419 scams

Alright kiddo, first of all, it's important to know that 419 scams are also called advanced fee scams or Nigerian scams. Basically, they are a type of scam where someone tries to fool you into giving them money by promising you something else in return.

Here's how it goes: imagine that a stranger sends you an email telling you that they are a prince or a wealthy person from a foreign country. They might tell you that they need your help moving a large sum of money out of their country and they promise to give you a percentage of the money in return for your assistance.

Sounds like a good deal, right? But here's the catch: before they can transfer the money, they will ask you to pay an upfront fee or provide your bank account information. They might even ask you to buy gift cards or transfer money to another account.

If you fall for this trick and send them the money or information they ask for, unfortunately you will never receive the promised reward. That's because the so-called wealthy person was never real to begin with; it was just a scammer trying to steal your money.

So, the bottom line is: if someone you don't know contacts you out of the blue with an enticing offer that requires you to send money first, it's probably a 419 scam. Keep your guard up and don't send any money!