The Nigerian Prince scam has become a well-known joke by now. This phishing attack involves a victim who is contacted by email with the promise of a large sum of money in exchange for assistance. Over time, this scam and others have evolved, and scammers have become more sophisticated. Nowadays, they even use generative artificial intelligence to sound more convincing. However, the core tactic remains unchanged: lure the targets, reel them in, and extract the money.

Though not new, the origins of the Nigerian Prince scam can be traced back to 1910, when it was known as the Spanish prisoner swindle. Back then, victims received letters by mail instead of emails, but the fundamental structure of both scams is the same.