer, with the promise they will realize a significant gain, this type of scam is every bit as popular as ever.
Just a few days ago, I wrote on this type of scam in Email Scammers Threaten to Have Me Charged with Money Laundering.
The following news report indicates just how far these 419 scammers are prepared to go in their hunt for illicit gain – ransomeware in the flesh!
Johannesburg – South African News 24. The Hawks arrested four people implicated in a 419 scam at the weekend after they allegedly held a US woman hostage for nearly a month, an official said on Monday.
“Police believe the four lured the US citizen with a promise that she had won $1.06m (R8m),” Hawks spokesperson Musa Zondi said.
The gang started scamming her last year and fleeced $60 000 from her between April and July.
She was told to come to South Africa in person to claim her prize and bring $2, 000. “She duly came and on arrival on April 15, they took her hostage from the airport and kept her in a house for well over a month.
To read the rest of this story go here.
Unfortunately, not all of us, when we are on the Internet, LOOK – really look. Not all of us recognize, “the wolf in sheep’s clothing” email scam. Spam scammers rely on this to defraud those of us who don’t.
I would like to say that I feel sorry for this woman – that I pity her. But I’m having a difficult time seeing her innocence in this. She was as bloody stupid as one person can be, in my estimation.
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“She was as bloody stupid as one person can be, in my estimation”
And that’s being polite
Hey Dave,
I’ll tell you, it took everything I had *not* to say what I really wanted to say. It wouldn’t have gone over well on a “family safe” site. lol
Best,
Bill
I couldn’t agree more. She was a victim of her own greed, as far as I’m concerned. The line from Forrest Gump springs to mind: Stupid is as stupid does.
Hey Siam,
The line from Forrest Gump says it all. Good one.
Bill
Bill,
She deserved what happened to her. What a moron.
Liam
Hi Liam,
That’s my view as well.
Bill
Hey Bill,
Sad story, you think the penny would have dropped after she had forked out 60 grand and still had no prize.
Cheers
Hey Mal,
I wished the penny had dropped, and it had hit her right in the middle of the forehead. It’s because of people like her, that the rest of us have to jump through the fire. What an idiot!
Best,
Bill
Bill,
I echo your commentary on this event: tragic, but preventable. I guess the woman doesn’t read the news about how volatile that part of the world is nowadays. Good article. Shows how serious these cyber crooks really are.
Paul
Hi Paul,
Not reading the news is forgivable. Throwing common sense out with the dishwater (assuming she had any); a little less so.
Bill
Was it the woman was stupid for doing this or was it that she let greed get in the way of the not so common, common sense. hmmm or both
Great article Bill
Tex
Hey Tex,
No doubt it was a combination of stupidity, and greed. But 60 grand worth of stupidity?
Best,
Bill
Sad. Just sad. At least it gave an opportunity for media to report on this type of crime to raise awareness to those who don’t know about these scams.
Hey Adrian,
Excellent point!
Thanks for that.
Bill
Can’t believe that people can really go that stupid…
I just hope that the lady will think 100 times before clicking any such mail from now onwards…
Btw, i’m sure the scammers also have had a great laugh and a little suprise after seeing her stupidity… 😛
Hey Ranjan,
I hear ya!. The scammers must have LTAO when they knew how successful this was going to turn out.
Bill
Hmmm … one thing you guys may not know yet is that even scammers are dare enough to operate “on site”; I mean, they come to Jakarta (Indonesia) to hunt for their victims .. right on site!
Hi Baju,
Thank you for that information. Very scary stuff.
Bill