The 419

Apparently that's the criminal code for fraud in Nigeria. (I've been pretty good about keeping all the posts on this blog related to the house, so - to keep that streak alive - let's call this post a follow-up to Dr. Fred's inquiry about visiting on his honeymoon.) This American Life aired a story last week about "Enforcers," and turns out there's a whole little army of people on the internets who counter-scam Nigerian fraud scammers. Telling them "I'd love to send you the money you're trying to extort from me, but I can only do it if..." And they do it. Like re-enact Monty Python sketches. Or risk their lives in war-torn lands to try to make a buck.

The New Yorker ran a piece a couple of years ago about victims of this kind of fraud. It references a song by a Nigerian comic called "I Will Chop Your Dollar," the lyrics of which include: “I go chop your dollar. I go take your money and disappear. Four-one-nine is just a game. You are the loser and I am the winner.” Chorus is kinda catchy.