Underestimate Nigerian Princes and You Will Pay
They are smarter than you think
Thank goodness for the internet because outside of it, I never would have known westerners were smart. (Before you cancel me, read to the end).
Rather than think of “oyibo” (whites) as smart, you are thought of as:
Gullible, Too soft, Overflowing with the milk of generosity, and very ripe for plucking.
And you are not even that elderly.
I think a lot of this “not smart” thinking is actually a mindset brought on by the prevalence of Online Fraud against foreigners.
With an attitude of, ‘fraudsters cannot try that on me successfully’, everyone from grandmas to the youths ask (without much sympathy):
Why do YOU keep falling for their scams?
Answer: Not Smart.
I am a writer- part of the territory is research, questioning, curiosity, and yeah- sitting with people with different and at times- very extreme views.
Here are some terms for you to follow along:
“Yahoo Yahoo” is the term for Online Fraud, in Nigeria.
“Yahoo Yahoo Boys” refer to people (mostly men and many young boys) who go into Online Fraud.
“Maga” refers to the mark of the fraud.
I have sat with this topic for at least 2 years. 2 years spent talking with yahoo yahoo boys.
2 years spent in futility convincing men (and their female helpers- more on this later), to give up fraud.
Futile, I say.
To help you frame this Online Fraud Epidemic of my country, here are 2 Myths v Their Truths:
Myth One:
Truth:
The majority of Africans online are trying to get their daily bread, through honest online hustles -just like you. They are also susceptible to fraudsters- just like you.
Myth Two:
There are Nigerian Princes or Princesses
Truth:
Actually, the myth is not entirely wrong. Nigeria has over 200 languages. Certain figures say 500. We are only 200m right now with all those languages.
Point is- there are so many tribes and cultures in Nigeria and some do have their “royal” families.
But, Nigeria is too multicultural and has never had a centralized monarchial system, for any family to claim Nigerian Royalty or Nigerian Prince or Princess.
That will be in their village. And most Nigerians outside of their village, do not recognize their royalty, so your royalty does not matter.
Facts:
- Nigeria has the largest youth population in the world. We also die young as our average life expectancy is 54 years old. What is yours?
- Nigeria’s unemployment rate is astronomical. Over 40% (and that number is government rendition. It is much much higher)
- Nigeria’s corruption rate is one of the most ridiculous in the whole world. In fact, the fool in government is anyone who doesn’t write off billions of the nation’s money for their personal use.
- Nigeria has a dearth of positive role models.
Question:
- Combine the youngest population in the world, with the highest unemployment rate in the world, one of the highest corruption rates, and very few positive role models- what do you get?
Certainly not an oasis of good values.
Am I Victim Blaming? Or Victim Shaming?
Sorry but, I am just getting started.
I want you to get why I said:
Thank goodness for the internet because outside of it, I never would have known westerners were smart.
If you understand the mindset of yahoo yahoo boys, you will never fall prey again.
Here are their common arguments for justifying online robbery:
- They are paying us back for slave trade.
- They don’t need it.
- The British family has many of our jewels, gods, and artworks. This is fairness.
- We are poor.
- They are successful because of the blood and sweat of Africans
- What else do you want me to do?
- They should be smarter. Is it my fault, they want quick money?
- They should be smarter. How will an old woman really think a young boy like me will love her and marry her?
What you must know to keep safe
- Do you know that there are schools…academies, set up to train yahoo yahoo boys on Online Fraud?
- There are arguments that yahoo yahoo boys should be left alone. They are just hustling?
Ways Yahoo Yahoo Boys get you:
Tech
Bidding on whatever
Friendships
And let me be honest with you- you cannot beat an unemployed youth at this game.
He has:
Time: Will be available at all hours
Energy: He is a youth
Desperation: You are his mark. He will sink his teeth into you.
It only takes one payment.
BE CAREFUL
- The fact that you see a girl on the other end of the line when you phone means nothing- their wife and girlfriends are in on it with them. The men will feed the women the lines and coach them. Rarely do yahoo yahoo boys play short-term gigs on you. They are in it for the long haul.
- The fact that you travel to Nigeria to meet their family is meaningless. Their beloved mother is in on it.
What horror, you say? Again, look at those unemployment stats.
People are hungry and desperate. This isn’t about you. This is about their survival.
- Once your money is transferred, if they think they can get more, they will keep you. If not, they are gone.
The next place you see them is at their worship center where their spiritual leader gets a donation for his prayers of support.
Yeah, it is that deep, and no, I am not joking.
Again, this is bigger than you.
- Look at this setting. Or let this one from Pexel help you imagine.
This is usually their setup. Many boys together in a room. They help each other out. Take success tips from each other. Laugh at you. Laugh with you. You aren’t in a 2 way. They have many ways to psyche you out.
- They are more than you so there are people abroad who set up the banks through which transfers will be made, as well as other people in the pipeline they will pay off including their coaches or landlords housing them.
- The money isn’t always much so they have to keep trawling for more magas/marks.
- Other times, keeping up with the Jones' lives on the internet encourages them to spend on cars, houses, and high living so, they burn through money quickly and return.
- When the most famous yahoo yahoo boy of Nigeria was caught, the police seized: more than 150 million dirham (about $40 million) in cash, 13 luxury cars worth Dh 25 million ($7M), 21 laptops, 47 smartphones, 15 memory storage devices, five external hard drives and 800,000 emails of potential victims alongside suitcases full of cash.
Still think this is all a joke?
Further Questions:
- Why in the world, do people not do any research? How can someone just say- give me $1000 and I will give you $1m?
Are there money multipliers anywhere in the world?
- Which royal family bobs around on the internet looking to just give away millions? Have they helped everyone else around them?
- A simple internet search will tell anyone that Nigeria has no “Nigerian Royal Family” or Nigerian Prince and Princesses. This isn’t North Korea, people!
Be vigilant. When in doubt- do nothing. Do not make that transfer.
Now I am tired because I feel I have shared too much and this will put you off coming to Nigeria.
Buy me coffee? So I tell you why you should come and how to stay safe?
