Inheritance Yahoo format: how not to be scammed

Yahoo fraudsters are constantly coming up with new ways to get money from people. Inheritance Yahoo format is one of the ways, which they often use to deceive the Internet users. This article will discuss the Yahoo scam format which involves inheritance and show you how to prevent yourself from being scammed.

Latest scam format

Lots of Nigerians have heard about Yahoo boys, and unfortunately, some people are familiar with their tricks from their own unlucky experiences. Yahoo boys are internet fraudsters who usually hide behind the Yahoo e-mail addresses, that is why they are called so. Most of them have no official job, and the only thing they can do for a living is to deceive innocent people. According to the statistical data that was provided by the police, Yahoo boys are often university students, who are afraid of unemployment. However, older people who are more experienced are also involved in Internet crimes.

Yahoo boy business became really prominent at the beginning of the 2000s, when not so many African people had Internet and were aware of common fraud schemes on the worldwide web, so they easily fell for various deceitful tricks. Later, people started raising more awareness about Yahoo scams. However, the fact that Yahoo boy business still brings the fraudsters a lot of money shows that there are users who still fall for them.

The Yahoo scam formats are different. Sometimes, the fraudsters send e-mails with a sad story where someone is ill and needs money. The dating format is also very popular – the criminal poses as a beautiful woman or handsome man, and makes you fall in love with her/him, then starts asking to send money for different purposes. The other scam is getting an e-mail that your bank account is suspended, and you need to send money to unlock it.

We will also be talking about the inheritance Yahoo format, which originated in the early 2000s and is still quite common. Sometimes, it is also called “Nigerian scam”, because Nigerian fraudsters often go as far as deceiving people from other countries, and they have already earned the bad reputation.

Inheritance scam

So, what is the inheritance Yahoo scam all about? This is easy: you get a new e-mail in your inbox. You click and see the message from someone you have never seen before. They sent you a story about you inheriting a large amount of money. Sometimes, the inheritance document can be attached. The stories can be different:

• The wealthy official has died after a brief illness, and the one who is writing to you is their successor, who now has a lot of money and possessions. There is a problem with division of the dead official’s property, so they have moved their part to the security and finance firm, and are looking for someone who is willing to buy it.
• The dying father told the person who is writing that there is a deposited sum of money that he saved at the security company. Now their mother is seriously ill too, and they are unable to access the money because the mother is not Nigerian. They are looking for a way to claim the money, and for this, they need an assistant. However, the security company told them that before their money is released, they will have to pay for demurrage – that is why they need someone to pay for them. The person promises you that you will get your share of their money afterwards.
• The dying father revealed that he has left a large sum of money in the bank, and told the person to look for the foreigner who will assist the person in transferring these funds abroad. Of course, you will have to make some payments for this person, and they promise you to give a large percent of the total sum.
• Again, the dying father has left the person big money in Ghana or another African country, and they are unable to access the funds. You are someone who they are willing to trust with their family fortune. Just like with the previous versions, you will need to make payments, before they grant you with the generous gift of 10 to 25 percent from their total sum.
• The father was killed in the political crisis, and he was saving some money for the election, which was inherited by the writer. They are choosing you as a business partner and asking for assistance.
• Someone close to the writer died, and they are searching for a trustworthy person who will manage the funds that the deceased person has left. For this, they will earn your trust to make you pay them and possibly get your personal details.
• The father of the writer died in the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attack in New York, and before his death, he used to be the owner of the company. You probably can predict what comes next – the person inherited large money from the dead father, and wants you to help them manage this money – which, of course, means that you will have to trust them with your personal data, and make some payments for getting a big part of this sum in return.

As you can see, all these stories are very similar to each other and follow the same scheme. Sometimes, the grammar and spelling of the writer are poor. But usually, they will use some word constructions that will make you either feel sorry for them or trust them. This is the catch – you should never, under any circumstances, believe these people. If you send them the money that they need, they will not give you any sum in return. In fact, they will disappear, change their e-mail address, and go on sending scams to other people who are likely to fall for their scheme.

Some of these e-mails are also trying to trick you into giving the person your credit card details. Providing these details to anyone, even the bank workers, is dangerous. They should always remain private and known only by you. Besides, the person who sent you this e-mail is someone unknown, who you have never met, so it is impossible for you to guess their real motives.

READ ALSO: Yahoo format for dating: all you should know to avoid scammers

What can I do to protect myself from the fraudsters?

Even if you are fully aware of the scams, some of your friends and relatives may still be vulnerable to falling for the fraud schemes. So, you can share the protection means with them and keep them safe from Yahoo scammers:

• Sending someone your card details and other personal information that is linked to your money is strictly forbidden if you want to stay safe. Only trusted people, like your family, can know these details. Giving them to strangers would lead to unexpected consequences, which, as you have already guessed, will not be pleasant.
• Arranging anything with strangers who are asking for payment will most often result in permanent loss of money. It is very rare that people recover the money that they have lost to the scammer.
• If you have received a suspicious message, do not rush into believing everything you see and negotiating with them. It will only make things worse for you. Seek advice from someone who knows these things, such as a lawyer, financial planner, accountant or a family member who has had experience with fraudsters.
• Look up the name of the fraudster on the Internet. Even if the story seems believable to you, you should never jump into instantly sending money to this person. Often, a simple Google search of their name can do wonders. You can often find other victims of their fraud this way and read their stories.
• If you see a scam e-mail in your inbox, it is strongly not recommended to respond to it and ask questions. The fraudsters are good at persuasion. They will find a way to play on your emotions and make you fall for their scheme. It is much better just to leave it without reply.
• Always remember that it is highly unlikely you can get a huge amount of money without effort, or someone is willing to trust you with their funds – especially if they have never seen you before. This is a good scenario, but in the majority of cases completely unrealistic. And if you got a suspicious e-mail that touches the inheritance topic, it is definitely a scam, the sole purpose of which is to make money off your trust.

If you or your friends were scammed into providing personal details, you should immediately contact the bank or other financial institution and seek help. You are also advised to report scams to the authorities, including the detailed description of them (e.g., screenshots of the e-mails you received). Perhaps it will prevent other people from making mistakes.

Spread the word to people you know, especially those who you consider being most likely to fall into the trap of the fraudsters. Always stay safe and alert!

READ ALSO: Social media security tips

Source: Legit.ng

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