I’d like to share an e-mail that came my way the other day under the title “request for an urgent assistance” and signed by someone identifying himself as “a former special adviser on petroleum and economic matters to the late head of the state of Federal Republic of Nigeria …”

“Because of my strategic position in the former Government, and also being a close confidant of the Head of State, I was able to acquire personally, the sum of $45,000,000 …” the writer stated. (The language errors in the letter aren’t mine, they’re his.)

“As you are probably aware Nigeria is prone to Political/Economic Instability, hyper inflation, and among other problems, I have therefore resolved to invest my money abroad, preferable in Real Estate Properties and Importation of Goods for safety and optimum returns on Investments.”

I was flattered to learn next that this gentleman was seeking my help, and that there was a little something in it for me, too. To get around Nigerian government restrictions on taking money out of the country, the writer planned to use a courier to export cash in a diplomatic bag.

“All I now need is a honest partner who can receive the money on my behalf and help me to invest as aforementioned,” he wrote. “There is absolutely no risk involved in this transaction as the money will be delivered to you in United States Dollars Bills.”

For my role, I’d receive 30 percent of the $45 million.

To take him up on this too-good-to-be-true offer, I merely needed to respond with my phone and fax numbers. All our subsequent communications were to begin with the code word “kiwi.”

It should be obvious there’s something fishy here, but plenty of people fall for this sort of con. This one is known as the “Nigerian Scam” because that’s where it originated and persists, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., the outfit that protects your bank account.

“This fraud, around since the 1980s, has bilked investors out of billions of dollars and, despite ongoing warnings … is alive and well,” the FDIC said recently in its latest of many alerts on the subject.

The crook ultimately asks the pigeon to help with fees or taxes that have to be paid to free up the money. Once you pay, of course, you never hear from your “partner” again.

Weak economy sparks scams

With stocks well below their records of two years ago and fixed-income investments offering yields in the low single digits, there is a flood of scams promising eye-opening profits, the FDIC says.

Crooks peddling worthless stocks may claim to have secret or inside information. To give the scam credibility and keep it alive, early investors sometimes are paid big profits which actually come from cash put in by the ever-widening circle of suckers. That’s called a Ponzi or pyramid scheme.

In another type of scam, investors are offered certificates of deposit with extraordinarily high interest rates. Some are from “banks” that simply don’t exist.

A recent twist on this involves CDs with unusually long terms sometimes 20 or 30 years before the original investment is returned to the investor. To trick people into buying these, crooks note that CDs are “callable” and imply the investor can redeem the CD without penalty after as little as a year. In fact, “callable” refers to the bank’s right to pay off the CD early, not the investor’s right to redeem early. People who buy these CDs can tie up their principal for decades.

Fixed-income investors are also being taken to the cleaners with fraudulent promissory notes offering big yields. Companies use legitimate promissory notes to raise cash, but the buyers are generally other companies or professional investors, not ordinary consumers. Some promissory notes do offer high yields, but only because there is a high risk that the investor will lose money. These days, crooks preying on yield-hungry investors also are creating phony promissory notes where the risk of loss is 100 percent, the FDIC says.

How to avoid being taken?

The best defense is common sense. The first red flag is the fact the deal sounds too good to be true, especially if it requires an immediate investment and offers sketchy detail. And, if you’ve been singled out, you should ask “why me?”

Next, know whom you’re dealing with. “Be wary of unsolicited investment offers,” the FDIC says. “First, never divulge your Social Security number, bank account numbers and other personal information in response to any unsolicited phone call or letter.”

Also, never rely solely on someone else’s say-so. Get details of an investment in writing, do independent research yourself or ask a pro to look over the offer.

To find out whether a bank is FDIC-insured or to order FDIC consumer information on fraud and other issues, call (877) 275-3342 or use the Web site www.fdic.gov.

To do a free background check of a stockbroker or firm, use the public disclosure program of the National Association of Securities Dealers. Call (800) 289-9999 or use the site, www.nasdr.com. At the home page, click on “Investors” and “About your investment professional.”