WARNING: Get Rich Quick Scams Revealed!

IF YOU DO NOT READ THIS PAGE YOU WILL GET SCAMMED!

DO NOT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR!!!
DO NOT MAKE A PURCHASE UNTIL YOU ARE 100% SURE!!!
DO NOT GET SCAMMED!!!

Hello my name is Andrew,

I started looking for opportunities to make money on the internet a little over a year ago when my company went out of business and I lost my job. I had a good job with what I thought was a good company until one day out of the blue I was told our company is shutting down next month and I am loosing my job. So there went my $70,000 a year income that took me 15 years to get. I knew I would not be able to find another job that would pay me $70,000/year. So I started looking for ways to make money myself instead of looking for another job.

I spent the next 3 months trying almost every business opportunity online and off. I was scammed by 36 different "get rich quick schemes" and I lost over $4800 in 3 months. Everyone of these so called money making programs all said the same thing "they were going to help me make a lot of money with out having any experience". I was in the position where I had to create an income quick, I had no other choice. Even though I thought most of these programs were probably scams I tried them anyway because I knew that if just one of these programs worked for me that is all it would take.

I don’t know why, but I tend to find the “good” in people, and I was “sold” by these marketing schemes time and time again, even after being scammed by another. Finally, after so many disappointments, I got FED UP. I decided to get to the bottom of this fascination we all have with get rich quick programs, and find out if there really were any LEGITIMATE programs for making money. I literally contacted the administrator of all get rich quick websites that I used. Posing as an investor, I managed to convince the owners that I was seriously interested in purchasing their entire website and business. That way, once the dollar signs flashed in their heads, they would give me free access to their member’s areas to review what I would be “buying”. Well, I was disgusted with 99% of what I found. Many of the owners actually boasted how many people bought their useless programs. I repeatedly found outdated information, non-working links, links leading to other sites that asked for money, no help section and no real e-mail support.

I quickly realized that these so-called Get Rich Quick programs were totally useless. And the owners knew it, yet they were laughing all the way to the bank! Needless to say, I didn’t respond when they asked if I was still interested in buying their websites. Surprisingly, while sifting through all of the scam artists’ websites, I was able to locate a couple of individuals that actually ran legitimate programs.The owners were every day people like you and me that found a way to make extra money working from home on their computers. Their membership areas were impressive, with a good amount of quality information on how to make $100-$200 per day on your computer doing very little work. I even chatted with a few of their customers in several online forums, and they verified that they were making extra money through the sites. It was like I found a few diamonds in the rough. But don’t take my word for it, you can visit the two sites I found below. See what you think.

They do charge a minimal fee for access to their program, which is to be expected for any legitimate company that actually has people on staff who are dedicated to helping you get started. What a friendly group of people! Anyway, if you do decide you are interested in any of the two programs below, I advise you to join quickly, as the owners have, since the owners informed me that they are not sure as too how many more members they can accommodate within the next 3 days. (By the way, you did not hear this from me!) They don’t have a large enough staff to accommodate many more people, and they are dedicated to providing excellent service to each person.

Out of 39 programs 37 were complete scams that just took my money. Only 2 of the programs actually worked. I am going to give you an honest review of the 2 programs that did work for me. Although you might not make money as fast as they say you will, you will make money if you follow their steps. Below is my brutally honest opinion about each program. If you are looking at any other program besides these two you are most likely wasting your time, because I have tried them all and these are the only 2 that work.

Don't Get Scammed and Good Luck

Every year corrupt organizations cheat the federal government out of billions of taxpayers' dollars.
The United States General Accounting Office estimates that medical fraud and abuse alone approaches $100 billion dollars.

Health care providers and pharmaceutical companies who defraud Medicare and Medicaid are just part of the story. Fraudulent practices involve contractors and vendors for many other government agencies, including Defense, NASA, Health and Human Services, Environment, Energy and Education.

But thanks to people like you - people who have proof of fraud and who want to come forward and make things right - lawsuits have been successfully tried against thousands of companies, resulting in substantial fines for the companies and substantial rewards for the whistleblowers, those who came forward to report the fraud.

If you know of a person or company defrauding the government, don't be afraid to report it.

Important things you really need to know not to get taken by the poetry scam: Internet ScamBusters™ #214
Today's issue focuses on a big -- but little-known -- scam you should definitely know about: the poetry scam. Whether or not you write poetry, this scam is becoming so popular that we recommend you learn about it so you can warn your friends and family. This issue is called "Poetry Scam Alert: A Little-Known Scam About Bogus Poetry Contests."

However, before we begin, we first encourage you to take a look at this week's most popular articles from our other sites (especially the second one):

Credit Card Consolidation Explained: What you need to know about credit card consolidation that most people don't know.

Rental Car Tips You Shouldn't Live Without: Some rental car tips you should know before you rent a car.

What is Identity Theft Insurance? Some interestsing facts about identity theft insurance that you'll find useful.

What You Need to Know If You Are Taking Student Loans to Finance Your Education: Why understanding the difference between subsidized vs. unsubsidized student loans matters.

Let's get started...


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Poetry Scam Alert: A Little-Known Scam About Bogus Poetry Contests

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Poetry scam contests rake in millions of dollars every year. They do so by promising fame and fortune and then charging 'contest winners' a fee to see their work in print. What is worse, everybody is a winner. In this issue, we address how these poetry scams operate, how you can recognize a scam, and what you can do to stop them.

Aspiring poets beware!

Poetry scam contests are taking money from hard working writers around the world.

Although writing contests can be a viable way to attract the attention of agents and editors, they can also be scams. One very common ploy that attracts thousands of people every year is the poetry scam.

How poetry scam contests work
The perpetrators of these common poetry scams often seem legitimate. You can find their advertisements in popular magazines and writing magazines. You will find them posted on websites. Additionally, you can find contest announcements posted in the major newspapers all across the country.

We've even received these poetry scam contest announcements in our mailbox. Most recently, millions have received poetry scam emails.

The advertisements or poetry scam contest announcements offer large financial rewards and promises of publication. They are even known to offer contestants a freebie if they enter a poem. Many have minor requirements, including a maximum poem length of 20 lines. Additionally, unlike some contests, there is often no fee to enter.

Contestants simply create their poem and drop it in the mail.

Now comes the "good" news, and the meat of the poetry scam:

"Congratulations! You've become a semi-finalist," your letter says. Pride fills your soul. The letter goes on. "We wish to publish your poem in an anthology." You're going to be published! Now your heart is pounding with excitement.

Until you read this next line...

"To have a copy of this anthology, please send $49.95 plus $4.95 shipping and handling. For an additional $20 we can add your biography to your poem."

The poetry scam list of offerings continues. You can have your poem mounted on a plaque. You can purchase cassette tapes where a professional reader has recorded your poem. You can even join an association of poets -- for a fee.

The poetry scam may even go so far as to state that you have been nominated for the 'Poet of the Year'. With this nomination, you are invited to attend an award ceremony for the price of $475 plus travel expenses.

And this is how the scammers make their money. Each contestant receives the same 'semi-finalist' letter.

As unsuspecting winners proudly purchase their book of poetry, the cassettes, their plaque, and more, the scammers rake in the money.

In fact, some experts estimate that these poetry scam companies make almost 10 million dollars a year!

Poetry Scams: What you can do
Publishing a written work or poem is a goal that many aspire to. Don't let poetry scams squash your dreams.

If you aspire to see your poetry published, contribute your poems to legitimate magazines and literary publications. Once you have a collection of published poems, you can put together your own book and submit it to editors for publication.

Legitimate writing and poetry contests are both available and plentiful. If you decide to participate in poetry contests, investigate the organization before you enter. These poetry scam companies operate under a variety of legitimate sounding names. Research each and every organization before you enter a contest.

Search the Internet for warnings about the company holding the contest. Visit our Scambusters.org site to search our articles (although we don't name specific organizations or people as scams -- we focus on education so our subscribers understand what kinds of scams to watch out for). Lastly, know that there is no reason that a contest should ask you for money for anything after you have entered.

Many legitimate contests do request a small entrance fee to cover administration and financial prizes, however they NEVER request a fee to publish or purchase anything upon winning the contest. Legitimate contests willingly post their guidelines, prizes, judges and contest rules.

If you have been a victim of a poetry scam, you can report it at the Federal Trade Commission website.

Time to wrap up for today -- have a great week!


Please Check Out These Offers -
They Keep ScamBusters Free


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Home Business Secrets - Here's a Funny Way To Make a Living
If you're serious about making money in a respectable, honest, in-demand home-based business that's easy to run with almost zero overhead then listen to this: There's big money in funny.

It's a fact. There are thousands of people in your area who will happily pay you big bucks to make them laugh. And anyone can do it. You don't have to be a comedian to be successful.

The income from this little-known home-based business can be huge. You can start in an instant and work when you feel like it. But the best part is, there's practically zero overhead, so almost every dime you make is pure profit. Get the full story now: click here


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Become the Person Everyone Admires in 31 Days or Less
Successful people are confident -- in themselves, their abilities, their value to others.

In fact, self-confidence is a large part of their success. They know they can get just about anything they want just by believing in themselves. And that confidence has a powerful influence on the people they meet.

You, too, can develop the kind of confidence that commands respect, makes people listen and demands admiration. And you can do it in 31 days or less -- even if you're afraid to say "hello" to your dog. Discover how to unlock your secret to supreme self-confidence: click here


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For Berry Lovers Only:
"Berry Growing Secrets: How To Grow Amazing Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Blueberries and Cranberries Easily, Quickly, and Without a Lot of Muss and Fuss."
If you have ever wanted to grow sweet, plump and delicious berries -- whether you have plenty of space in your garden or just a couple of square feet on a balcony or rooftop -- we recommend you check out this ebook. You'll discover:

How to turn a wimpy, weed-infested pile of dirt into a prize-winning berry patch in just one weekend.
How to grow huge, scrumptious, mouth-watering berries on just a 2x2 foot "postage stamp."
12 Super-growth, time-saving tips from professional berry growers.
Lazy Berry Lover's tips for plucking sinfully delicious raspberries.
Humongous sweet strawberries? Here's how to harvest them season after season.
The best way to trigger your blueberry plant's growth engine -- and much, much more!

What Everybody Ought To Know About Cancer Fraud

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Cancer fraud scammers play on your sympathies to steal your money.

You see it in the news. From celebrities like Victoria Gotti exaggerating her cancer to the teacher in Michigan outright lying about having the disease, cancer fraud is becoming a big way for thieves to con you out of your hard-earned money.

Cancer fraud scammers seem to be looking both to get money and to garner some time in the spotlight.

True victims of cancer are obviously angered, and those who donate their money are frustrated.

There are two big types of cancer fraud: healthy people claiming to be cancer victims and email cancer fraud scams. Since most people are not aware of the scope of the first type of cancer fraud, we'll start there:

How this type of cancer fraud works
In many instances, people fake cancer, allowing friends and family to raise funds to support medical treatments that never happen. Communities rally around the thieves.

Reports have documented that cancer fraud thieves have raised as much as $40,000 and spent as little as 3 days in jail for their crimes!

Unfortunately, if you're questioning the validity of a cancer victim's claims, it's difficult to ask a cancer victim to 'prove it.' After all, that seems quite heartless.

Additionally, the police are finding that it isn't difficult for cancer fraud thieves to forge documentation that proves their claim.

Yet, it is important that you're confident that your donations are going to a worthy cause.

Unfortunately, the number of cancer fraud thieves is growing fast. These scammers are usually very good at creating compelling stories and tugging on heartstrings.

What to do:

Instead of donating to individuals who may be real cancer victims or cancer fraud thieves, consider donating instead to a larger organization like the American Cancer Society. You can make the contribution in the friend or family member's name; however, this will most likely not offset medical expenses for that person.

You may also be able to give to the hospital where the person is receiving cancer treatments. Every hospital is different, so call before you make a contribution. Some hospitals will permit a family member to create an account that others can contribute to; sometimes these accounts can be used to offset medical bills for individual cancer patients.

If you've already donated and have since discovered that you've been a victim of cancer fraud, contact your local police. Many of these cases are successfully prosecuted. Visit our charity fraud page for more information.

Nigerian fee cancer emails
In addition to the headline-making thieves, more and more people are receiving cancer fraud emails. These scams work similarly to the Nigerian fee scam, which has been around for quite awhile.

Thieves send you an email claiming to be dying of breast cancer (or occasionally other types of cancer). They claim they need your help.

They usually say they have inherited a lot of money from their husband (millions of dollars), and want to make sure it gets a good home since they have no children and are dying of the cancer.

So, they claim they have millions of dollars set aside for you if you'll help them. Often, they use a religious angle and target clergy and other religious people, saying they want the money to go to a good church or be used to help people. (They use all kinds of phrases and terms to convince you that they share your faith.)

This cancer scam usually works in two ways. First, they try to get your bank account number. They claim they will deposit the money into your account and you will get to keep some of it and donate the rest.

Naturally, they really want your bank account number so they can steal your money and/or your identity.

Of course, you don't want to give them your bank account number or any other personal information.

Second, they try to get you to pay fees, so they can steal money directly from you. The reasons for these fees vary and they are not important -- but the fees continue to grow until you stop paying.

What can you do?

If you get a cancer fraud email, delete it. Do not respond.

Or you can also file a complaint with the FTC.

A personal note: Like many of you, we have recently lost a number of friends to cancer. We see so many scams every day; nonetheless, we find it especially appalling that scammers would use cancer to steal money from their victims

Ransomware: How to Protect Yourself

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Let's start with: what is ransomware?

Just like thieves kidnap people and then demand a ransom to return them unharmed, ransomware is an extortion scheme whereby thieves hijack the victim's computer files and then demand a ransom so the victim can have them back in their original condition.

More specifically, malicious code is used to seize control of the victim's computer and hijack the computer files, and the files are then encrypted by this malicious code. So, all of a sudden, a user's computer files are in a format that is not readable by humans!

This can be very disconcerting, to say the least.

The scammer then demands payment in exchange for the decryption key.

The amount of ransom can vary quite dramatically. Scammers who ask for small ransoms of $10 have generally been much more successful than thieves who ask for several hundred dollars.

Payment is often demanded through some type of online currency, such as Webmoney or eGold, although wiring money via Western Union is not uncommon.

Ransom.A is one program that claims it will destroy one computer file every 30 minutes until the victim pays the ransom. (In this case, however, Ransom.A doesn't actually delete or encrypt anything -- it's a hoax. Nonetheless, it's probably a very effective hoax.) ;-)

Another ransomware program, Trojan.Archiveus, is a Trojan horse that password protects files and then asks the user to pay the ransom to get a password that unlocks the files. In this case, the virus writer made the critical error of placing the password in the code.

According to Symantec, the password is: mf2lro8sw03ufvnsq034jfowr18f3cszc20vmw

Trojan.Archiveus - Symantec.com

Recently, security experts have discovered a new ransomware variant in which the scammer demands that the victim purchase a specific amount of pharmaceutical drugs from a Russian online pharmacy to meet the ransom demand.

Ransomware programs also may try to embarrass victims to get them to comply quickly, using tactics like displaying adult images.

Ransomware is currently a PC (and not a Mac) problem.

Ransomware attacks can occur via email attachments or direct access to a computer network; however, most ransomware attacks are browser-based.

For example, the Web-filtering software company Websense described one ransomware case in which someone visited a website that was hacked. A Trojan horse entered the victim's network and was able to search all of the system directories and mapped drives. After the program encrypted the files and left a ransom note, it deleted itself.

Until now, cases of ransomware have been quite rare, but they are increasing at a very fast clip right now. That's why we wanted to alert you to this threat now.

A related threat, which is currently more common than ransomware, is for a hacker to break into a company computer system to prove he can do it, and then demand payment for not attacking the system.

Security experts say that some gaming sites have experienced this threat and have paid up to tens of thousands of dollars to avoid the attacks.

How to protect yourself from ransomware: The good news is you don't need special ransomware products to protect yourself or your computer network from ransomware.

Rather, the same methods of protecting yourself that we've been recommending for your general computer security apply: use firewalls, up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and keeping your browser, system software and other software up-to-date with the latest patches.

Further, we recommend you use a pop-up blocker if you don't already. A lot of ransomware is delivered via pop-ups. And of course, be very careful about downloading software -- games, screensavers, etc. can include ransomware.

Last but certainly not least, it is vital to back up not only your personal computer files very regularly, but your system files as well.

You can read more about ransomware (and PC backup suggestions) from Brian Krebs on the Washington Post blog:

New Gift Card Scams: 8 Tips to Protect Yourself


The Gift Card Scam on the News

Let's first talk about the gift card scam that's making news. It's actually quite clever. Here's an example of the email going around:

--- Begin Email ---
The crooks have found a way to rob you of your gift card balance. If you buy Gift Cards from a display rack that has various store cards you may become a victim of theft.

Crooks are now jotting down the card numbers in the store and then wait a few days and call to see how much of a balance THEY have on the card. Once they find the card is "activated," they go online and start shopping.

You may want to purchase your card from a customer service person, where they do not have the Gift Cards viewable to the public.
--- End Email ---
As bogus as this may sound, it can actually happen. The good news is that, so far, it hasn't happened very often. Nonetheless, according to KOMO TV in Seattle, Wal-Mart shoppers have already been hit with this scam.

Here's How This Scam Works:
Gift cards have a unique number in a magnetic strip that is used to track usage and outstanding balances. This usually works well, and has the benefit that you often won't lose your remaining balance if you lose the gift card, since you can simply call to report the card as stolen or lost.

Now imagine that a scammer comes into a store that displays gift cards on public racks (such as Wal-Mart) with a small and inexpensive mag-strip scanner in his pocket. This scanner can easily read and store the unique gift card serial numbers.

So, the scammer simply grabs some of these gift cards from the rack, finds a quiet place and quickly scans each card to get its unique serial number. They then put the cards back (or leave them somewhere in the store) since they are done with them.

(Incidentally, this high tech approach isn't even needed. The crook can simply copy the unique numbers by hand on a pad of paper. However, this is much more time consuming.)

Depending on the gift card packaging, this can be very easy to accomplish or the crook might need to pry the gift card from its base and then carefully reposition it back after stealing the number. In either case, it's not very difficult for the scammer to do this.

Next, real customers come in to buy some of these gift cards and "charge" them with real money.

How does the scammer know which gift cards have been charged? Every few days, he simply calls the gift card phone number and enters the unique numbers to find out which cards have been charged -- and what the remaining balances are.

Most of these systems don't require a password, so it is very easy for the scammer to do this. Other times the scammer is able to steal the PIN at the same time as the gift card number.

And since most of these gift cards aren't given to the recipients until Christmas, most of the cards will be fully charged!

The scammer can then go on a shopping spree and drain the gift card balances.

If scammers are somewhat more technically sophisticated, they can even purchase a similar real gift card, charge it with $5, and then reprogram the card with a stolen unique ID number -- and use the card to physically shop in the store instead of being "limited" to shopping only online.

According to KOMO TV, a Wal-Mart spokesman says the company "is working with law enforcement at the highest levels possible to rectify the problem and catch the people responsible."

The National Retail Foundation (NRF) confirmed this scam was occurring last week in a press release, and said: "Reports about a new gift card scam detailing how consumers could lose money from gift cards if criminals steal the card numbers from the back of the card are accurate but somewhat misleading."

ScamBusters Recommendation: Even though this type of gift card scam is now only occurring on a very small scale, we still advise that you don't buy gift cards displayed on public racks since this scam is so simple for scammers to execute. Why take the chance?

We also recommend you follow the eight tips for protecting yourself that we outline below.

Little Known Gift Card Scams That Actually Pose a Bigger Threat This Holiday Season
With gift card sales estimates at $24.81 billion this holiday season (up from $18.48 billion last year according to the NRF), it is not surprising that there are bigger gift card scams going on right now, even if the one on the news is overstated.

According to experts, there are three MUCH more common types of gift card scams:

Used, counterfeit and fraudulent gift cards are being sold on auction websites.


Sellers often overstate the value of real gift cards they are selling on auction websites, so buyers don't get what they think they are purchasing.


Scammers are using stolen credit cards to buy gift cards and then selling these gift cards for cash, either at online auction sites or elsewhere.
In other words, auction gift card scams now pose a much bigger threat than gift cards displayed on public racks in stores.

Here are two other current gift card scams:

Crooks swap blank gift cards that they stole on previous trips to a store for cards activated by clerks when they purchase them. Since the clerks don't realize that the returned cards are blank rather than the ones just purchased, the scammers are able to steal fully charged cards.


Thieves also carefully open the packaging of new gift cards and replace them with used, worthless cards. When the card is sold, the gift card the scammer has in his possession gets activated, rather than the worthless used card that the real buyer has. (This will only work on some types of cards.)
8 Tips for Protecting Yourself From Any Gift Card Scam:
There are plenty of things that you can do to protect yourself from gift card scams. And the best part is that none of these things will take more than a few minutes.

Just follow these eight simple tips to make shopping for gift cards safer:

Don't buy gift cards from online auction sites. Since this is a large source of gift card fraud, these cheap gift cards may well be worthless to you. Sure, some of these cards are real, but many are stolen, counterfeit or used. It's not worth the risk.


Only buy gift cards directly from the store issuing the gift card or from a secure retailer's website -- no matter how much cheaper they may be somewhere else. If you do buy a gift card online, make sure you buy it from the place that you plan to use it.


Don't buy gift cards off of publicly displayed racks in retail stores. In addition, don't assume that because gift cards are inaccessible to the public, they are safe. After all, store employees can participate in gift card scams too.


Always carefully examine both the front and back of a gift card before you buy it. If you can see a PIN number, put the card back and get a different one. If a gift card looks like it could have been tampered with, don't buy that gift card.


Always ask the store cashier to scan the gift card in front of you. This will guarantee that your card is valid when you buy it and that it reflects the balance you just charged it with. This will also protect you from crooks who exchange worthless cards for the cards you think you are buying.


Always keep your receipt as a proof of purchase as long as there is money stored on the gift card. Since many retailers can track where the gift card was purchased, activated and used, if the card is stolen, some retailers will replace the card for you if you have your receipt.


If possible, register your gift card at the store's website. Although not all stores offer this option, you can uncover any misuse of your gift card sooner and report it more quickly.


Finally, never, ever give your Social Security number, date of birth or any other unneeded private information when you purchase a gift card. No reputable company will ask for this info.
And that's it.

Gift cards are convenient and make great gifts. Following these easy tips will help you ensure the person you buy the gift card for is the one who benefits from it!

Time to close -- we're off to take a walk. See you next week.

Scams to get around Captcha
Published Today
This articles talks about a scam that fools you into keying in the Captcha figures.

"In the new scam, an icon of an alluring woman suddenly appears on a Windows computer infected by a virus. After clicking on the icon, the user sees a photo of an attractive woman who vows to take off an article of clothing each time the jumble of figures next to her is entered.
But the woman never fully undresses, and after several passwords are entered the program restarts, possibly enticing unsuspecting users into trying again."


We agree that these can be used to help the scammers get past the Captcha, but they are usually quite harmless. It would not be useful against financial institutions, that issue temporary keys via SMS or security tokens. There is no way for the "alluring woman" on the screen to read your handphone or security tokens which are not attached to the computer.


btw, if you see a "dancing lady" on your desktop without any known installation, your computer is badly, badly compromised.

In a new online striptease, the buxom, beautiful blonde who promises to remove her slinky scraps of lingerie doesn't want your money. She's interested in your brain. Really.

The creation of online scammers, she's trying to trick unsuspecting Internet users into helping the scammers break the online barriers that banks and e-mail services set up to thwart crooks.

The striptease is the latest attempt to defeat so-called CAPTCHA systems, which is short for Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart. Those safeguards require users to prove they are human by reading wavy, oddly shaped jumbles of letters and numbers that appear in an image and typing them out.

In the new scam, an icon of an alluring woman suddenly appears on a Windows computer infected by a virus. After clicking on the icon, the user sees a photo of an attractive woman who vows to take off an article of clothing each time the jumble of figures next to her is entered.

But the woman never fully undresses, and after several passwords are entered the program restarts, possibly enticing unsuspecting users into trying again.

Trend Micro researchers say the scam appears to be isolated for now to spammers trying to register bogus e-mail addresses and flood chat rooms with unwanted pitches. But they worry schemes to infiltrate financial institutions could soon appear.

Paul Ferguson, network architect at Trend Micro, speculated that spammers might be using the results to write a program to automatically bypass CAPTCHA systems.

"I have to hand it to them," Ferguson said, laughing. "The social engineering aspect here is pretty clever."

Scams are also known as Advance fee Scams or Advance Fee Fraud. The most popular variant of such scams are the Inheritance Scam and Lottery Scam. The Inheritance Scam is covered in this category, while Lottery Scam is covered in a category on its own.

In general, the scammer in a 419 scam makes up a story about a large sum of money (fake) that does not exist in reality.

In the case of Inheritance Scam (which is what this category will cover), someone rich has died leaving behind a huge sum of money. The scammer will request to transfer the money out of their country with your help, e.g. coming forward to pretend to be the next of kin.

In the process, they will request money from you first to cover some legal fees, bank fees, transfer fees, or whatever they can think of. This fee is called the "Advance Fee" and hence the scam was known as Advance Fee Scam. After you have paid the fees, you can forget about seeing that large sum of fake cash.

The scammers will disappear with your money, and may even use your personal information for identity theft. This is commonly known as "Nigerian Advance Fee Fraud

In a Black Money scam, the scammer will tricks the victim into believing that they can buy a special chemical from them to 'clean' away the black ink on a large sum of cash. They may provide stories of how the money came about and why they were painted with the black ink, normally to hide from customs or the authority. In the demonstration, they would usually show the potential victims that the chemical works on some real cash. After the victim is convinced, they will then sell them the chemical with a bundle of blank paper smeared with the black ink. It may sound stupid, but there have been cases of people getting cheated in this famous Black Money Scam.