Many people are familiar with the Nigerian Scam. I had heard about it on Clark Howard's radio show before they took him off the radio stations I listen to here in Southern California. And then two weeks after Clark talked about it, I got an actual Nigerian Scam letter in the mail. It was too exciting!
But we don't hear much about scams coming out of China. Most of the concerns people have are related to forced/cheap labor and repressive policies. Since China loosened up its economy just a little, however, allowing a measure of capitalism, rogue capitalists have started doing what rogues everywhere do. They're ripping people off.
The AP reported yesterday about a scam that's out of this world. The Beijing Lunar Village Aeronautics Science and Technology Co. sold land on the moon, including mineral rights up to nearly two miles below the lunar surface. They issued certificates verifying the "authenticity" of the buyer's purchase, and were able to sell a total of 49 acres to 34 different buyers at a price of about $37 an acre. Then the Chinese government shut them down.
While this company's actions are reprehensible, their ingenuity is impressive. But I guess they have to go to the moon, since they don't have the Brooklyn Bridge to sell.
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