Ep 1. Scams

Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller is a documentary series that explores some of the world's most dangerous black markets. In season 1 episode 1, titled "Scams," the host Mariana van Zeller delves into the world of online fraud.

The episode begins with a scene of Mariana in a cramped cybercafe in Lagos, Nigeria, where she meets a group of young men who make their living by scamming people online. They call themselves "Yahoo Boys," named after the internet giant Yahoo, and they use a variety of tactics to trick their victims into sending them money.

Mariana speaks with Johnson, one of the Yahoo Boys, who explains how they use fake profiles on dating websites to lure in their targets. They spend hours chatting with them online, wooing them with romantic messages, and then ask for money for various reasons. Sometimes they claim they need the money for a sick family member, other times they say they want to buy a plane ticket to come visit their victim.

Mariana also talks to a woman who was scammed by a Yahoo Boy. She thought she was in a relationship with a wealthy businessman from the United States, only to find out that he was a fraudster from Nigeria. She lost over $30,000 in the scam and was left heartbroken.

Next, Mariana travels to Romania, where she meets Marius, a former hacker turned cyber security expert. He shows her how scammers use phishing emails to steal people's personal information and access their bank accounts. He demonstrates how easy it is to create a fake email that looks like it's from a legitimate company and trick people into clicking on a link that leads to a fake website.

Mariana also speaks with a former scammer named Alex, who admits that he used to run a "boiler room" operation, where he would hire people to make cold calls and pressure their victims into buying fake investment opportunities. He says that he was making a lot of money, but eventually, he realized that he was hurting people and decided to quit.

In the final segment, Mariana travels to Mumbai, India, where she meets a group of call center workers who are trained to scam people in the United States. They pretend to be from the IRS or Microsoft and convince their victims to pay them money or give them access to their computer. Mariana watches as they use scripts to manipulate their targets and tries to understand how they can justify their actions.

Throughout the episode, Mariana presents a balanced view of the people involved in the scams. She acknowledges that many of them are driven by poverty and desperation, but also makes it clear that their behavior is not excusable. She sheds light on the psychological and emotional impact that scams can have on their victims, often leaving them devastated and broke.

Overall, "Scams" is a fascinating and eye-opening look at the world of online fraud and the people who perpetrate it. Mariana's empathetic approach and willingness to listen to all sides of the story make the episode both informative and engaging. It's a must-watch for anyone interested in the darker side of the internet.