I can end Nigeria's fraud problem

....Or can't I?
Anyone who has ever searched for anything on the internet must be aware of the Nigerian 419 scams splattered all over. From eBay to local classifieds websites to even Nigerian websites, desperate people are inventing new ways to con people out of their hard-earned money.

The question is : How can we bring an end to this and save our already tainted image? I guess the answer to this question lies at the very root of the problem, as the saying goes : There is not smoke without fire. What is the "fire" underneath 419? Who are the people and why do they do this? I tried to google in "419 statistics" there were no profitable results. I guess I'll have to go with "head statistics" then. Most of these people range between 14 and 45. Most of them are usually secondary school dropouts, secondary school graduates who cannot make it into university. University drop-outs, job-seekers, layabouts etc. What these people have in common is that they need to find a source of income, for self and for family, by hook or by crook, even if it is at the expense of others in foreign countries, or even at the expense of their own lives.

How can we give these people alternative routes acheiving their goals? By creating new jobs? If so, how can one create options which are free and fair to everyone and do not depend on one having "connections", first class honours or being under 40 years of age? Do we encourage young people to start their businesses? (Theory being if 1million young people employ 10 people each....) If we decide to go down that route, we will need to support them. Financially and otherwise.. no be for mouth (Not just by speaking) Or do we develop one BIG wheel which we can churn from one end, while they can churn the other, providing them with a source of income without making them have to invest money they do't have? Hmm that sounds feasible. That is what Awoof is all about. Inventing that wheel. Synergy. Empowering people. Stomping out 419.