While the Nigerian Email Scam appears to be a product of the digital age, the ruse behind it dates back to at least 1588. Known then as the "Spanish Prisoner Scam" the concept was the same
advanced-fee found in millions of inboxes today. As to why the scam has endured for centuries, a spokesperson at the Nigerian Embassy in the US offers perhaps the most credible explanation, saying
"there would be no (email) scam if there are no greedy, credulous and criminally-minded victims ready to reap where they did not sow."
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