A pinch of Trickery, A dash of Ignorance, and a little number called 419
I chose to explore Nigerian scam (or 419) emails in a slightly different way from the norm. Most analysts of the phenomenon have based their arguments on either the ruthlessness of the scammers or the greed of the victims. Instead, I have chosen to consider the media as a possible factor behind the success of these scams.My project, in addition to this analysis, includes a brief history of 419, examples of 419 emails, and references to the crime in popular culture.(Best viewed in High Quality! Click on the HQ Button at the bottom right of the player.)
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[...] A pinch of Trickery, a dash of Ignorance, and a little number called 419, by Mary-Ann Juma, explores the phenomenon of scam emails originating mainly from Nigeria. These scam (or 419) emails have exploded in the past few years, and the Nigerian scam industry has become a huge (but illegal) source of revenue, generating about $500 million annually. Although the major reason why these scams have been successful is greed, Mary-Ann has chosen to analyze another possible reason: ignorance as a result of stereotypes popularized by the media. [...]
From us to you « Africa and the Internet: Blogs, Education, Activism, Journalism, and Scams said this on May 16, 2009 at 3:05 AM |