Nigeria Clamping Down On Scammers With Project Eagle Claw

The awesomely named Project Eagle Claw is an effort to shut down Nigerian email scams and improve the nation’s image. Apparently the initiative is well underway — already officials have made 18 arrests and shut down 800 sites.

The project’s name reflects how much faster Nigeria is able to deal with the problem now. Previously, officials would use cyber raids and petitions (seriously? Like a “Sign here if you want to see this guy busted for identity theft” petition?) to deal with the problem. Now they’re implementing a drop-kick shut down procedure that, according to officials, could take up to 5000 fraudulent emails offline per month.

The Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been working closely with Microsoft to develop a solution that should be fully operational by 2010. [Ars Technica, image of Nigerian scammer via Fox News]

Discuss

(3 Comments)
  • [–]

    kathy

    Sunday, October 25, 2009 at 12:49 PM

    Well I have to say its about time they get theses scammers offline ,,,,now if you would only get the real scammers offline from the dateing sites luring us women into their love traps and then beggins us to help get them our of Nigeria to come to the States and scamming us out of money here too …Its just unbearable,,,

  • [–]

    James-Mac

    Sunday, October 25, 2009 at 10:58 PM

    Anyone seen those ANZ “Falcon” adverts?

    • [–]

      Elly Hart

      Monday, October 26, 2009 at 9:29 AM

      Yes, and I always laugh when I see it.

Join The Discussion