Deleting spam from the inbox is a waste of time. Could you imagine what a huge waste it would be if you started responding to the sender, to politely decline their invitation?

“No, I’m sorry, but at this time I don’t need any amazing pre$cr%ption pills. Thanks for asking!”

Yet if you’re trying to sell something online, it’s occasionally worthwhile to respond to what may be fraudulent inquiries. Scams. Some scams come from Nigeria. Some come from the US or other countries. The ones in the inbox are probably far less risky than the ones in the capital – but that’s not what this blog is about.

This blog is about practical and useful business advice. So if you’re considering responding to a sales inquiry from Nigeria, here are some tips that might make your job easier.

As a rule you shouldn’t respond to spam, or anything that looks like spam. Your response would likely place your email on a priority spam list (you’ll be profiled as a “responder”, and that will make your email address more valuable to spammers.) Respond now, and you’ll get a lot more spam in the future.

You should never respond to phishing emails. If you’re not sure what phishing emails are, please visit the Anti-Phishing Working Group.

But let’s assume that you receive a seemingly legitimate sales inquiry from Nigeria. You’ve never exported to Nigeria before, and the prospective buyer’s message makes you think this could be an easy sale. Why not?

First, you should seriously consider if there aren’t better ways to spend your time. Prospective foreign markets are rapidly becoming e-commerce markets, as more and more people around the world get online. Establishing a secure transaction with a customer in Nigeria is certainly possible, and it can be of great benefit to your business. And it won’t be easy. The transaction costs of researching and arranging the sale could actually end up costing you more than you stand to profit on the sale.

Still interested? I recommend that your next step be to email the prospective buyer with a list of detailed questions. Ask their full name, physical address, phone number, all contact information. Ask how they found you, what they want to do with your product, ask a lot of questions. If the person responds, the information may or may not be accurate, but their willingness to politely answer questions will be a sign of authenticity.

Then, Consumer Affairs lists 13 articles related to Nigeria and scams. It’s probably a good idea to skim through them. If you’re convinced that the inquiry doesn’t look like a common scam, you should email the US Commercial Service office in Lagos. Introduce yourself, and describe the transaction you are interested in conducting. They can advise as to the proper channels for that type of commercial activity.

Finally, this is by no means an introduction to international trade. There are plenty of other sites that can offer you that information. Trading with Nigeria could be a great opportunity for the right business; maybe for your business. Good luck.