This may come as a great surprise to you...

You have won 20 million British pounds in the Microsoft lottery. Your email address was selected at random to receive this award at the appreciation of blah blah blah blah...

Ever received one of those? Chances are you have received this or many of the other variations of what is known as the 419 or "Nigerian scam". Most people read this in their inbox and delete it, knowing full well it's nothing but a scam. Some of us, myself previously, create a fictitious persona and email address and "bait" it.

Closing scammer bank accounts and warning victims is the main goal but some of us are just a little bit more demented. Getting scammers to get tattoos that proclaim their love for fictitious people or announcing they love giving oral sex to members of the same gender is another fun pastime. Sending one on a "safari" which requires them to travel 200 miles or cross an international border is a whole different treat, especially when you send them into a country where they don't speak the language or there is some type of insurrection going on. I'll relate my personal "safari" to you guys....

Some years back, I received an email from someone claiming to be a missionary that was attempting to help orphans from the crisis in Darfur. Being the "bleeding heart liberal" that I have been called, I ran the IP address from the email and found it came from Nigeria, Port Harcourt to be precise. After a couple weeks of emails back and forth, myself and a few other baiters sent him on a delightful journey to the very place he claimed to be based. Poetic justice? I think so. Here's his initial email to my character, notice the IP address up top, you can read the whole bait here http://forum.419eater.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=151668
:

[41.205.171.2]

DEAR ROBERTSON,

HOW ARE YOU AND FAMILY? WE GOT YOUR MAIL, I WANT TO USE THIS MEDIUM TO SEND THE FOUNDATIONS LOYALTY AND GREETINGS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

WE ARE INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN FOUNDATION RECOGNIZED BY UNICEF, UNESCO, COMMON WHEATH, AFRICAN UNION, EUROPEAN UNION AND W.H.O. ,HELPING THE WAR TORN AFRICAN COUNTRIES WOMEN, MEN, GIRLS AND BOYS. BY HELPING THE WOMEN/MEN TO LEARN A NEW TRADE/BUSINESS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH MONEY TO START IT UP AFTER THEY MUST HAVE FINISHED LEARNING.

WE EQUALLY SEND THE BOYS USED AS CHILD SOLDIERS BACK TO SCHOOL AND GIRLS RAPED TO REHABILITATION AFTER WHICH WE SEND THEM BACK TO SCHOOL.WE PROVIDE ACCOMMODATION, DRUGS, FOOD STUFF, MONEY ETC FOR THESE PEOPLE'S UP KEEP THEREBY PUTTING SMILES ON THEIR FACES AND GIVING THEM HOPE TO FACE TOMORROW.

WE STRONGLY APPEAL TO YOU TO HELP US PUT THIS SMILE IN THEIR FACES TOGETHER THIS FESTIVE PERIOD BY DONATING TO US ANY AMMOUNT OF MONEY YOU CAN AFFORD. PLEASE SEND TO US YOUR FULL NAMES, CONTACT ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBERS AND THE AMOUNT YOU WANT TO DONATE/GIVE TO US SO THAT

WE CAN SEND TO YOU THE ACCOUNT NUMBER WHERE YOU WILL PAY IN THE MONEY AND PRAY FOR YOU, YOUR ORGANISATION AND FAMILY. WHEREVER THIS MONEY WILL COME OUT FROM GOD ALMIGTHY WILL PUT IT BACK IN MILLION FOLDS. AMEN. DAN NKWERRE

FINACIAL OFFICER

SAVE THE CHILDREN AND WOMEN OF AFFRICA FOUNDATION