3. Email Scams Build on a Half-Truth Platform of Believable Fears
There is no such thing as a Nigerian prince, as there is no royal family in Nigeria, which has a democratic government and was previously controlled by the United Kingdom. However, the best lies have a kernel of honesty in them, and scammers are well-aware that if they play on that kernel of truth, they can take their victims to the cleaners. Consider the scam that began during the French Revolution, in which people claimed to be a marquis who escaped from prison just in time to avoid the guillotine, but sadly lost a chest of jewels during the escape. That very situation probably happened multiple times.
People living during the Reign of Terror following the French Revolution were very much aware that a marquis probably would be arrested for the crime of having been an aristocrat. During wars, it is not at all uncommon for soldiers to be taken as prisoners and held for ransom. The problem arises when people exploit these situations, and the good intentions of well-meaning people, to try to squeeze as much money out of them as possible. They think that they will be able to partake of someone’s enormous wealth if only they can help that person out now with a gift of just a few hundred (or thousand) dollars.