How do scams like this work?

Below I am pasting the following email I recieved- let me know exactly how this works as far as the scam is concerned. I'm just curious:

FROM THE DESK OF

REV HUMARU DICO

GREETINGS,

WE ARE SENDING THIS LETTER TO YOU BASED ON INFORMATION GATHERED FROM
THE
FOREIGN TRADE OFFICE OF THE NIGERIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY.
WE
BELIEVE THAT YOU WOULD BE IN A POSITION TO HELP US IN OUR BID TO
TRANSFERTHE
SUM OF FORTY-0NE MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($41.5M USD)
INTO A
FOREIGN ACCOUNT.

WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE FOR BUDGET AND PLANNING OF THE
MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM, THIS COMMITTEE IS PRINCIPALLY CONCERNED WITH
CONTRACT
APPRAISALS AND APPROVAL OF CONTRACTS IN ORDER OF PRIORITIES AS REGARDS
CAPITAL PROJECT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA. WITH OUR
POSITIONS,WE
HAVE SUCCESSFULLY SECURED FOR OURSELVES THE SUM OF FORTY-ONE MILLION,
FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS (US$41.5M).THIS AMOUNT WAS
ACCUMULATED
THROUGH UNDECLARED WINDFAL FROM SALES OF CRUDE OIL DURING THE GULF WAR.

WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU IS TO PROVIDE A SAFE ACCOUNT INTO WHICH THE FUNDS
WILL
BE TRANSFERRED SINCE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ARE NOT ALLOWED BY OUR LAWS
TO
OPERATE FOREIGN ACCOUNT.

IT HAS BEEN AGREED THAT THE OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT WILL BE COMPENSATED
WITH
US$8.3 MILLION OF THE REMITTED FUNDS,WE KEEP US$31.125MILLION WHILE
US$2.075MILLION WILL BE SET ASIDE TO OFFSET EXPENSES AND PAY THE
NECESSARY
TAXES.

IT MAY INTEREST YOU TO KNOW THAT TWO YEARS AGO A SIMILAR TRANSACTION
WAS
CARRIED OUT WITH ONE MR.PATRICE MILLER, THE PRESIDENT OF CRAINE
INTERNATIONAL TRADING CORPORATION AT NUMBER 135, EAST 57TH STREET, 28TH
FLOOR, NEW YORK 10022 WITH TELEPHONE (212) 308-7788 AND TELEX NUMBER
6731689, AFTER THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN BOTH PARTNERS IN WHICH HE WAS TO
TAKE
25%

THE MONEY WAS DULY TRANSFERRED INTO HIS ACCOUNT ONLY TO BE
DISAPPOINTED, ON
OUR ARRIVAL IN NEW YORK AS WE WERE RELIABLY INFORMED THAT MR.PATRICE
MILLER
WAS NO LONGER ON THAT ADDRESS WHILE HIS TELEPHONE AND TELEX NUMBERS
HAVE
BEEN REALLOCATED TO SOMEBODY ELSE, THAT IS HOW WE LOST US$27.5M TO MR
PATRICE MILLER.

THIS TIME AROUND WE NEED A MORE RELIABLE AND TRUSTWORTHY PERSON OR A
REPUTABLE COMPANY TO DO BUSINESS WITH HENCE THIS LETTER TO YOU, SO IF
YOU
CAN PROVE YOURSELF TO BE TRUSTED AND INTERESTED IN THIS DEAL THEN WE
ARE
PREPARED TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU. WHAT WE WANT FROM YOU IS THE
ASSURANCE
THAT YOU WILL LET US HAVE OUR SHARE WHEN THIS AMOUNT OF US$41.5M IS
TRANSFERRED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT. IF THIS PROPOSAL SATISFIES YOU, PLEASE
CONTACT ME STRICTLY THROUGH MY EMAIL ADDRESS
(revhumarudico@katamail.com).

ALL MODALITIES FOR A RISK FREE AND SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSSION OF THE
TRANSFER
HAVE BEEN WORKED OUT AND ONCE STARTED WILL NOT TAKE MORE THAN 7 WORKING
DAYS
WITH THE ABSOLUTE SUPPORT OF ALL CONCERNED.

THIS TRANSACTION IS TOTALLY RISK FREE AND 100% SAFE. PLEASE TREAT AS
URGENT
AND VERY CONFIDENTIAL. GOD BE WITH YOU AS I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR REPLY.

BEST REGARDS,

REV HUMARU DICO

read this... it will explain how this scam works

http://money.howstuffworks.com/con-artist1.htm

you give them your bank account information so that they can transfer the money into it, but instead, they pull money out of your account never to be seen again.

send me $50, and i'll give you the answer.

Well first of all you opened the email so the sender knows your email is active and will send more. Secondly the offer is attractive and therefore easily fooled people would be willing to contact the email address or supply the information requested. The scam artist hopes to catch out people this way. I wonder why they are always Nigerian tho.

They take advantage of idiots. I guess if you're stupid enough to believe that though, you have it coming...

DUDE,THat mail is from nigeria.Dont ever reply to them.EVER!!!!! They r all fakes.

It works when the sucker recipient gives the scammer his/her personal information. With name, date of birth, soc. sec. # and bank account #, the scammer has everything he/she needs to empty the sucker's bank account.

Because people are stupid. Simple as that

The send you a check, you deposit it, you send them back the portion they ask for, the bank calls you and tells you the check you cashed is no good. The check you sent is cashed and you are out that amount of money.

This one is so common, it's even known as the Nigerian scam. Notice they're asking you to prove you are trustworthy, and give them the account number they are depositing the money in. Next, they will do either of two things:

1. They will use the number to completely empty your bank account, or

2. They will send you a check to deposit which looks authentic. In reality, it is a very good forgery. It will take the bank several days to realize this, long enough for the "check" to be paid. Once they realize it's a bogus check, they will take enough money out of your account to cover it, if you have enough.

And under no circumstances are you to give them your Social Security Number--they will use it to transfer all your assets to themselves, and max out your credit cards.

If you recieved this by mail, contact the postmaster general--they have an ongoing investigation into this, in conjunction with most states' attorneys general. You can also get more info on the scam by contacting your state attorney general.

The reason the scam works so well is that we are greedy by nature. We see the millions we could gain by it, and it gets to us. Don't let it--it has ruined many people and many businesses already.

I get a lot of these emails, it's called the Nigerian Scam or Advance Fee Fraud (I was curious, too, so I looked it up). If you reply, they tell you that they need money to pay a bank fee or to bribe an official; that will keep happening until you have no more money or lose interest.

You can read all about it here:
http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/nigeria.asp

And here you can see where the U.S. state department warning about traveling to Nigeria (not only do people fall for it, but some actually go over there)
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_928.html

They rely on greed and gullability in equal measure. It is unfortunate that there is an abundance of both.

People are stupid and send money..

They try to get you to put up some 'good faith' money in the hopes that you'll receive millions once the transaction is complete. But once you send them any good faith money, you'll find the other party disappears quite quickly.

People are stupid and are looking for that big payoff.

I had a friend that recieved an e-mail saying a relative had passed in the UK. All she had to do is send $1500 for "costs". She also had te send her bank account info so the money could transfered. I laughed at her and asked if she had sent the money and info. She had sent the info. What a shock, they cleaned her out.

They ask you to put up money as a good faith. They say what is $1000 when you are going to receive so much. You send them their good-faith money and never hear from them again.

They work on stupidity, greed and gullibility. Because people want to get something for nothing...

The scam happens when you have to "front" money to the sender as a deposit for taxes, bribes or whatever, and then you never see the money again.

The account you give them will allow them to tranfer funds into the US which you will see none of. They can either use this account to do illegal activity in which you are responsible or they can take money out of the account if you have your own money in there.

It's a Classic Nigerian Scam Letter! Donate it to the Jonathan Tuttle Museum at www.interbar.com; they would love to see it. They'll even grade the content for you.

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