Since the 1990s, financial crimes have escalated, including crimes such as counterfeiting, corruption, credit card theft, and identity fraud. This epidemic in financial crimes has been driven, in large part, by NCE's who use many different types of scams to prey on individuals as well as financial organizations. Many of these schemes are described, such as the so-called “419 scam” in which American citizens have been duped into advancing Nigerian businessmen funds with the promise of a greater return, which never arrives. NCEs are also involved in check fraud schemes, insurance schemes, and property damage fraud. To counter NCEs criminal activities, the DOJ recently announced a series of strategies to help law enforcement efforts. DOJ proposes to create a series of interagency working groups to investigate NCEs criminal activities; a public education campaign to inform citizens of NCEs scams; and the promotion of intelligence-sharing among law enforcement agencies investigating NCEs. The DOJ recommends that local Assistant U.S. Attorneys vigorously support taskforce efforts to eradicate NCEs activities in the hardest hit American cities.