2008 Woodie Awards
Internet check scam targeting college students
Rudy Ornelas
Issue date: 9/14/06 Section: Front Page
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College officials are warning and educating students with a bulletin outside the cafeteria in the Beth Tedrow Student center, so they don't fall victim to Nigerian check scam, a five billion dollar worldwide scam that has run since 1989.
"I use to get those e-mails all the time, I never thought much of them, and usually just deleted them," Edgar Heredia, Ulysses Kan., said.
However, since some people are simply unaware of the scam, and could be more likely to fall for the scam, the college has taken action.
"Police told me we needed to make people aware, and the quickest way is to put it on that blackboard where everyone can see it as they go to eat," Kate Covington, director of residential life, said.
The scam has evolved from a mail scam to a fax scam and within the last 10 years a major e-mail scam that can effect students if they aren't careful. It is also referred to as "Advance Fee Fraud" and "419 Fraud" after the relevant section of the Criminal Code of Nigeria.
"That deal has been going on for several years, what we tell people is to delete it and not respond to it. It's a scam." Garden City Police Capt. Michael Utz said. "All they want is for you to give them your account numbers so that they can allegedly send you money, then they go in and drain your account, there is several scams out there but the Nigerian scam has been around for years."
The thought of falling for such a scam seems ridiculous to some students on campus.
"I was always taught that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And someone from Africa offering to make you rich, over e-mail, sounds a little too good to be true," Heredia said. "People are going to try to scam you all kinds of ways. In person, on the internet, you just got to keep your guard up and not be so gullible."
Here's how it works: First a letter, fax or e-mail from an insider or alleged official representing a present or former foreign government or agency is sent.
"I use to get those e-mails all the time, I never thought much of them, and usually just deleted them," Edgar Heredia, Ulysses Kan., said.
However, since some people are simply unaware of the scam, and could be more likely to fall for the scam, the college has taken action.
"Police told me we needed to make people aware, and the quickest way is to put it on that blackboard where everyone can see it as they go to eat," Kate Covington, director of residential life, said.
The scam has evolved from a mail scam to a fax scam and within the last 10 years a major e-mail scam that can effect students if they aren't careful. It is also referred to as "Advance Fee Fraud" and "419 Fraud" after the relevant section of the Criminal Code of Nigeria.
"That deal has been going on for several years, what we tell people is to delete it and not respond to it. It's a scam." Garden City Police Capt. Michael Utz said. "All they want is for you to give them your account numbers so that they can allegedly send you money, then they go in and drain your account, there is several scams out there but the Nigerian scam has been around for years."
The thought of falling for such a scam seems ridiculous to some students on campus.
"I was always taught that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And someone from Africa offering to make you rich, over e-mail, sounds a little too good to be true," Heredia said. "People are going to try to scam you all kinds of ways. In person, on the internet, you just got to keep your guard up and not be so gullible."
Here's how it works: First a letter, fax or e-mail from an insider or alleged official representing a present or former foreign government or agency is sent.
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