“I Go Chop Your Dollar”: 20/20 Goes into the Shadowy World of Nigerian Internet Scammers

The email usually pops unannounced in your mailbox with an enticing "private business proposal" or a "request for business relationship". The style and content of such emails usually vary, however, the substance is always the same - someone with access to a huge sum of money (usually millions of dollars) needs your assistance to move the loot out of his or her country of residence. And for your hard work, you will recieve a mouth-watering percentage of the fortune in question. This is the famous 419 Internet scam.

About a year ago, Nigerian artist, Nkem Owoh (aka Osuofia) released a song titled "I go chop your dollar" which ridicules Europeans and Americans who fall for these scams. Although the song is a satirical happy-go-lucky number, it immediately became the unofficial 419 anthem – and its provocative lyrics virtually started a race war on the Internet:

Oyinbo man I go chop your dollar,
I go take your money disappear
419 is just a game,
you are the loser I am the winner.
...
You be the mugu, I be the master.

This evening,  ABC's 20/20 (Friday, December 8, 2006 at 10 p.m. ET/PT), Chief Investigative Reporter, Brian Ross travels, to Lagos to expose the murky world of the 419ers, and turn the tables on some of these "masters" of crime who end up being the "mugus" (slang for big fool) - a classic case of outconing the conmen.

According to a press release from ABC,

Ross traveled to Lagos, Nigeria, the capital of these highly lucrative email and postal scams. 20/20 discovered that many of the scam artists have built huge fortunes and are living in lavish mansions off the proceeds of the fraud. A hit music video in Nigeria actually celebrates the con artists as modern-day Robin Hoods and mocks Americans as mugus slang for big fools.

These master conmen are rarely caught and prosecuted. However, Brian Ross was able to turn the tables on the con artists, catching them red-handed as they tried to rip his team off for thousands of dollars. Stunning undercover footage reveals what happens when the scammers realize theyve been caught in the act. In addition, Ross interviews several people who have been swindled, as well as the con artists themselves.

Excerpts of the investigative report are already available online. Click here for a preview of the report titled Scamming the Scam Artists.

Click the play button below to watch Osuofia's controversial but hilarious "I go chop your dollar" which provides background music for the 20/20 report.

Comments

[Akoson]

Good piece there!

I really am pissed off when I receive such mails. I can't go a day without receiving at least five of them.

... mistake there sir, ...Nkem Owoh is more popularly known as UKWA. Not Usophia.

The SON

[julius]

I for one do not feel sorry for the victims. They wanted to get something for nothing and ended up empty handed. As the saying goes "if it is too good to be true, it probably is." I also get these mails all the time and either just delete them or reply, telling the sender that I know this is 419 and he or she should try someone else.

[Ngum]

It is amusing how clueless and humorless these rogues are. When in a good mood, I send them the phone number of the FBI internet crimes unit to call me. I often receive an email the following day stating that they did not get me at the number I gave them. I stopped doing that because they do not get the hint and keep sending emails.

[Nico]

Hey Bro,
I watched this piece on 20/20 and I must tell you, I was more than appalled. I had actually invited a couple of colleagues over. I could not believe how easily some of them said they would have fallen for such scams. It was an eye opening experience, I must say.

I hope people continue to expose these kinds of things back home enough to grab international attention. Hopefully, companies will start diverting their investments and it would be enough impetus for governments to sit up and clean up the mess.

Not only Nigerians are guilty of these kinds of scams, I get letters from Mali, Benin, Sierra leone, Liberia, etc. You would not believe.

God bless the continent.

[Niclay-Jose]

I just received this scam a couple of days ago and I forwarded a copy to media body that was interested in investigating these fraudulent individuals. This letter was from a Cote D'Ivoirien..read..

From Stella Kone.
Republic of Cote D' Ivoire
Abidjan, West Africa.

Dearest One,

Appeal for Assistance

It is my pleaure to intimate you of my Inner-Most heart desire in going into Business Relationship with you depite the fact we have not seen face to face. I got your Name/Contact through my search in your country for trust worthy Individual via the Internet through the Google Web service.

I am Stella Kone. 24 years old and the only Daugther of my late parents Mr.and Mrs. Banny C. Kone. My father was a highly reputable busnness magnet-(a cocoa merchant)who operated in the capital of Ivory coast during his days. It is sad to say that he passed away mysteriously in France during one of his business trips abroad year 12th.Febuary 2003.Though his sudden death was linked or rather suspected to have been masterminded by an uncle of his who travelled with him at that time.

But God knows the truth!

My mother died when I was just 6 years old,and since then my father took me so special. Before his death on Febuary 12 2003 he called the secretary who accompanied him to the hospital and told him that he has the sum of Eight million,Two hundred thousand United State Dollars.(USD$8.200,000) left in fixed deposit account in one of the leading Banks in Africa. He further told him that he deposited the money in my name,and finally issued a written instruction to his lawyer whom he said is in possession of all the necessary but legal documents to this fund and the bank.

I am just 24 years old and a university undergraduate and really don't know what to do.Now I want an account overseas where I can transfer this funds. This is because I have suffered a lot of set backs as a result of incessant political crisis here in Ivory coast.The death of my father actually brought sorrow to my life. I am in a sincere desire of your humble assistance in this regards.Your suggestions and ideas will be highly regarded.

Now permit me to ask these few questions:-

1. Can you honestly help me as your Daugther?
2. Can I completely trust you?

3. What percentage of the total amount in question will be good for you after the money is in your account?

Please,Consider this and get back to me as soon as possible for futher details through my private Email Address.
Thank you so much.

My sincere regards.
Stella Kone.

[419]

This letter may still be from Nigeria. You can use the internet to play all kinds of tricks. A letter from Malaysia or Netherlands could still be from Nigeria. If you did some forensics of this letter, you might be able to detect the country. There are certain usages and errors that are peculiar to certain countries. Business "magnet" instead of "magnate" is crying "Nigeria" to me, from the eastern states. A little more analysis could reveal more.

[Ambe Johnson]

A rather interesting analysis which appeared on the Cameroonian forum, CAMNETWORK
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“I Go Chop Your Dollar” – An Interpretive Analysis

By Emmanuel Konde

“I Go Chop Your Dollar” is a celebration of African smarts over white greed. Brought to light universally by ABC’s 20/20 segment on internet scamming in Nigeria last Friday, it addresses specifically the duping of
whites by Nigerian con- artists, The same can be said generally of the manner in which many Africans in Africa dupe their “bushfaller” kinsmen and kinswomen
abroad through means other than internet scamming.

Cast in music video, “I Go Chop Your Dollar” is a story about the plight of some African people who inhabit present-day Lagos, Nigeria. The story tells of their suffering and how they have contrived a game
called “419’ to assuage their poverty-stricken conditions of living. In fact, the game itself is played out in the internet cafes of the slums of Lagos. Consequently, like in every other game, here too, there are winners and losers. But what the
lyrics of this music video calls “game”, however, is seen by those whom it refers to as losers as thievery.

From the perspective of ideas, reality can easily be reduced to ideas. In this ase, "I GO Chop Your Dollar" brings to the forefront the question of definition. Who defines what “419” is: the predator or the prey?

The narrative is, to say the least, enthralling. Lurking behind the hurtful scam is a multiplicity of meanings that accompany that wonderful work of art.
None conversant with the beauty of Africa’s music genres is unmoved by the artistry expended on this work. The melody, the gyrations of body parts in perfect responses to the music, the colorful garbs and the majestic dance steps of the lead singer—all bespeak of a new African ethos.

And yes, it is at once a poetic and historical interpretation of contemporary relations between Africans and Europeans. It would be a grave mistake to concentrate solely on the negative aspects of “I Go
Chop Your Dollar”.

Whether listening to the melody or reading the lyrics,one cannot miss that “something” at once futuristic and prophetic about this celebration of deception..

The artists have not only defined what “419” means to the artful players but they have left no room for alternative interpretations. This hegemonic interpretation--definitive as it were--is what irks some and makes them find the internet scam emanating from Nigeria rather offensive.

Not surprising, all the victims shown on ABC’s 20/20 on Friday, December 8, 2006 were white. For the first time in history, whites are the victims of black machinations. That is, some wretched jobless blacks have successfully outwitted men and women of distinction who happen to be all white. ABC felt compelled to visit the source of this great feat of deception and to determine whether or not Africans
were capable of pulling such a feat...

For the Nigerian lyricist, “419” is not thievery; it is a game thrust upon the African players by poverty. Although unwritten and unsung, the suggestion is that
this poverty was brought on them by the white man. It is pay back time and “419” is their response to centuries of white exploitation. Who else to make the “mugu” if not the white man? Indeed, when whites
execute “419” of their own variety, the lyricist informs us, it is deemed an innovation, a “new style”.
But when a black does the same, his people shout death to him, “bring am, kill am.”

After all is said and done, the very same sentiment that actuates the Nigerian 419 con-artists invigorates those who fall prey to their schemes: GREED! If not,why else should one want millions of dollars in
exchange for just a few thousand dollars?

At least, the roles of “master” and “mugu” have been reversed in this solitary instance. The field is now open in respectable fields of human endeavor.

[ftroit]

If you change your email view options to show you the header and other information of email you receive you will be able to see the IP address and paths and sometime be able to identify the specific computer from which email is sent. Sometimes, these IP address appear in the following format for example 66.233.11.1. If you google this up, you can get the IP name or city/country where emails come from or possbily the internet provider. I've tried a a reverse look-up and email that purpotedly originated from Mali was traced to an internet provider in Nigeria.

These scammers think they're smart. They are not. It's just that webpolicing in our third world countries is far underdeveloped. In the USA and similar places, they'd be arrested the minute the email is sent.

[ona-doll]

WOW!!! this is some crazy stuff. Ok, first of all only greedy people fall into this so called "Nigerian scams". People should have common sense to tell the difference between a business contracts and scams. Seriously now, this is ridiculous and it takes someone with common sense to figure it out; it's just a poor man's game, although it should be stoped, the whole "Nigerian" thing is being blown out of proportion- there are scams all over the world.
Peace out all y'all Nigerians(HOLLA!!!)

[jordan]

i read about your blog on Global Voices...

there is nothing noble here, as some have already said, these scams prey off greed not to teach a lesson or to say "gotcha suckas!", but to feed their own greed...it's a self-parody...i wonder if once the scam artists get rich they ever get scammed themselves?

[P'ine]

i think you have to do researches before u bring up such topics. U dont even know the history of the song.

That song was a soundtrack to a movie that was an expose to such things. it does not indict anyone it is an EXPOSE. I think you should do your research. Its a disgrace that ppl dont research before they conclude.

[Dibussi]

Hello Pine,

My review of the ABC "419" program was never about the history of the song "I go chop your dollar", which I am quite familiar with.

True, the song was the soundtrack to a movie, but that does not erase the fact that it ridicules the "mugu" and celebrates the 419er, all in good fun, as I point out. Which is why I describe the song in the review as a "satirical happy-go-lucky number":

1. Satire: The use of ridicule or scorn, often in a humorous or witty way, to expose vices and follies;

2. Happy-go-lucky: Carefree.

No need to carry out research to figure this out...

[Andy]

Could it be that "The Pine" skipped English 101??? He, he, he:-):-):-)

[Judith]

I have recieved e-mails like that also. I will say that if I had not have seen the report I would have fallen for it. I now know better and I pay closer attetion to my e-mails. I get all kinds everyday telling me I can get something for nothing and I dismiss them. I guess I should know better than to think a person would want to give me a bunch of money. It just sounds so good at the time. I am glad I was able to see the report. If I had not (as you can tell)I would have been a fool like so many others that I would have fallen for it. Thank you 20/20 and all the others out there that care.

[Ivan]

first letter

----- Original Message -----
From: stella kone
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2007 5:18 PM
Subject: From stella kone

From stella kone
Abidjan,Cote d'Ivoire

MY DEAR,
I AM STELLA KONE ,24 YEARS OLD,MY FATHER OWNS A LIMITED OF COCOA AND GOLD BUSINESS IN REPUBLIQUE OF LIBERIA. AFTER HIS TRIP TO ABIDJAN COTE DIVIORE TO NEGOTIATE ON A COCOA AND GOLD BUSINESS HE WANTED TO INVEST IN ABROAD.ONE WEEK HE CAME BACK FROM HIS TRIP TO ABIDJAN HE HAD A MOTOR ACCIDENT WITH MY MORTHER WHICH MY MORTHER DIED INSTANTLY BUT MY FATHER DIED AFTER FIVE DAYS IN A PRIVATE HOSPITAL IN MY COUNTRY.

IT WAS LIKE MY FATHER KNEW HE WAS GOING TO DIE MAY HIS GENTLE SOUL REST IN PREFECT PEACE. HE DISCLOSED TO ME AND MY ONLY BROTHER THAT HE DEPOSITED THE SUM OF (USD $7.2)IN BANK IN ABIDJAN IN COTE DIVIORE THAT THE MONEY WAS MEANT FOR HIS COCOA AND GOLD BUSINESS HE WANTED TO ESTABLISH IN ABROAD.I AM SOLICITING FOR YOUR HELP TO TRANSFER THIS MONEY INTO YOUR ACCOUNT IN YOUR COUNTRY FOR INVESTMENT.PROMISE TO GIVE YOU 10% PERCENT OF THE TOTALL AMOUNT WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOONEST.

REGARDS.
STELLA

and im some computer expert iam so stupid
my answer

Hy i am Ivan from Croatia 29 years old chatolic.
Sory for i`m a sceptic but i have recive lots of messages " you have wonn 2OOOOOO$ " or samthing like this.
your message is second or thred of this specific kind (first have cancer and no good famili whon give 4milion dolars to some in charity) but its fake, you must open account whit some minimum yust 1000$ on it and give your personal details so that dey can take your money
i am wery sori if your parents are dead one way (like you ar describe) or another.
Aaaaaa my englisch is bad this is my skype account if07051994

what doo you need (details).

I not belive yet in anie thing, have learn its no monney whit no work (it must be ilegal).
Its so sad i dont knou what to doo if you have that money i think you dont need my help, but if you du need may help you dont have money and i like mor this second
I wona first knou you bether if you are wrely person send me your picture, what you like, what you studie, and one more time i`m sou sorry for yours parents.
Mabye i can help you and whit no money

second letter

Dear Sir,

May this mail find you well.

Thanks for your response to my humble request for assistance, I must appreciate your readiness and willingnes to assist me in the transfer of this money into your account for onward investment. Please understand that this transaction is for real and not joke because i will be ready to proof it to you.

I have attached my identity card here so that you can see it and verify my cliams if it is real or not. Please note that i cannot cheat you or betrayed you in the name that i need money from you no, what i need is your total support to help me provide an bank account where the bank will transfer this money abroad for my onward investment that is all i need from you and you help me with the investment project in your country while i will continue my education as soon as the transfer it confirmed.

As regards to this transaction, I want you to know that the documents that was issued to my late father by the bank is still intact with me, that is the deposit slip and the agreementory letter.
This money was deposited by my late father as belonging to his / her foreign business partner and no particular name was mentioned because the declaration is for security reasons since I'm still very tender in age, so the remittance director of the bank where this money is being deposited has ask me to furnish them with my late fathers foreign business partner in other to transfer the money into the persons account and it was on this note that I contact you to stand as the beneficiary.

With the above reason, I humble request you to send me your informations as to enable us proceed.

1) Your full Name and Occupation
2) Your Banking Details/Bank address
3) Your Age and home Address
4) Private telephone,fax and mobile phone

All this details will I submit to the bank as the only legal beneficiary of this money and for immediate transfer into your account. I am assuring you that you are the person to handle the money for me in any investment you want as soon as the money comes to your country this is my grantee.

I am only 24 and have in confidence taken you to be my guardian, please don't betray me if this money comes into your account because I will come over to your country at the confirmation of this money into your account in continuation of my education, while you will help me in the area of investing with the money in any lucrative investment in your country and you being the trustee.

Please I will want you to attend to my matter with great urgency as I am stranded here without any one for help , and also living in fears of those enemies that took my parents life, OH MAY THEIR GENTLE SOULS REST IN PEACE.

Thanks and please reply us urgently,
Ms Stella.