How they find victims

How do they get details of the recipients?

Using any source available!  Telephone directories, Yellow pages, White pages and Trade directories are the most common methods followed by stolen mailing lists.  With the advent of the Internet and the availability of "people finders" on CD, the traditional methods will undoubtedly decline and be superceded by electronic ones.

Where are the victims from?

Anywhere in the world!  A police operation in Leytonstone, London, by SCD6 Economic and Specialist Crime OCU officers led to the arrest of a suspect who had just finished defrauding two victims who had traveled to London.  One of the victims was from the outback of Northwest Australia, the other from Sitka, Alaska!

With the availability of modern telecommunication equipment both victims thought they were speaking to the Central Bank of Nigeria in Lagos rather than the occupant of a bedsit in East London.

See also:

• 419 home
• How the fraud works 
• What to do if you receive a 419 letter
• Meetings
• Magic money - wish wash