What is the best money making African scams you know of? ( Please leave out any names, Lets keep this fun )

Heres mine,

A land owner who's land bordered a national park worked out a deal with an official to reward his ability to secure permits for "Problem" animals coming out of the park. The land owner gets a permit to shoot a problem lion or elephant that has crossed into his land.( trophy fees commonly sell for $10,000-$15,000US) If the "Problem" animal is killed, a relative of the official would visit the landowner and "ask" him to help sponsor one of his kids school tuition. If the outfitter helped the young man out with his education, There was a strong possibility he would be issued more permits in the future.

I guess you could call it the African trickle down theory!

Non export eles don't go for nearly that amount of trophy fee.

I cant tell you if all of these Namibian permits are exportable to the US, ( I am sure somebody knows ) But I know for a fact they sell! I saw lots of pictures of happy hunters.


I did a quick search on line and found this.
(Annually farmers around Etosha take something in excess of eighty lions, a vast number, in defense of livestock—but absent official permits, these lions are not exportable as trophies. Once in a while, when depredation is serious enough, a genuine, exportable “problem lion permit” is issued—but these are irregular and cannot be planned for. In July 2007 I was hunting at ------ on the east side of Etosha when such a permit became available.)

uncle bob has a corner on that merket

Ahh, economics are the same all over the world. A PAC lion or elephant or an Illinois U.S. Senate seat---if you've got the money, it's yours.

What about the Nigerians? When it comes to scamming ability, I would never sell them short . . .

This is not a scam but some local TRICKERY ...

Nigeria bikers' vegetable helmets
-----------------------------------------

Motorcycle taxis are a dangerous method of travel

Motorcyclists in Nigeria have been wearing dried pumpkin shells on their heads to dodge a new law forcing them to wear helmets, authorities say.

Officials in the northern city of Kano said they had stopped several riders with "improvised helmets", following this month's introduction of the law.

Road safety officials said calabash-wearers would be prosecuted.

Thousands of motorbikes have been impounded around the country and taxi motorbike drivers have staged protests.

Calabashes are dried pumpkin shells more commonly used to carry liquid.

According to the new law, all motorbike drivers and motorbike passengers must wear helmets.

Kano Federal Road Safety Commission commander Yusuf Garba told the BBC they were taking a hard line with people found using the improvised helmets.

"We are impounding their bikes and want to take them to court so they can explain why they think wearing a calabash is good enough for their safety," he said.

Fifty motorbikes had been seized so far in Kano city alone, he added

How about all the Foreign Aid given to Africa? Churches, Governments, Private Foundations.

That's the biggest scam and the biggest ripoff.

A few years ago I was elephant hunting in Botswana--we were driving down a remote dirt road when the PH said "I wonder if that damn tractor is still there".

What tractor?

Oh, several years ago one of the aid agencies gave this village a new tractor. It broke down in the road after a couple of weeks and the village just left it there--they moved the road around the tractor.

When we got to the village the tractor was there. It still looked new. It had tall grass growing up through it. The road went around it. Our tax dollars at work.

10-4 on the Nigerians. I have won the Nigerian Lottery at least 10 times now. I am still waiting on the first check though.

quote:

Originally posted by Robert johnson:
What is the best money making African scams you know of?

Trophies.

The dip and pack scam.
The airfreight vs slowboat scam.
The customs clearing agent scam.
The legal paperwork scam.

I'll never throw good money after bad again. Next time, it'll be photos ONLY.

In Africa, there is a scam for almost any imaginable situation.

Maybe these are common safari scams but I hadn't heard of anything this blatant before:

A US hunter I guided here in CA years ago told me a horror story about a 28 day mixed bag safari with a TZ outfitter. While I wouldn't use the name anyway, I don't remember it... but at the time it rang a bell and I recognized the outfitter as being all over the magazine ads.

The first story this hunter told me was about his leopard hunt. They shot a leopard (at night... I haven't hunted TZ but I thought that was illegal) and to the hunter it looked like it fell hard right under the tree. Naturally the client wanted to follow up right away, but the PH insisted they wait until the next morning. Of course they only found a pile of leopard hair and hyena tracks in the morning. Trophy gone but he was charged the full fee.

That morning the game scout and the PH came to him with the proposal that since they felt "so bad" he didn't get his leopard that they would let him pay a double trophy fee and shoot another one. A few days later he shot another leopard and they went right up to the tree and recovered it.

Then he mentioned that while he only had a couple bait animals on quota... he was allowed to shoot many extra zebra for big cat baits as long as he kept paying the double trophy fee to the game scout and PH. Later he felt bad for being so greedy and getting caught up in ignoring the established quotas since his PH encouraged it.

To lion hunt they never sat in a blind but rather just drove and drove for day after day while the PH slept in the truck. It seems like there was a PH switch in here somewhere but I don't recall for sure.

They saw ONE buffalo for the entire safari and the PH had him shoot it on the run from over 200 yards without any attempt to track or stalk.

I've forgotten all the different tricks he mentioned but it was just one thing after another. Obviously most people would have pulled the plug on this safari pretty early on but I got the feeling this fellow hadn't done his research at all as to how safaris were supposed to be conducted and I'm sure the outfitter capitalized on that.

This gentleman was in the auto parts business and the story ended that before the safari he had been conned into sending a cargo container full of auto tires that the outfitter was to sell and split the profit with him. Of course in the long run he got ripped off for the entire shipment.

Are any of these common tricks? This was the only time I've heard of this exact garbage.

The many little African scams around will only nail you if you're naive or stupid or greedy - or all of the avove. My guess is that becoming the president of an African country would rate near the top, unless it is off the scale! Black Economic Empowerment legislation also did quite well down here in SA - created many instant billionaires over the last decade or so. In other words: Crime definately does not pay ... as well as power and politics.

When I was in Zimbabwe I saw where the US Aid had build a high fence to keep elephants from wandering down fronm the Chizarira National Park to eat the corn fields.

I think the fence was supposed to be electrified, but there was no electricity around.

The natives had simply stolen all the wire from the fence. Any elephant could walk through the widespread posts.

Another scam: All threough the valley there was a line of newly planted poles with three phase wires to bring electricity to the district. Except no power generation capacity and no electricity after building the lines.

Then we have all the nice US and European people who give old clothes to chsrity for the benefit of the Zimbabwean people.

Except Uncle Bob intercepts the clothing and makes them pay for it.

The Joberg airport gift shop!

quote:

Originally posted by KevinNY:
The Joberg airport gift shop!

Out of Africa

How about being charged $40,000,000.00 Zim for a coke when it should be a mere $35,000,000.00

I've never liked some of the relationships between PH's and local taxidermists. In RSA I was onced charged $50 per trophy prep fee (beyond trophy fees), then $150 to transport my trophies to their recommended taxidermist. Then the taxidermist wanted to charge me $150 each for two crates to ship my trophies. There is no doubt in my mind that the taxidermist didn't have twenty USD in materials and probably paid some black guy $5 USD a day to make crates (and he could make 5 a day).

And then there is the Customs Brokers on this side that charge you all manner of mystery fees for such things as 'courier charges' and 'warehouse transfer fees' when in reality all they do is send some faxes and never touch or see the shipment. I went through this drill twice with Coppersmith before I caught them at it. This was after I had paid for insurance but when stuff was pilfered from my shipment (in Chicago) they didn't cover any of it.

quote:

Originally posted by jetdrvr:
In Africa, there is a scam for almost any imaginable situation.

Very true. And some outfitters have learnt to make a profit out of this too.

How about the American outfitters who collect money months in advance from clients. Send those clients to Africa, and make silly excuses for not paying the PHs who conduct those hunts.

They only get paid after they raise hell months or years later.

quote:

Originally posted by chuck5656:
How about being charged $40,000,000.00 Zim for a coke when it should be a mere $35,000,000.00

does that make a difference in 2 days it would be a bargain

PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL.
.............................................

My name is Mr. Peter Mpenza, a South African, I am an employee of an Insurance Company called (Liberty Life Group). My position is the Senior Claim Adjuster for the Insurance Company.

During our last priminary auditions in 2007, I found out in my department that one of our client who insured his properties and life has died since two years ago that is in 2006. Since then, there was nobody that comes forward to claim his insurance premium which amounted to Eight Million Pounds Sterling (8,000,000.00).

Therefore, I am seeking for a reliable and trustworthy person that can act as the decease next of kin to make this claim for this above stated premium. Note that I shall provide all necessary assistance to make sure this premium is being paid out.

All documentation regarding this claim will be forwarded to you for presentation to the Insurance Company for further approval. If this goes well with you, we shall disburse the funds in accordance to an agreed percentage 50/50%. Note that this is absolutely confidential and upon your response, I shall explain explicitely to you for more understanding.

Please endeavour to contact me either by phone or email indicating your interest in this business proposition.

Yours truly,


Peter Mpenza.
Senior Claim Adjuster.
Tel: +27 780 829 19

From what I've witnessed, returning the control of government to the blacks has been the biggest money making scam to date. Huge sums of money to a few individuals.

Conventions that require massive donations to get floor space.

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Conventions that require massive donations to get floor space.

Ain't that the truth!

quote:

A few years ago I was elephant hunting in Botswana--we were driving down a remote dirt road when the PH said "I wonder if that damn tractor is still there".

What tractor?

Oh, several years ago one of the aid agencies gave this village a new tractor. It broke down in the road after a couple of weeks and the village just left it there--they moved the road around the tractor.

When we got to the village the tractor was there. It still looked new. It had tall grass growing up through it. The road went around it. Our tax dollars at work.

I've seen literally dozens of US purchased tractors in similar condition throughout Zimbabwe.

It seems we are not that unique in Africa! Received this mormning ...
============================================

I have a new email address!

You can now email me at: james_walter03@ymail.com

- Good Day, How are you and your family? Hope all is well. My name is Sgt. James Walter; I am an American soldier, serving in the military with the Army's 3rd infantry division here in Iraq; I am in very desperate need for assistance and that is why I have summed up courage to contact you. I found your contact particulars in an address journal. I am seeking your kind assistance to move the sum of ($8,000,000,00 USD)Eight Million United States Dollars to you as far as I can be assured that my share will be safe in your care until I complete my service here. I believe that we may be leaving Iraq soon as promised by Obama our new president elect. Please, if you can help me with this fund get back to me for more details and I will let you know more what this transaction holds. Yours-in-service,Sgt.Walter.
============================================

quote:

Originally posted by Brain1:
10-4 on the Nigerians. I have won the Nigerian Lottery at least 10 times now. I am still waiting on the first check though.

I've also won it 4 times. But, like you, I've also not yet been paid.

Every time they notified me by e-mail, I religiously replied to every question they asked, sent them all the details of home address, postal address, bank account details, PIN number, EVERYTHING they asked for and paid the banking commission fees by electronic transfer every time. I cannot understand why they don't just deduct the banking commission fees, which amounts to quite a bit, from the winning and pay me the rest? But have they paid me my winnings yet? NO! Simply do not know why I'm so unlucky!

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren

You would not want to know how many people get suckered into one of these Nigerian or Indian scams. mind boggling to say the least.

And another ...

I received the following e-mail, which I have copied and pasted exactly as received. It is interesting that Paul Adams does not know much about English grammar or spelling.

===================================

From: Paul Adams [mailto:paul.4ram@gmail.com]

Sent: 18 December 2008 09:31 PM

To: undisclosed-recipients:

Subject: ASECNA/AFRICA OVERFLIGHT NAV DEBT



Dear Sir,

Your company is debted to Asecna in the area of overflight nav debt and the amount is EU 48,760.00

Failure to hear from you today, we will inform our intl debt collectors to visit your company and we will no longer grant your company permission again into Africa.

Reply us now and we will provide you with our banking details for the urgent payment.

Signed:

Paul Adams

Asecna Accountant Officer

ASECNA/AFRICA OVERFLIGHT NAV DEBT

=================================

FMOD ...

And another ... desperado from Sierre Loene (sp!)

========================================

________________________________________
From: Zatima Benson [mailto:zatima09@msn.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 3:19 AM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: [?? Probable Spam] Hello ,

Hello ,

My Name is Zatima Benson. from Sierra Loene in west Africa presently residing in Dakar senegal. I was impressed to seek my soul mate, and also i like to establish a long lasting relationship with you.

I will be waiting for your reply so that i will give you my picture and more about me.
Thanks and waiting to hear from you soonest.
Love From,
Zatima Benson,

=======================================

There is one that will (hopefully) never be eclipsed:

The 32 year rule of Mobutu Sese Seko, supported by Belgium, France, The UK & USA which made him the richest African butcher of the time while those powers had absolute grab of The Congo's wealth.

Let's also not forget King Leopold II of Belgium who despite never setting foot in the country made an immense fortune out of it.

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
Let's also not forget King Leopold II of Belgium who despite never setting foot in the country made an immense fortune out of it.

Yes Steve! But it was his "own personal" farm, after all

While on the subject, Cecil Rhodes also comes to mind.......

Stephen,

At least CJ came to Africa, was a great adventurer and contributed an immense amount to the continent.

Leopold II however, never set foot on the continent and just squeezed his part of it for all it was worth. So as far as best money making scams on the continent go, I reckon Leopold II was waaaaay beyond anyone else ever was, and probably ever will be. Mobutu Sese Seko must come a close second though.

Either of those two put even people like Mugabe and Idi Amin in the shade on both financial and human rights abuses.