"Scam" 90, available now

Remember the classic "divorce" 90, to which all we carry to this day.

Naive post-Soviet citizens were perfect targets for fraudsters in the 90s. However, today's Russians have left is not very far away from them. In fact fraudulent schemes of those times work and now, they are only slightly modify - to change the name, brands, names ... but in fact the good old "scam" alive and well. EG.RU recalls the classic "divorce" the 90 who successfully moved into the present.

Millionaire Limpopo

"Nigerian letters", or "419 Fraud" (named after the relevant article of the Nigerian Criminal Code number), appeared in the late '80s in the United States. In Russia, "Nigerian letter" burst in the early 90s. The first time the message came to humans in conventional paper envelopes or fax. Then over the Internet via e-mail.

These letters are sure to tell some pitiful story of a Nigerian princess, a wealthy heir, a millionaire from Limpopo and so on. D. In fact, wrote the usual con artists. It ended with a letter asking for the money transfer.

In this case, the recipient has promised a huge percentage of the amount of the transfer. And God forbid a person falls for the bait: from it gradually lure more big money on different but of "essential" targets.

Here you have one of the most striking examples of the "Nigerian letter":

"My name is Tunde Bakare, I am the brother of the first Nigerian astronaut, Air Force Major Tunde Nigeria Abacus. My brother was the first African astronaut who went on a secret mission to the Soviet station "Salyut-6" back in 1979. Later, he took part in the flight Soviet "Soyuz T-16Z" to the secret Soviet space station "Salyut-8T". In 1990, when the USSR fell, he just was at the station. All Russian crew members were able to return to the ground, but my brother did not have enough space in the vehicle.

Since then and to this day he is forced to remain in orbit, and only occasional cargo ship "Progress" supply his need. In spite of everything, my brother does not lose his presence of mind, but longs to return home to his native Nigeria. Over the many years that he spent in space, it gradually accumulating salary amounted to 15 million US dollars.

Currently, this amount is stored in the bank in Lagos. If we can get access to the money, we will be able to pay the required amount to Roscosmos and arrange for my brother's flight to Earth. Asking Roskosmos amount equivalent to three million dollars.

However, to obtain the amount we need your help, because we, the Nigerian civil servants, prohibited all transactions with foreign accounts. Eternally yours, Dr. Bakare Tunde, the leading specialist in Astronautics ".

Well, just action-packed thriller! But the saddest thing that people were expelled and money. Some because of their own greed, others to raise money for expensive surgery loved one.

Here they are - "the rich" out of Africa "in trouble".

Resourceful "Canadians"

"Canadian wholesale company" - they called themselves, those who vtyuhivat people absolutely unnecessary cheap crap for rather big money. Sellers caught a passerby at the entrance to the subway or in other public places, and with a broad smile handed him a thing (pan handle, a razor maker - but whatever). And starting with the phrase "You are very lucky today", without giving time to recover, we talked about the "useful and necessary" goods. Magic tricks is an expression: "Today, the only sale", "Have time to buy several times cheaper than in the store," "this thing performs a function 1001", and stuff like that. And after buying. Just come home and find that the miracle pan or super mop are defective or do not "furychat".

Representatives of the "Canadian wholesale company" (and similar) comply with the four golden rules:

Extremely pleasant appearance: clean shoes, white shirt, tie.

The conversation with the potential buyer should be such that he answered "yes." For example: "You want the guests marveled at what you are a wonderful hostess?" "You want to have smooth skin without irritation?", "What is the price you're satisfied? 600 rubles - it's expensive "?

The main thing is to give the goods in the hands of man. Then he is likely to buy a thing - because subconsciously feel the product has taken his property and does not want to give it.

Impress the person that he is elected, not one of the crowd. This is done by the type of phrases: "I'm here for you all day waiting for!"

"Do you want to lose weight - ask me how!"

This inscription adorned on the icons of thousands of people with shopping bags, which sell miracle supplements for big "money." We are talking about "Herbalife" - product, supposedly capable to destroy your weight, cleanse the body, rejuvenate, and cure of the most dangerous diseases.

Jobs "Herbalife" promised to bring a large income. And so it is in fact someone was. The principle is simple: you had to pay an entrance fee of $ 150 for the initial set of products. Then, this product had to attract other buyers.

If the buyer becomes the distributors of "Herbalife", the person receives a percentage already with someone else's sales. The result was a kind of pyramid - a system familiar to anyone who has worked in the "Oriflame", "Mary Kay", "Faberlic", or similar organizations. Only three of these companies sell cosmetics, and "Herbalife" shakes vtyuhivat useless for weight loss. In Russia, "Herbalife" came out in '95. The first batches of goods entering the CIS from Israel actually smuggling, mainly to expire. After some time the media started printing devastating article about the product and even that it is harmful to health. means the sale of slimming went into decline. And said that the meeting of the distributors of "Herbalife" more like a sectarian.

But the most interesting is the fact that until 2010 there were still those who sincerely believed in the power of "Herbalife" and defended him. In principle, it is understandable why - like agents with prolonged use addictive in humans.

Production of "Herbalife" is still sold.

Fact: The founder of the "Herbalife" (translated from the English "herb of life"), Mark Reĭnol'dz Hughes died in 2000 at the 44 th year of life - a miracle drug it did not help ...

Such wonderful cocktails bought in the hope to shed those extra kilos. Photo: myprodiets.info

Do not casual passer

In the early 90's on the streets were the so-called Lotto - vehicles, throwing balls with the winning numbers. Journalists "Moskovsky Komsomolets" in an article about the fraud have called this work "scams." So there was this word, hereinafter referred to any "wiring".

Now about the street "scam." Fraudsters handed out tickets "free" lottery (although in the original version had to be paid, but it is literally a penny). They played in it, as a rule, any household appliance. Nearby stood a bright box from under this unit, but inside it - was not visible.

Next, the man dropped the winning ticket. But then it turned out that just the same, and even got some "passerby." Organizers of the lottery began to apologize to the person (the prize-one) and offered to hold between him and "bystanders" kind of auction - who will give more, and he picks up the prize money and a loser.

And what a coincidence, "the casual passer" looked poorly, as if by chance he could slip that he has only a thousand rubles, or opened the purse, where it was quite a bit of money. Naturally the one who got involved in the lottery voluntarily, noting that, agree to the auction.

Further developments suggest several options. In the first, the "true" and "casual" passers-by put their money in envelopes and send them to the organizers of "scam".

donate money discreetly added to the sum of "a passerby." Therefore, when opening the envelopes it always turned out that the "random" more money, and he won.

In a second embodiment, an auction is held with the rate increase each time by half. But both parties give money directly to the organizers.

In another scenario, household appliances in the box was indeed, but defective, and very cheap. People stupidly planted on the excitement. As a result, he overpay for a thing at times.

"You have clipped my car!"

It is very common in the 90's were avtopodstavy, more like extortion. Imagine you do not suspect, and are driving on your lane, when suddenly notice the car behind. She is actively trying to drive away your car in the adjacent lane: flashing lights, "beeping".

As a result, you lose the road. At this point, suddenly in front of you or behind of the "blind" zone appears the second car, which you naturally bump.

The first car goes fast, and from the second, downed your car goes jock-felon. He explains the ambition, how much is repair it cool cars. Typically, such machines for scam used really expensive brands -.. "Merci", "Audi", "behi," etc. Just inside these cars were a wreck. Therefore, you have no choice but to pay the money for the repair of machines. Otherwise scammers called dummy cops.

As victims of scammers choose people from the middle class or inexperienced drivers. Especially often such things happened then to Moscow.

After the appearance of the compulsory third party liability insurance (MTPL) of such cases on the road has become much smaller.