NCJ Number
178544
Journal
Issues in Global Crime Dated: 1998 Pages: 28-55
Date Published
1998
Length
28 pages
Annotation
Advance Fee Fraud (AFF) letters are confidence schemes used by Nigerian criminals that appear as various proposals from Nigerian government officials, existing companies, or government contracts.
Abstract
The letters contain official-looking stationery with appropriate government seals, stamps, and signatures. The quality of the letters has evolved over the years, from poorly handwritten letters to more professional products prepared on word processors. AFF criminals include sophisticated professionals who are expert in contract fraud, the conversion of hard currency, the sale of crude oil at below-market prices, the purchase of real estate, the disbursement of money from wills, threat scams, and extortion. Profits obtained via AFF fraud are often used to support other more violent crimes such as drug trafficking. The AFF scheme has created significant negative repercussions for legitimate Nigerian businesses. Details of how AFF works are provided, themes and variations associated with AFF schemes are noted, and sample AFF letters and forms are included. 7 endnotes