you're using ocam's razor a little too fine. The abstract actually said they want the "dumbest" of "dumb" people. Since the Nigerian scams are so well-known,

you're using ocam's razor a little too fine. The abstract actually said they want the "dumbest" of "dumb" people. Since the Nigerian scams are so well-known, only the truly gullibles will fall for their schemes, and those are the ones the scammers want. Their reputations works as a victim filtering system to their advantage.