Book on 419 wins $50K Giller Prize_Author says Scam is 500 Years Old…!!! (Page 2)

From the article Advance fee fraud :
 This type of scam, originally known as the "Spanish Prisoner Letter", has been carried out since at least the 16th century via ordinary postal mail.
From the article Spanish Prisoner :
 The Spanish Prisoner is a confidence game dating back to at least the 17th century.
Ok so given the word "at least" the two statements are not actually contradictory. However, we may want to do a little more digging and decide which date should go in both articles.
 
I have posted this comment on both talk pages. Dalf | Talk 20:58, 8 Jun 2005 (UTC)
 I think I have sorted this one out. The scam seems to have started in 1588. I have added extra information and a reference. I will put a note on the other talk page as well. --NHSavage 08:50, 4 September 2005 (UTC)
Sorry, but there is insufficient evidence so far that such a confidence scam actually occurred in the 16th OR the 17th century -- that this is not a historical "urban legend." Who were the individuals fooled by this scam? What archival documentation is there? I'm a historian. I want factual details regarding the actual events.68.72.87.246 23:33, 28 January 2007 (UTC)
 

I was trawling through some late-1930s The Times on microfilm a while back, and there was a Spanish Civil War related entry describing a confidence trick involving the "proverbial money/prisoner trapped behind enemy lines" scam.
 
"Begging letter scams" and "bubble company scams" (as with the South Sea Bubble do go back further than this.
 
"Probably" there is a conflation of stories/ideas (whether by perpetuators or readers). Jackiespeel 16:19, 2 February 2007 (UTC)
 

Looking through The Times personal columns at various points in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, while pursuing other matters there are some adverts which appear to be related to the Spanish Prisoner scam ("Persons with the surnames... please apply regarding Unclaimed Properties and Estates" (Jan 1870), "Indian merchant who has had all his stock stolen requires funds to return home (Jan 1921).) Jackiespeel 19:36, 8 March 2007 (UTC)
 
Should point out I was going through the microfilms of The Times: a more relevant advert appers 24 July 1937. Jackiespeel 18:25, 15 October 2007 (UTC)
 

The scam in the movie of that name is really not a variant of the Spanish Prisoner. The Spanish Prisoner scam has to do with the premise that a small upfront payment will release a much larger amount. There are two scams presented in the movie, but neither relate to the premise above. I guess Mamet liked the title or something but it has nothing to do with the actual plot. fhapgood (talk) 14:20, 6 July 2009 (UTC)

Why Ferguson why?
We don't need dis kind of international publicity in 9ja. We live to loot, rob, and prey on the masses.