Advance Fee Fraud (419) as a Threat to Personal Security: Meaning of Advance Fee Fraud and Preventive Measures Against Advance Fee Fraud | Primary 5 (Basic 5) Third Term Week 5 Security Education

ADVANCE FEE FRAUD (419) AS A THREAT TO PERSONAL SECURITY:MEANING OF ADVANCE FEE FRAUD AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES AGAINST ADVANCE FEE FRAUD 

SECURITY EDUCATION

PRIMARY 5 – THIRD TERM – WEEK 5

THEME – NATIONAL VALUES EDUCATION 

PREVIOUS LESSON – Threats to Personal Security (Cultism): Meaning of Cultism, Causes of Cultism and Why Cultism Is a Threat to Personal Security | Primary 5 (Basic 5) Third Term Week 4 Security Education

TOPIC – ADVANCE FEE FRAUD (419) AS A THREAT TO PERSONAL SECURITY

LEARNING AREA 

1. Introduction

2. Meaning and Common Examples of Advance Fee Fraud (419)

3. Preventive Measures Against Advance Fee Fraud (419)

4. Effects of Advance Fee Fraud (419)

5. Safety Rules for Children

6. Weekly Assessment: Test Questions and Answers/Assignment

7. Summary

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

1. Explain the meaning of advance fee fraud (419).

2. Identify common examples of advance fee fraud.

3. Mention at least five ways of preventing advance fee fraud.

4. Explain why advance fee fraud is a threat to personal security.

5. State what to do when they receive a suspicious message or offer.

ENTRY BEHAVIOUR

Pupils have previously learned about threats to personal security, including robbery and cultism, and ways of protecting themselves from dangerous situations.

This lesson builds on that knowledge by teaching pupils about advance fee fraud (419), how fraudsters deceive people, and ways of protecting themselves from fraudulent offers and requests for money or personal information.

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

The teacher will teach the lesson with the aid of:

1. Pictures showing common fraud messages and fake offers

2. Charts showing ways to prevent advance fee fraud

3. Flashcards

4. Sample safe and unsafe messages

METHOD OF TEACHING

Choose a suitable and appropriate methods for the lessons.

Note – Irrespective of choosing methods of teaching, always introduce an activities that will arouse pupil’s interest or lead them to the lessons. 

REFERENCE MATERIALS

1. Scheme of Work

2. 9 – Years Basic Education Curriculum

3. Course Book

4. All Relevant Material

5. Online Information

CONTENT OF THE LESSON

INTRODUCTION

People can be deceived by individuals who make false promises of money, jobs, scholarships, prizes, or other benefits. They may ask the victim to pay money or provide personal information before receiving the promised benefit.

This type of fraud is called advance fee fraud or 419. It is a threat to personal security because it can cause people to lose money or expose their personal information.

In this lesson, pupils will learn about the meaning of advance fee fraud (419), common examples of fraudulent offers, and ways of protecting themselves from fraud.

LESSON 1 – MEANING OF ADVANCE FEE FRAUD (419)

Advance fee fraud, commonly called 419, is a type of fraud where a person is tricked (deceived) into giving money or personal information in order to receive a promised benefit.

The fraudster may promise money, a job, a scholarship, a contract, or an inheritance. After the victim gives the money or information, the promised benefit may not be given.

COMMON EXAMPLES OF ADVANCE FEE FRAUD

Advance fee fraud may involve:

• Fake job offers that require payment before employment.

• Fake scholarships that require registration or processing fees.

• False promises of contracts or business opportunities.

• Fake inheritance or lottery claims.

• Messages claiming that someone has won money and must pay a fee to receive it.

• Requests for money to release a supposed package or prize.

LESSON 2 – PREVENTIVE MEASURES AGAINST ADVANCE FEE FRAUD

1. Do Not Pay Money for Suspicious Promises – Do not send money simply because someone promises you a large reward, job, scholarship, contract, or prize.

2. Verify Information – Check whether an offer is genuine before taking any action. Use official contact details and trusted sources to verify the information.

3. Do Not Share Sensitive Information – Do not give strangers your passwords, PINs, bank details, verification codes, or other private information.

4. Be Careful with Unexpected Messages – Be suspicious of unexpected emails, text messages, phone calls, or social media messages that ask for money or personal information.

5. Avoid Offers That Seem Too Good to Be True – Promises of quick and unusually large rewards should be treated with caution.

6. Ask a Trusted Adult – Children should discuss suspicious offers with their parents, guardians, teachers, or another trusted adult before responding.

7. Report Suspected Fraud – Suspected fraud should be reported to a trusted adult and the appropriate authorities.

LESSON 3 – EFFECTS OF ADVANCE FEE FRAUD

Advance fee fraud can:

1. Cause financial loss.

2. Lead to theft of personal information.

3. Cause emotional distress.

4. Destroy trust.

5. Expose victims to further fraud.

6. Create fear and insecurity.

SAFETY RULES FOR CHILDREN

Children should:

1. Never send money to strangers because of an online or phone promise.

2. Never share passwords, PINs, or verification codes.

3. Never meet an unknown person because of an online offer.

4. Tell a trusted adult about suspicious messages or offers.

5. Verify information before believing or sharing it.

6. Avoid clicking suspicious links or opening unexpected attachments.

ON A FINAL NOTE 

• Advance fee fraud or 419 is a form of fraud in which victims are deceived into paying money or providing valuable information in anticipation of a benefit that may never come.

• People can protect themselves by verifying offers, refusing suspicious payment requests, protecting personal information, asking trusted adults for help, and reporting suspected fraud.

WEEKLY ASSESSMENT: TEST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS/ASSIGNMENT 

A. Multiple Choice Questions

1. Advance fee fraud is commonly called ______ in Nigeria.

A. 419

B. 911

C. 999

D. 112

2. Advance fee fraud involves tricking a person into giving ______.

A. food

B. clothes

C. books

D. money or personal information

3. Which of the following is an example of advance fee fraud?

A. A genuine school admission

B. A fake job offer that requires payment

C. A classroom activity

D. A normal bank transaction

4. Which of the following should you NOT share with strangers?

A. Your favourite colour

B. Your password or PIN

C. Your favourite subject

D. Your hobby

5. What should a child do after receiving a suspicious offer?

A. Send money immediately

B. Share it with friends

C. Tell a trusted adult

D. Reply with personal information

B. Fill in the Gaps

6. Advance fee fraud is commonly known as __________ in Nigeria.

7. Fraudsters may promise victims money, jobs, scholarships, or __________.

8. People should not give their passwords or __________ to strangers.

9. Suspicious offers should be checked before taking any __________.

10. Children should report suspicious messages to a __________ adult.

C. True or False

11. Advance fee fraud is a form of fraud. ______

12. People should pay money immediately when they receive a suspicious offer. ______

13. A fake scholarship that requires payment before receiving the scholarship can be advance fee fraud. ______

14. People should protect their personal information from strangers. ______

15. Children should tell a trusted adult about suspicious offers. ______

D. Matching

16. Advance fee fraud — A. A secret number used to protect an account

17. 419 — B. A person who is deceived by a fraudster

18. Fraudster — C. Another name for advance fee fraud

19. Victim — D. A person who deceives others for illegal gain

20. PIN — E. Fraud that involves payment or information for a false promise

ANSWER KEY

1. A – 419

2. D – Money or personal information

3. B – A fake job offer that requires payment

4. B – Your password or PIN

5. C – Tell a trusted adult

6. 419

7. Contracts

8. PINs

9. Action

10. Trusted

11. True

12. False

13. True

14. True

15. True

16. E – Fraud that involves payment or information for a false promise

17. C – Another name for advance fee fraud

18. D – A person who deceives others for illegal gain

19. B – A person who is deceived by a fraudster

20. A – A secret number used to protect an account

SUMMARY

In this lesson, pupils learned that advance fee fraud, commonly called 419, is a type of fraud where a person is tricked into giving money or personal information in order to receive a promised benefit.

They learned that fraudsters may make false promises of:

• Money or prizes

• Jobs

• Scholarships

• Contracts

• Inheritance

• Other valuable benefits

Pupils also learned ways of preventing advance fee fraud, including:

• Not paying money for suspicious promises.

• Verifying information before taking action.

• Keeping passwords, PINs, and other personal information private.

• Being careful with unexpected messages and offers.

• Avoiding offers that seem too good to be true.

• Asking a trusted adult for advice.

• Reporting suspected fraud to the appropriate authority.

PRESENTATION

To deliver the lesson, the teacher adopts the following steps:

Step 1: Introduction

The teacher asks pupils:

• Have you ever received a message promising you a prize or gift?

• Should you give money to a stranger because of a promise?

• What should you do when you receive a suspicious message?

• Who can you ask for advice?

The teacher explains that some people deceive others by making false promises of money, jobs, scholarships, prizes, or other benefits. This is known as advance fee fraud or 419.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils answer the questions and share examples of suspicious offers they may have heard about.

Step 2: Meaning of Advance Fee Fraud (419)

The teacher explains that advance fee fraud, commonly called 419, is a type of fraud where a person is tricked into giving money or personal information in order to receive a promised benefit.

The teacher explains that the promised benefit may not actually exist.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils explain the meaning of advance fee fraud in their own words.

Step 3: Common Examples of Advance Fee Fraud

The teacher explains that fraudsters may make false promises such as:

• A fake job that requires payment before employment.

• A fake scholarship that requires a fee.

• A fake lottery or prize that requires payment to collect it.

• A false promise of an inheritance.

• A fake business contract or opportunity.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils identify examples of fraudulent offers.

Step 4: How Advance Fee Fraud Happens

The teacher explains that a fraudster may contact a person through a phone call, text message, email, social media, or other means.

The fraudster may ask the person to:

• Pay a fee

• Send money

• Provide a password or PIN

• Give other personal information

The teacher explains that people should not respond to such requests without verifying them.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils identify suspicious requests that they should avoid.

Step 5: Do Not Pay for Suspicious Promises

The teacher explains that pupils should never send money because someone promises them a prize, job, scholarship, or other benefit.

The teacher emphasises that children should always tell a trusted adult before responding to suspicious offers.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils state what they should do when asked to pay money for an unexpected benefit.

Step 6: Protect Personal Information

The teacher explains that people should keep personal information safe.

Pupils should not share:

• Passwords

• PINs

• Bank details

• Verification codes

• Other private information

The teacher explains that such information should only be provided through safe and trusted channels when necessary.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils mention information they should keep private.

Step 7: Verify Information

The teacher explains that people should verify an offer before believing or acting on it.

They should:

• Check the information using trusted sources.

• Ask a parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult.

• Avoid clicking suspicious links.

• Avoid responding to unknown senders.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils explain how they can check whether an offer is genuine.

Step 8: Report Suspected Fraud

The teacher explains that suspicious messages or fraud attempts should be reported to a trusted adult and the appropriate authorities.

The teacher reminds pupils not to confront or threaten suspected fraudsters.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils mention people they can report suspicious messages or offers to.

Step 9: Group Activity

The teacher divides pupils into three groups.

• Group 1: Mention five examples of advance fee fraud.

• Group 2: List five ways of preventing advance fee fraud.

• Group 3: Mention five types of personal information that should be kept private.

Each group presents its answers to the class.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils discuss, write, and present their answers to the class.

Step 10: Lesson Summary

The teacher reviews the meaning of advance fee fraud, common examples, ways fraudsters deceive people, and measures for preventing fraud.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils answer oral questions and summarise what they have learned.

Step 11: Evaluation

The teacher gives pupils a different set of 20 questions as oral questions, a quiz, take-home work, or a quick test to assess their understanding of advance fee fraud, its examples, and preventive measures.

Pupils’ Activities: Pupils answer the questions individually or in groups.

CONCLUSION

To conclude the lesson for the week, the teacher revises the entire lesson and links it to the following week’s lesson.

NEXT LESSON

Punishment for Various Threats to Personal Security: Meaning of Punishment and Types of Punishment | Primary 5 (Basic 5) Third Term Week 6 Security Education

LESSON EVALUATION 

Teacher asks pupils to,

1. What is advance fee fraud?

2. Mention four things fraudsters may falsely promise people.

3. List five ways of preventing advance fee fraud.

4. State three types of personal information that should not be shared with strangers.

5. What is another name for advance fee fraud in Nigeria?

6. What should a child do after receiving a suspicious offer or message?