Janella Spears, a $400,000 victim of a Nigerian 419 scam, claims she's "not a typical sucker". But if you look at a common thread among those who have been bilked by the scam, her case really is sadly quite typical. In case after reported case, the victims exhibit an almost extraordinary level of denial - ignoring warnings from family, friends, and even law enforcement. Believing because they want to believe. Indeed, in Spears' case, she stopped sending the scammers money only because she faced criminal charges if she continued. Not because she stopped believing.
The denial seems to stem from a stubborn belief that they can't possibly be a victim of a scam. This misplaced pride is mixed with a seemingly insatiable desire to, in Janella's words, "put things right". In that respect, Nigerian 419 scam victims don't appear to be too different from addicted gamblers who continue to gamble even after massive losses, still believing they will eventually win. And one has to wonder whether scam victims (and addicted gamblers) are also hooked on the adrenalin rush that likely comes with the imagined prospect of winning big.
Unfortunately, it's a tragedy that plays out all too often. And the victims come from across the globe, as this impassioned plea from the son of a Nigerian 419 scam victm can attest. According to Australian research firm Caslon Analytics, Nigerian 419 scammers rake in over $100 millon dollars a year in the U.S. alone. Globally, the problem is estimated at 1.5B USD, making the scams one of the largest 'industries' in Nigeria.