The secret of the Nigerian con artist

I confess the workings of the criminal mind has always been something of a fascination for me. I am fairly confident that my interest in such matters is not based on voyerism or unrecognized pruient impulses. I have always understood that the origins of criminality are related to unmet psychological needs as they are to operant conditioning or genetic factors.

Having developed a fairly extensive list of Facebook acqaintances I have had my fair share of individuals who have sought to pertrate identity crimes of one kind or another. In most cases the attempts to induce me to part with confidential information or financial assets have been laughably inept. Basic errors in syntac or grammer quickly reveal attempts at Fraud that are undertaken by internet trolls using translation apps. Misplaced verbs and conjuctives indicate a perpetrators point of origin. The initial pitch of those who troll the internet vary in their content but the appeal is almost always directed at the most vulnerable aspect of a person pysche. While such criminal actions can involve highly sophisticated schemes, the majority of most perpetrators are stunningly obvious in their tactics. Few individuals who undertake such crimes could ever be viewed as a master criminal. Yet despite the use of obvious tricks, the proliferation of such crimes has proceeded at a dizzying pace. Victims of cyber crime span the economic divide. I found myself curious as to how well educated individuals could be so easily manipulated into ignoring inconsistencies that they would have normally identified as signs of criminal intent. How could it be that individuals who were normally highly responsible were so easily convinced to abandon common sense in return for flattering words and doctored photographs. As a researcher of the human condition it was a question that intrigued me. Belieiving that the best data is derived from the most common practices I focused on what many have come to call the Nigerian inheritance con. Often initiated by the use of social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter, criminals often seek to initiate contact with stranger with the goal of forming a personal connection that can be used to their advaantage. Often perpetrated by operatives who have assumed a female identity, the offer a personal biogrpahy marked personal suffering and tragedy. Familiar family members are frequently desribed as having met gruesome and tragic ends, leaving the individual in the position of a potentially destitute. Specific details are kept to a minimum in order to maximize the emotional appeal to the intended victim. Questions about the person's past are deflected as the individual repeatedly turns the focus back on the victim. Unrealistic claims of intense affection soon follow. Before long the victim finds themselves deluged by relentless requests for financial assistance. In case of the Nigerian Inheritance Con victims are assured that there generousity will be rewarded. My own experiences on Facebook have resulted in several encouters with such individuals who quickly found themselves blocked. My upbringing as a welconing but pragmatic New Yorker equiped with the skills required to identity patterns of behavior that suggested criminal intent. I thank my genetic profile for endowing me with an innate caution that has saved me a small fortune over the years. In truth if I were being honest I would have to admit that it was not just my innate cynacism that allowed me to safely navigate the internet. My own reclusive nature almost certainly played as large a role in protecting my financial assets. Ultimately the success of fraudulent schemes hinges on the ability of the perpetrator to forge emotion connections with their victims. Human beings are social creatures. The need for human connection is genetically programmed into central nervous system. In a world where empathy and compassion are seen as scarce the professional conman, or woman, others the allusion of connection and unconditional acceptance. Tellingly promises of a shared wealth are rarely revealed until the perpetrators has established an emotional connection with a given victim. This fact alone speaks to humankind's innate need for connection, and while the outlandish claims of strangers are often taken at face value, rather than as statements that warrant serious examiniation.

In deciding which song to attach to my latest blog I considered a number of variables. In the end Kurt Veils "lost in the stars" made the most sense both as a statement of humankind's condition, and of how cyber criminals often see their victims. The lost man or woman, who lives in quiet desperation, is quickly spotted by cyber criminals. Until individuals recognize our fundamental need for connectivity, and take appropriate steps to have such needs met in a safe and responsible manner, cons such as the Nigerian inheritance scam will continue to flourish.