Staying Fit
One of the first cons to flourish on the internet, the “Nigerian prince” scam, also known as the “419” scam (named for the section of Nigeria’s criminal code dealing with fraud), has an ignominious history that long predates the digital age. Its roots go back to a notorious 19th-century swindle called the “Spanish Prisoner,” and the method of attack has progressed from letters and faxes to emails and social media.
What hasn’t changed is the premise: The scammer poses as a person of wealth and position who needs to get a huge sum of money out of their country and urgently requests your assistance, in return for a sizable share of the treasure.

Join AARP for $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP The Magazine.
In the version that became ubiquitous online in the 1990s, the supposed benefactor is a Nigerian royal, government official or business executive whose fortune is hostage to war, corruption or political unrest. This desperate personage needs only your bank account number (to transfer the money for safekeeping) or a relatively small advance payment (to cover taxes, bank fees or well-placed bribes), or both. For your trouble, some of their millions will become your millions.
Of course, if you bite, your Nigerian “partner” will drain your account dry or string you along for more and more fees, until you finally get wise.
These days, Nigerian scams emanate from many countries and involve different scenarios of riches to come, sometimes tracking real-world events. (That Nigerian prince might now be a Ukrainian businessman, for example, or a U.S. soldier stationed abroad.) But the term has stuck as a catchall for international “advance fee” frauds that dangle a windfall if you provide financial information or money upfront.
And Nigeria remains a hotbed of online crime, with scammers expanding the 419 playbook into areas such as bogus sweepstakes, "money mule" recruitment and online dating. Social Catfish, a company that helps customers verify the identity of people they meet online, says it has even unearthed a detailed training manual for Nigerian romance scammers (among other things, it advises targeting single women over 40).
Federal authorities and cybersecurity researchers have also implicated sophisticated Nigerian crime networks in multimillion-dollar thefts from businesses and government benefit programs, including phony claims for enhanced unemployment benefits and stimulus payments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
MORE FROM THE FRAUD WATCH NETWORK
About AARP Fraud Watch Network
Helping the consumer avoid identity theft, dating scams, tax fraud and moreAARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline: 1-877-908-3360
Our toll-free service is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET
Find and Report Scams Near You
Stay up-to-date on fraud in your community using AARP's Scam-Tracking Map. Search for scams by zip code or report a scam near you.