"These cases involve the advance fee fraud, " Mr Lobbenberg said.

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Advance-fee frauds often lure victims to part with tens of thousands of dollars on the promise of huge, but somehow plausible, later gains.

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Such advance-fee frauds are also known as "419 scams" - named after the section of the West African country's criminal code that prohibits fraud.

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Not only did this suggest an unwarranted faith in the Nigerian postal service, it seemed to betray ignorance of the flood of advance-fee frauds that have emanated from Nigeria.

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The shopkeeper could then advance Ram the money, minus a small fee.

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