If you apply the old adage, 'if it looks too good to be true, it probably is', you won't go far wrong. These scammers rely on people's greed, egotism and gullibility.

There was a programme recently on TV where a presenter actually set up a meeting with some of these crooks (assisted by the Nigerian police who are trying to clamp down on them) but, in the end, never actually got to meet them despite going to the venue with a heavily armed police presence as, apparantly, they can be very violent.