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A prayer answered...
On the evening of July 6, 2002, Lilith Cova's year long prayer to be approached by a fraudster got answered. The answer came in the form of an e-mail. The subject slot of the e-mail screamed a plea for help, "URGENT ASSISTANCE NEEDED." The words were printed in block letters and the sender claimed to be Mrs. Mobutu Seseko, the wife of late Zairean despot, Mobutu Seseko. Mrs. Seseko, after a flowery introduction, sought the confidence and assistance of Cova for a business deal. But, not without emphasising her link to the late dictator who was said to have been richer than his country in his lifetime.

"I escaped along with my husband and two of our sons James Kongolo and Basher out of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire where my family and I settled, while we later moved to settle in Morocco where my husband later died of cancer disease. However due to this situation we decided to changed (sic) most of my husband's billions of dollars deposited in Swiss bank and other countries into other forms of money coded for safe purpose because the new head of state (Dr) Mr. Laurent Kabila had made arrangement with the Swiss government and other European countries to freeze all my late husband's treasures deposited in some European countries."

She had written Cova because she needed a bank account where she could keep part of her late husband's deposits, eighteen million US dollars (US$18,000,000,000.). The money, she wrote Cova, had been moved to a security company, for safekeeping.

"What I want you to do is to indicate your interest that you will assist us by receiving the money on our behalf. Acknowledge this message, so that I can introduce you to my son (James ) who has the modalities for the claim of the said funds. My son shall put you in the picture of the business, tell you where the funds are currently being maintained and also discuss other modalities including remuneration for your services. For this reason kindly furnish us your contact information, and your personal telephone and fax number for validation processes."

Mrs. Seseko promised Cova that she would be given a generous sum for her troubles. Cova's apartment in London was a continent away from the Congo. But, interest in the plight of the victims of advanced fee fraudsters had opened an entirely new world to her. A world where potential victims of 419 scammers bait and frustrate con artists while hoping that they would slip and reveal their identities. Cova had been waiting to bait a 419 conman for months. She knew letters like she just received were, usually, the first step in the intricate web of deceit 419-conmen spin.

Criminous and gullible...
Such letters are written in block letters and even though they are often replete with grammatical mistakes, they sometimes find willing victims in their recipients whom former Attorney General and Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK), Prince Bola Ajibola described as, 'criminous participants'.

"It is unfortunate that we have some of these gullible people who can easily get targeted with the idea of a lot of money somewhere," he said.

"I think it is not only stupid for people to do that but they are what we call 'criminous participants', they are also criminals themselves," Ajibola had said while serving in London.

In the late eighties and the early nineties 419 conmen made huge killings. The United Kingdom's National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) gave the UK yearly losses to the 419 scourge as an estimated 150 million pounds. The NCIS also claimed it prevented the loss of 160 million pounds on a yearly basis during that period. But beginning from the late nineties several set backs suffered by 419 conmen reduced their success rate. By then 419 scams had caught the fancy of other Africans, making it a crime which cast a slur on all black Africans even though it was began by Nigerians.

However, under international pressure, the federal government and governments of other African countries stepped up their campaigns against advanced fee crimes. Abroad, groups formed by 419 victims and security organisations exchanged information freely in their bid to curb the crime. One offspring of the collaborative effort is scam baiting. Cova was a scam baiter. As soon as she got the e-mail, she sent in a reply that was meant to convince Mrs. Seseko that she was interested in the deal.

"My name is Lilith Cova (a fake name). Being a female my myself, but unmarried, I can understand your predicament! Please, get me in touch with your son, James so he can discuss with me the "modalities" of the transaction."

Teeing off...
With that Mrs. Seseko left the scene for her two supposed children, James and Basher. James, who replied Cova's mail, also insisted on confidentiality. Scammers usually tell their victims that carrying out their transaction in secrecy is the only guarantee for success. In James' case he wrote Cova that, "the government of my country is unaware of this money, else they would have confiscated it. Hence you see the reason why confidentiality is necessary in ensuring a smooth completion of this deal."

James gave Cova instructions on what her part in the deal would entail. Cova was to travel to Amsterdam, identify herself as the beneficiary after which she would be paid the entire sum. Then, she was to open a bank account in the city, lodge the funds therein and subsequently transfer it in bits to her London bank account.

But before she could do all this she would have to sign some documents that would facilitate the deal. "You will have to send me a handwritten letter of guarantee, scanned and sent via email, issue in my mother's name Mrs. Mariam Sese-seko, guaranteeing that after you have secured the funds in Amsterdam, they will be safe in your possession and be used for further investment. After I receive the letter of guarantee from you, I will instruct my mother's Lawyer to draft a Power of Attorney, changing the beneficiary name to your name. And I will send you a copy which you will sign and send back to me. I will turn send it to the Security Company in Amsterdam, notifying them in the changes of beneficiary from my mother's to yours."

James also gave Cova a telephone and a fax number. Included in his mail was a specimen of the letter of guarantee and other documents he said his lawyers would request for.

"Wow, $18 Million is certainly a lot of money," Cova wrote in her reply. " Yes I can appreciate the confidentiality that is needed in this transaction. Amsterdam is not that far. I live in London although at the moment I'm on assignment in Ireland, although I'm soon to return to London. Can I ask where you are living? I have written a letter of guarantee and I have attached it to this email. Perhaps you can fax some paperwork relating to the $18 million just so I can keep it on record? My personal fax number is +44 7092313346."

But scam baiters never give their true phone numbers except perhaps when they unmask their identities at the end of the game. One scam baiter even gave the hunter the phone number of Scotland Yard as his phone number!

Hunting the hunter...
One of Cova's first acts after receiving the letter was to inform some members of her group, she also ran a check on James' email address. She discovered that the letter probably emanated from Ireland.

In the earliest days of advance fee frauds, in the eighties, the average 419 fraudster had to rely on the landmail to get to his victims. When the British police wised up to the antics of these criminals it seized an average of half a million of such letters in the UK alone. But with the advent of Internet technology things changed and scammers never had to rely on the mail anymore. Scam letters are now posted via the Internet. Indeed pasted on the walls of most cybercafes in Lagos are notices warning Internet surfers not to send 419 mails as those caught doing so would be handed over to the police. But the long arms of the law are sometimes too short cover the vast distances of the cyberworld. Hence the adoption of wiles by victims.

In her reply, Cova gave hints that she was interested in 'other things'. Things she knew James would not be able to resist. "I also have some personal question, a very delicate one," she wrote after opening her letter with talks about business. "I heard black men are wonderful lovers. Is it true?

The first time she did this, James ignored her suggestions keeping to business matters in his reply. He sent her several copies of scanned documents: a power of attorney, a contract agreement and a request that she starts making arrangements to travel to Amsterdam, Netherlands. "Lest I forget, when you arrive Amsterdam and secured the consignment, I will want you to send me $3,000 out of the total funds, to enable me purchase flight ticket for my family and I to join you up. See attachment for my immediate family photograph, to enable you identify us when we arrive."

The photograph showed a chubby face fortyish man with his wife and kids.

"Oh I was under the impression you were single. My apologies... What a nice family you have," Cova wrote in response. "Can I inquire about their names? You have such a nice family! I've attached not only the signed document but also a picture of myself."

" I dream of having a nice man around me. I see the picture of your family and I hate to say it, but I am jealous! Are you happy in your marriage? Does your wife satisfy you? Sorry about the personal questions. But I am a lonely lass... Maybe as I get to know you better I might send you a special picture of myself! Tell me about you homeland? I have not travelled out of Europe so I'm interested about the place you come from." Cova's photograph made all of James' attempt to be businesslike disappear, he opened up.

James told her he was unhappy with his marriage which he described as 'arranged'. "At first I was not too happy, as my marriage was arranged by my parents with their associates daughter, after all the ups and down I have been through, she stuck with me, even when her parents sent several messages that she should devoice (sic) me. And am very greatfull (sic) for that, and I pray to God that once we have successfully complete this task ahead of us I will treat her like a queen, as she is my courage now. Does your wife satisfy you? I must respect her person, but I have a large appetite, so she could not satisfy me."

What he got for his drooling was an unexpected response. "After re-reading the contracts that you have sent me it is apparent that there has been a slight mistake! In the documents of the power of attorney I am referred to "he" and "him". They should be "she" and "her"! since they are legal documents. Does that mean they need to be redrafted? Indeed on one of the foremost anti-419 websites, SCAMORAMA, scam baiters are advised to make the journey for the scammers as tough as possible. They are advised to waste his time, help him pile up a huge phone bill and frustrate him by asking him to furnish and clarify minute and insignificant details.

Dream...Dream...Dream...Dreeeeeee...
By the 4th of July, almost a month after their first exchanges, the meeting for Amsterdam had been arranged. Cova was to travel to Armstemdam to be met by James' younger brother, Basher. James gave him the features of the brother via email and asked her to be on the lookout. It was Cova who insisted on the choice of the meeting point. She chose the sidewalk of a slightly busy street in Armetsadam. Unknown to James the building on the spot where Basher was asked to wait had 3 Webcameras (ran by a website which offered to show photographs of visitors to Amsterdam to their loved ones back home), two on the first floor and one on the ground floor. Basheer was to be filmed while standing.

At the agreed time a man that fitted the description of Basheer arrived the spot and waited for about an hour. Meanwhile while he waited Cova and the rest of her group watched Basheer on the Internet. When it appeared that Cova would never make an appearance, Basheer left. James, as his next email to Cova showed, was furious.

In her next mail, Cova tried to pacify him. "Oh I am so sorry! I was late getting to the meeting today it was some work related matters that held me down. By the time I got to the meeting place there was no one there! I noticed that there was a man walking away. Does this describe Basher? He was wearing all white even down to the shoes! He was tall and he was of African descent? I was rushing up the street but there were cyclists and people with strollers so by the time I got there the man was long gone... Was that your brother Basher? I will have to organise another meeting with your brother."

Cova never turned up at the next meeting. Basheer did and was captured by the camera again. James was so furious he insisted on having a meeting with Cova. They agreed to meet at the same rendezvous. Again Cova did not turn up even though James spent an hour and half in the rain. It was after this that Ova decided that the scammers had suffered enough. She sent them a stinker.

"Hello Basher Nazanga/James Sese-Seko/M.Smith (You are all mugus, and a name like

Basher. Think of a better fake name next time). It's been an interesting conversation. But as all thing it must come to an end. Firstly, you people are all mugus, well dumbasses basically. The reason I told you to go to Overtoom 315 was so that I can get a picture of you. They have been attached to the end of this email."

Cova told them she had sent all the names and addresses used by the scammers to police authorities in Canada (one of the countries to which the number which James gave belonged) and the Netherlands. Her email got no response from either James or Basheer. They seemed to have had enough. But not all 419 scammers possess James and Basheer's rectitude in the face of obvious adversities.

For months, 'Barrister Eke' tried unsuccessfully to make his intended victim Long John Silver (who wondered aloud, at the end of their jousting, why Eke never for once considered his name odd) part with some money. And after the scales fell from his eyes, he wrote in anger, "So you knew all along and you allowed me to waste my time and suffer unnecessarily like this. God will punish you and your family for making me to suffer like this."