The Fresh Fish Guide
Q: What does 419 stand for and what does it mean?
A: 419 is the section of the Nigerian Criminal Code that deals with financial fraud. The phrase 419 is now used internationally to describe anything or anybody who is vaguely dodgy or illegal.
Q: How will I know when I’m being 419ed?
A: Odds are in the beginning that you won’t. Shop keepers will over charge you and repair men will fix one thing in your house while quietly rigging something else to break 10 minutes after they leave so that you’ll have to call him back and pay him again.
It does get easier and you will begin to spot them in advance. Most people learn from their mistakes and you will too.
Q: I keep hearing about 419 e-mails that are going around? What are they?
A: We will be adding a section to the site covering just this topic because we are amazed by how many people are still taken in by them. The rule here has to be: If it sounds to good to be true then it most definitely is.
Most of the e-mails are asking you to allow someone to use your bank account for the movement of vast sums of money. Others are informing you that you’ve inherited a fortune from someone you probably have never heard of.
All will require you to give up your bank account details and some kind of an advance fee. Don’t do it. You have been warned!
Q: What is a 419 phone call?
A: These seem to be getting more common in Nigeria. Someone will call up pretending to be overseas. They will then quiz you on your location, telephone number, nationality and a whole other host of topics.
We have heard various explanations as to why people are doing this and they range from checking whether your house is empty to fitting you up for some kind of blackmail or shake down.
Our advice? Don’t give out any information unless you know exactly who you are talking to. Definitely never disclose your name or your location
