The First Approach
Somebody purporting to be a Nigerian banker (or various other stories) contacts you, offers you a chance to earn millions. This is called a "419" Scam - named after the relevant section of the criminal code of Nigeria.

Of course you never see these promised millions. Many people have believed the story and lost loads of their own money. Some have even lost their lives trying to recover their money.

Where is the sting?
Before getting your money you are asked to pay fees, bribes, taxes, governmental lubrication. Often they will tell you how much money that they have outlaid on your behalf to pay for everything ...there is just one teensy weensy little bill that they cannot cover. Do you think you could see your way clear to pay it? They will back this up with a multitude of false papers. This of course is when you lose your money.

Read a victim's story

What is this Baiting Game?
A Comedy - How long can you string them out for? Along the way making up the most ridiculous excuses and still be believed. Waste their time, keep them away from other prey. Better still reverse the scam with you as the targeted victim actually extracting money from the fraudster (see scam 2 & 3 on the baiting index).

Let's be clear here. Some people think I have made up this correspondence. But it is real. These fraudsters - nearly always Africans - really exist (their names are fake obviously) and they keep responding.

It's important to remember what's going on: this is not a case of making childish fun of simple thieves (although that bit is quite good). These people are, quite simply, outright criminals. There is only one reason why they engage in conversation with you: they intend to steal your money. And beyond the $200 million they extract annually from gullible and greedy victims (FBI statistics), news reports strongly suggest that some of those who are foolish enough to be lured to meetings with the fraudsters are robbed, kidnapped, and even murdered.