Nigeria looks to put spammers in the slammer Is this the end of an era? Nigeria is cracking down on its best-known export—email scams—by putting a law up for vote that would finally make these scams a criminal matter. The move is the latest by the government there to project a tough stance on the issue—back in August, the country even hosted a conference on how to crack down on spam. According to this Reuters story, spammers who are caught could face up to five years in prison, and possibly have to give up the proceeds derived from their, uh, entrepreneurship. But sadly, if effective (although we kinda doubt the practice will entirely cease), it will deprive us of some of the best—if inadvertent—humor online. On the other hand, if the Nigerian spammer goes the way of the 20 gigabyte iPod, it could boost sales of Tuesdays with Mantu, Rich Siegel’s book about his email correspondence with a Nigerian con artist, for nostalgia value alone. —Posted by Catharine P. Taylor

October 20, 2005 | Permalink

Comments

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This seemed like a perfect opportunity to link to one of my favorite online videos, Ze Frank's request, in which he dramatizes a Nigerian scam e-mail, verbatim:
http://www.zefrank.com/request/

Posted by: Jane | Oct 20, 2005 10:34:04 AM

My name is VICTOR ZAID, an oil merchant in Dubai, residing
I have been diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer which was discovered very
late, due to my laxity in caring for my health. It has defiled all forms
of medication, and right now i am bed ridden and have only
about a few months to live, according to medical experts.
I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I never
really cared for anyone not even myself because i was running a very
superior international organisation that took 100% of my time. I had
no time for anything except business and money.
Though, I am very rich, I was never generous, I was always
hostile to people perhaps,because i have no child or adopted one
either,i only focused on my businesses as that was the only thing I cared
for. But now I regret all these ,as I now know that there is more to life
than just wanting to have or make all the money in the world.

Posted by: Victor Zaid | Oct 20, 2005 12:15:29 PM

Thanks for the plug. The book is now one of the bestselling books to come out of Xlibris -- the self publishing company that printed my piece.

There's a lot of joy in not listening to people who say "No" to your ideas, whether they're account people, planners or the gatekeepers at Random House.

Posted by: rich siegel | Oct 20, 2005 2:18:40 PM

I don't understand...does this mean I'm NOT going to get $25 million deposited in my bank account on Monday?

Posted by: Bob | Oct 21, 2005 9:32:19 AM

What will I do with my days without these people trying to scam me, I've even been offered a new wife and two kids if I take them to live in my new planet zog.

Posted by: Robert | Nov 21, 2008 10:56:04 AM

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