Comments on: 419, Chicken and Cambodian textiles – or “Fair Trade is Hard”

By: Ethan Zuckerman’s work toward a Serendipity Engine « Ida C. Benedetto

Ethan Zuckerman’s work toward a Serendipity Engine « Ida C. Benedetto — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:04:38 +0000

[...] the information we want or already know. To illustrate this, Zuckerman outlined to phenomenon of Nigerians attempting to scam people in the developed world through email. The result is that some people are actively trying to block any communications [...]

By: …My heart’s in Accra » “Plakado”, Journey and cultural disconnects

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:29:40 +0000

[...] is the gangsta stance associated with celebrations of 419 in Nigerian culture in songs like “419 State of Mind“. The more I look at the phenomenon of scambaiting, the harder time I have feeling [...]

By: myninjaplease -> The Ninja Gap

myninjaplease -> The Ninja Gap — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:21:10 +0000

[...] – while we have almost no context for stories about Nigeria. The context we do have for Nigeria – 419 scams – tends to be pretty corrosive, and may make us likelier to pick up only the stories that portray [...]

By: …My heart’s in Accra » David Weinberger and the Ninja Gap

…My heart’s in Accra » David Weinberger and the Ninja Gap — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 20:08:25 +0000

By: …My heart’s in Accra » Njei Moses Timeh fights dog fraud in Cameroon

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 03:14:17 +0000

[...] over motivations. It’s a very good read. The book ends with an email that may or may not be a 419 scam, and I was thrilled to hear Stross talking about the possibility of writing a book focused on [...]

By: …My heart’s in Accra » Pining for the fjords…

…My heart’s in Accra » Pining for the fjords… — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 22:49:36 +0000

[...] But not all cultural encounters are quite so friendly. Millions of internet users around the world have learned about crime in Nigeria through cross-cultural encounters of the spammy kind. The interaction between “yahoo-yahoo boys” – young Nigerian men who make a living by sending 419 scam emails – and their victims in wealthier countries reveals some interesting perspectives on the situation. Some of the people involved with 419 (advance fee fraud) see their victims as deserving their fate due to their greed and their comparative economic advantage. Despite the damage 419 is doing to Nigeria’s international economic reputation, some Nigerian musicians and comedians are finding it fertile group for parody, including Osuofia and his wonderful song, “I Go Chop Your Dollar” (below). [...]

By: BARISTA

BARISTA — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 08:30:37 +0000

gotcha greedyguts, the yahoo exclaims

Who sends those scam emails asking to borrow your bank account to launder millions? Indeed, who falls for it? There is a theory that they are deluded individuals who can be reverse scammed into sending photos of themselves in the…

By: Stuart Berman

Stuart Berman — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 19:19:01 +0000

While it is possible to understand the justification for such scams under the rubric of poetic justice it is very difficult to imagine the real suffering the victims experience.

I doubt that most victims are greedy wealthy people trying to scam the poor Nigerians, more likely the victims are the desperate elderly who are ‘banking’ on a reversal of fortunes by betting a significant portion of their savings. Perhaps it is not unlike the problem gambler who can’t say no – the casino gladly takes advantage of their situation.

By: One African Woman

One African Woman — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 20:19:59 +0000

I think the fact that some funds have been recovered by Nigerian authorities is good news.

Fact is, as the article points out, it’s legitimate Nigerian businesses that suffer on account of these scams so that the effect boomerangs on the perpetrators although they do not realise it.

It is my strongly held belief that African problems must be solved by Africans, and that when finally Africa finds the resolve to do so, then the tide shall turn.

By: Beth

Beth — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 18:56:31 +0000

Ethan:

Ah, the politics of shopping!

Amongst my network of parents of adoptive children from Cambodia, we’ve promoted the idea of specifically seeking out clothing that says “Made in Cambodia” for that reason. (When we sent out our adoption announcements about our children, we asked people only give us clothing that had the “Made in Cambodia” label (or a donation to Sharing Foundation). Just a drop in the ocean … what would it take do this on a larger scale and encourage people who don’t a personal, compelling to Cambodia to do the same?

And while factory/worker conditions have been muched improved in Cambodia, they aren’t perfect! One of the reasons Sharing Foundation set up a sewing program in the village was to provide alternative employment for women and young girls. We train the girls to sew and when they “graduate” they are given the sewing machine and set up shop or join our sewing shop where they are paid very good wages to make items that we sell in the US. Some of the girls have taken jobs in the garment industry, although because the training they are able to get higher-paying jobs.

In terms of Cambodia branding itself, there was a “Sweat Shop Free Country” there were some efforts back a few months ago. (see links below) Didn’t get much traction. Maybe bloggers need to be invovled :-)

Sorry this got so long, but typepad is down and I can’t blog a response …

http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/sweatshops/2979.html
http://www.laborrights.org/press/sweatshops_nyt_051205.htm