Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The “best Nigerian prince email scam” was not about a prince at all. It was an unusually elaborate email claiming that a Nigerian astronaut had been stranded in space and needed $3 million to return to Earth. The message was the subject of a 2016 Gizmodo article by Katharine Trendacosta.
“Best” was a humorous judgment: the story was memorable because it combined a secret Soviet space mission, an inaccessible $15 million fortune, precise percentages and an urgent rescue request. Underneath the science-fiction plot was a familiar form of advance-fee fraud: trust a stranger, pay or disclose information first, and supposedly receive a much larger reward later.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The email’s extraordinary story
According to Gizmodo’s account, the sender identified himself as Dr. Bakare Tunde. He claimed to be the cousin of Air Force Major Abacha Tunde, supposedly the first African in space.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The email said Major Tunde had flown secret Soviet missions and had been left behind on a space station after the Soviet Union dissolved. Supply flights had allegedly kept him alive. During his years in orbit, his salary and accumulated interest supposedly grew to almost $15 million.
#1 Best Overall
There was one obstacle: roughly $3 million allegedly had to be paid to Russian space authorities to bring him home. The recipient was offered 20% of the money for helping transfer it. Another 10% was described as covering incidental expenses, with the remainder apparently going onward.
It is a spectacular premise: a stranded astronaut, a secret Cold War history and a fortune waiting in trust. It is also not a verified account of a real astronaut. The email made those claims; the available reporting did not authenticate them.
Why “best” does not mean most successful
Gizmodo’s headline was editorial and comedic, not a ranking of the most profitable or convincing frauds. This email was “best” because it was unusually overproduced and absurd while still following the recognizable structure of a Nigerian-letter scam.
Recommended Free Tools
The story supplied nearly every ingredient an advance-fee fraud needs:
- A dramatic emergency: someone is supposedly stranded and needs immediate help.
- An inaccessible fortune: millions exist, but the person who controls them cannot reach them.
- A plausible-sounding intermediary: the recipient is asked to help move or unlock the money.
- A small price for a huge reward: $3 million is presented as the final obstacle to accessing approximately $15 million.
- A personal payoff: the recipient is promised a large percentage for cooperating.
In an ordinary version, the stranded person might be an heir, official, lawyer or political exile. This version replaced that familiar character with an astronaut.
The reality check: what is known and what is not
The claims about Major Abacha Tunde’s identity, missions and years in orbit should be treated only as claims contained in the email. Gizmodo noted that the timeline appeared to point to around 2004, even though the article was published in 2016. That detail raises obvious questions about the story rather than confirming it.
The article also entertained the possibility that the message was an ingenious prank or parody. The available account does not prove whether it was a genuine criminal solicitation, a joke, or spam designed to attract replies. What it does show is an implausible narrative built around a classic fraud mechanism.
What “Nigerian prince scam” really means
“Nigerian prince scam” is a popular shorthand, but it is not the most precise description. The relevant terms are advance-fee fraud, Nigerian-letter fraud and 419 fraud. The number refers to Section 419 of Nigeria’s criminal code, associated with fraud and con artistry, as explained in an FBI overview of Nigerian 419 scams.
The FBI describes Nigerian-letter schemes as solicitations promising a share of a large sum in exchange for helping transfer funds. The victim may eventually be asked for fees, bank details, identity documents or access to an account.
How the fraud usually unfolds
- An unsolicited message arrives. It may come by email, social media, text message, phone or a fake website.
- The sender claims authority or distress. The character may be an official, heir, soldier, celebrity representative, banker, romantic partner or astronaut.
- A large fortune is introduced. The sender supposedly cannot access or move the money without the recipient’s help.
- The first request sounds limited. It may involve a transfer, account, identity check or “temporary” payment.
- More charges appear. Taxes, permits, legal fees, bribes, transfer costs or account-unlocking charges are added.
- Information or accounts are abused. Bank details and identity documents can support impersonation, unauthorized withdrawals or further fraud. Someone who routes money for an unknown person may also be helping move stolen funds.
- A recovery scam follows. After the victim stops paying, another person may promise to recover the money for an upfront fee.
The promised fortune never arrives. The requested payment is the real objective.
Why all the details can feel convincing
Precise dollar amounts, formal language, institutional titles, legal references and technical jargon make a story feel concrete. In the astronaut email, space-program terminology and bureaucratic explanations gave the request an appearance of research and procedure.
Specificity is not proof. A copied logo, official-looking letterhead, convincing email address or polished banking portal can all be fabricated. The FBI has documented fraud emails that used FBI letterhead and official identities.
These messages can also exploit empathy, hope, financial pressure, greed, trust in authority and the feeling of having been specially selected. Responding does not mean someone is unintelligent; the format is designed to make the reward more prominent than the verification work.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.The same trick no longer needs a prince—or email
Modern versions may arrive through messaging apps, social platforms, dating services, fake investment sites, business communications or phone calls. The story may involve a government refund, an inheritance, a charity, a romantic partner, a stranded soldier or a supposed law-enforcement officer.
The defining feature is not nationality or the word “prince.” It is the request to provide money, sensitive information or access to an account in exchange for a promised benefit. Criminals and supporting infrastructure can operate from many countries, so “Nigerian” should be understood as historical terminology for a scam format, not a description of a nationality.
Red flags to look for
- An unexpected promise of millions or guaranteed profit.
- A request for an upfront payment before money can be released.
- Secrecy, urgency or pressure not to verify the story independently.
- Requests for wire transfers, cryptocurrency, gift cards, cash or payment-app transfers.
- A request to use your bank account as a pass-through.
- Claims that taxes, legal fees or administrative charges must be paid first.
- A counterfeit check or deposit that you are told to forward elsewhere.
- An agency, bank or police officer asking you to move money to “protect” it.
A deposit that appears in your account may later be reversed if the check or transfer was fraudulent. Sending part of it onward can leave you responsible for the shortfall.
What to do if you receive one
- Do not reply, click links or open attachments.
- Do not send bank details, passwords, identity documents, Social Security numbers or copies of checks.
- Do not transfer money for an unknown person or deposit and forward a check.
- Save the message, headers, phone numbers, payment instructions and wallet addresses as evidence.
- If you paid or shared account information, contact your bank, card issuer, wire service, payment app or cryptocurrency exchange immediately. The FTC says speed matters when attempting to reverse a payment, though recovery is not guaranteed.
- Report the fraud to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and report internet-enabled fraud to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
- If identity information was exposed, begin the FTC’s identity-theft recovery process and monitor affected accounts.
Be especially wary of anyone who contacts you afterward promising guaranteed recovery for a processing, administrative or tax fee. The FTC warns that recovery scams target people who have already lost money.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
