Rantburg

Today's Front Page   View All of Fri 05/30/2025 View Thu 05/29/2025 View Wed 05/28/2025 View Tue 05/27/2025 View Mon 05/26/2025 View Sun 05/25/2025 View Sat 05/24/2025
2005-10-19 Science & Technology
Microsoft deal to log off Nigerian scammers
Nigeria and US software giant Microsoft have formed an alliance to combat the Internet fraudsters who have damaged Nigeria's international image.
BELOVED MISTER GATES,
I AM PRESIDENT OLUSEGUN OBASANJO. I GOT YOUR NAME FROM INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DIRECTORY...
Nuhu Ribadu, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has announced the deal. "Millions of people all over the world can only link the country and her nationals to the infamous scam letter," he said.
Ummm... Nigeria has industries other than international fraud? When did that start?
"EFCC and Microsoft have teamed up to fish out Internet fraudsters in Nigeria and the west African sub region."
Does that mean Gates is going to finance hit teams to hunt them down and kill them?
Computer users across the world have become accustomed to being bombarded by emails from Nigerians seeking to trick them into handing over bank details or making advance payments on non-existent money-making schemes. Experts say that the so-called 419 fraudsters - named after the relevant section in Nigeria's criminal code - steal hundreds of millions of dollars every year from unsuspecting marks. In the biggest such case to date, a Brazilian bank collapsed after Nigerian confidence tricksters persuaded a corrupt employee to divert $323 million of his employer's capital into an imaginary deal to develop Abuja airport.
So why aren't Brazilian hit men prowling the streets Internet cafes of Lagos, hunting the perps down?
Microsoft markets the most popular computer programs controlling access to the Internet.
They might also think of striking some deals with go.com, handbag, tiscali, and a few others that could be staunching some of that flow...
Nigeria hopes that after signing a deal with the company the firm will help it track scammers, who now face stiffer laws at home. The Nigerian Parliament recently passed the stringent "Advance Fee Fraud Act 2005", which holds liable not only the fraudster but also cybercafe owners and office managers who allow their premises and facilities to be used for the crime. President Olusegun Obasanjo has proposed an amendment to the act to make it a crime for scammers - who are known in Nigeria as "Yahoo-Yahoo boys" after the popular free email service - to send unsolicited messages.
Here's hoping there's a death penalty attached.
Posted by Fred 2005-10-19 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11132 views since 2007-05-07]  Top

#1 Is that Winders 1.0 or 2.0?
Posted by Jackal">Jackal  2005-10-19 00:08|| home.earthlink.net/~sleepyjackal/index.html]">[home.earthlink.net/~sleepyjackal/index.html]  2005-10-19 00:08|| Front Page Top

#2 Nigeria and US software giant Microsoft have formed an alliance to combat the Internet fraudsters who have damaged Nigeria's international image.

Civil wars, military coups, radical islamist, governmental corruption, etc of course don't help the nation's image either and a business deal is unlikely to alter those problems anytime soon.
Posted by Crains Hupaimp9679 2005-10-19 10:22||   2005-10-19 10:22|| Front Page Top

#3 If Gates can shut down scammers his approval ratings would start going up again.
Posted by rjschwarz 2005-10-19 10:30||   2005-10-19 10:30|| Front Page Top

#4 The press has this backwards. My understanding is that the scammers are joining Microsoft.
Posted by Master of Obvious 2005-10-19 11:53||   2005-10-19 11:53|| Front Page Top

#5 Headline to come:

Inspired by the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, Microsoft today announced its "democratic" election as the head of Nigeria 2.0....
Posted by Master of Obvious 2005-10-19 11:57||   2005-10-19 11:57|| Front Page Top

#6 If Gates shuts down spammers he would become the instant internet Hero - even to those die-hard Microsoft haters.
Posted by CrazyFool 2005-10-19 12:32||   2005-10-19 12:32|| Front Page Top

#7 My name is Mr Ngobe Ngayaka, the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nigerian National Electronic Funds Transfer Co. LTD of Hararae. On December 6, 2005, my legitimate business was illegally closed down by the Nigerian Government and its contractor MICROSOFT. before this illegal and criminal act, I was able to transfer the sum of Fifteen Million,United States Dollars to the account of a very reputable Security Company in Klamath Falls, Oregon.

I write to earnestly ask your help in investing this money . . . .

Posted by Mike 2005-10-19 14:25||   2005-10-19 14:25|| Front Page Top

21:50 Silentbrick
21:16 Anomalous Sources
19:26 NN2N1
19:12 Elmerert Hupens2660
18:34 Chantry
18:23 Gritch Throlumble3163
18:15 Elmerert Hupens2660
18:11 MikeKozlowski
18:11 MikeKozlowski
17:50 Pancho Poodle8452
17:34 Elmerert Hupens2660
17:22 DooDahMan
17:15 DooDahMan
17:10 DooDahMan
17:08 DooDahMan
17:08 DooDahMan
16:52 DarthVader
15:31 NoMoreBS
15:24 DarthVader
15:20 NoMoreBS
15:15 Griter+Slash1619
15:04 NoMoreBS
14:51 Grom the Affective
14:50 Secret Master









Paypal:
Google
Search WWW Search rantburg.com