Hundreds arrested in international fraud schemes (Mostly Nigerian Fraud)

Yahoo News ^ | 05/23/2006 | Reuters

[DannyTN]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than 565 people on three continents have been arrested over the past year as part of an international operation targeting mass-marketing fraud schemes, the U.S. Justice Department said on Tuesday.

The department said about 2.8 million people had fallen victim to the fraud schemes that were carried out through the Internet, by telemarketers and through mass mailings.

Through "Operation Global Con," police in countries across North and South America and Europe have uncovered a number of scams and have arrested 565 people since March 1, 2005. The majority of the arrests were made in Spain, followed by the United States, Canada and the Netherlands.

Some of the schemes included sweepstakes fraud, when a victim is told he or she has won a large amount of money in a sweepstakes but must first pay bogus "fees" or "taxes" on the winnings. Once the victim sends the payment, no sweepstakes winnings are ever received.

Other scams include fake offers of "pre-approved" credit cards and loans, offers of nonexistent investments and tax fraud schemes.

About 2.8 million victims have suffered losses totaling more than $1 billion in relation to these fraud scams.

Officials said elderly people were often targets of the fraud because they are perceived to be more vulnerable and willing to believe the mail or telephone offers.

[DannyTN]

I didn't see any arrests in African countries though. I still think we should unplug from the internet countries that will not enforce against spam operations run from their territory.

Now if they will just go after the jerks that keep sending me photos of drop dead georgeous Russian models and wanting me to send funds for airline tickets over the untraceable Western Union service. (thanks for the pics though)

[mtbopfuyn]

It's a start.

[edcoil]

Ever wonder why these people with millions to give you always use "free" email sites like yahoo.com and hotmail?

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

These f***ing third worlders do nothing to create wealth, but use every opportunity to steal wealth from the first. A month ago I almost fell victim to a major eBay scam involving a decent amount of money, where a scam was being operated by someone in the "third world" using an unsuspecting college kid in the US as a front. Fortunately the detectives from the local police station were able to contact the kid and crack the case. But by then these third world scamsters had already retracted into their third world hell holes, but thankfully I was able to get my money back.

[Fester Chugabrew]

Rep William Jefferson (D): Perhaps his assets were temporarily frozen to be thawed out later in Nigeria.

[dynachrome]

Oh, man. Does this mean Rose ain't gonna send me the money?
She called me dearest one. (first one I ever received)


"FROM ROSE GUEI
From rose225 | 05/18/2006 11:24:02 AM MDT read





FROM ROSE GUEI
Abidjan cote D`Ivoire
West Africa.
E-mail= roseguei090@yahoo.fr

Dearest One,

I am the first duaghter of an ex military/ex president been an opposition party to the present Government of COTE D`IVOIRE. On the 19th sept 2002 my father/mother including every members of our family was murdered by the unknown REBELS during the time they attack our house by shooting and looting, even this is one of the things that contributed to the present crisis in our country today.

God so kind I was not in town when the incident occurred, the plans of the REBELS is to kill every members of our family so that no one will rise up to revenge as time goes on. I am in our country without any one knowing although I am on hiding so that the unknown REBELS will not get to me and kill me like they killed all the members of our family. Why I still stay back in our country is to transfer the $18.5mUSD which my late father deposited in the custody of one of the SECURITY ASSISTANCE COMPANY,here in Abidjan,he deposited the fund as a family treasure containing AFRICAN ART WORK FOR EXPORT for security reasons, as security company does not operate as bank where some one can deposit his/her money openly.

Before the death of my father he gave me the covering documents of the fund deposited in the security company, as I am his first duaghter and he so much loved me that was why he made me the beneficiary of the two iron trunk boxes containing the $18.5mUSD.

Right now I wish to transfer this fund to you so that you will assist me to invest the money into any viable sector in your country, also you will help me to join you in your country for me to start up a new life with you there immediately the fund gets to you. since I am no longer safe as far as Africa is concern at the moment, I wanted to transfer the fund before leaving the country because this fund is my last hope and the only hope I have now.

Before I even pick you to assist me I have prayed and slept over it asking God to provide for me a Godly minded person that will assist me in this transaction. I will give you more details of the transaction in my next mail with my pictures ok.(roseguei090@yahoo.fr)


Awaiting to here from you.
Thanks and God bless you.

Miss Rose Guei."

[DannyTN]

LOL, his assets really were frozen weren't they? He's the only person I know who froze his own assets.

[layman]

2.8 million people had fallen victim to the fraud schemes

It's like P.T. Barnum said .... a new sucker is born every day. It's just like it's always been, but different.

[IronJack]

Oh, oh. I'm getting the feeling I may have to cancel the lease on that Lamborghini ...

[Billthedrill]

Those guys better not have screwed up my $15 million money transfer, that's all I can say...

[MichiganMan]

unsuspecting college kid

I'm sorry but I just can't help blaming the victims for these things. This isn't some intricate multi-level scam where honest people follow the rules and still lose their pensions to some predator. To fall for one of these Nigerian scams you have to be both greedy and a moron, a dangerous combination. If these idiots didn't fall for these ridiculous scams, they would be all over the net. Same with the "R3a1 v1agra (heap" spams that fill our mailboxes everyday, its the idiot suckers that make it profitable that are responsible for it being everywhere.

[seppel]

then you can unplug African countries now. period. Africa has no law enforcement worth mentioning. the only countries which had systematic law enforcement were Rhodesia and the old South Africa.

[freedumb2003]

The department said about 2.8 million people had fallen victim to the fraud schemes that were carried out through the Internet, by telemarketers and through mass mailings.

So we have the low water mark for idiots who use the Internet.

[DannyTN]

or the saying..."A fool and his money are good for business".

[DannyTN]

"then you can unplug African countries now. period.

Wouldn't it save us all a lot of time?

[DannyTN]

To fall for one of these Nigerian scams you have to be both greedy and a moron, a dangerous combination.

When it comes to "help me transfer my uncle's illegitimate gains", then I agree that takes a really greedy person to fall for that.

But our governments have trained us now to accept lotteries. And our major corporations have taught the thrill of playing sweepstakes. Is it so hard to believe that you've won an international lottery?

The elderly and the young don't think clearly. If you allow them to be ripped off on the net, you can blame the victims all you want, but the reality is that fraud is going to be rampant, because there are always going to be victims. If you want fraud reduced, you must go after the fraudsters.

And when it comes to the dating scams, you should see the two beauties that arrived in my inbox today. There's not a heterosexual man alive that wouldn't cut off his left and right arms for a chance to hold them. Would I pay for the cost of an airplane ticket to fly one of them to me. ABSOLUTELY. Would I pay it, knowing that net fraud is rampant, and that there are inexpensive ways to verify identity. No. But I'd pay $35 to verify identity of one of these babes, in a heartbeat. It's just they always go away when I mention verification. I guess I'm offending them.

[bigeasy_70118]

Bill Jefferson's defense is that he was a victim of a Nigerian fraud scheme. Except in his case, he actually got the money!

[DannyTN]

"Bill Jefferson's defense is that he was a victim of a Nigerian fraud scheme. Except in his case, he actually got the money!"

Is that really his defense?

I loved the part of the article where he was laughing and joking about "why are we writing notes, it's not like the FBI is watching us".

[bigeasy_70118]

Is that really his defense?

Only in Louisiana would it have a reasonable chance of success.

[DannyTN]

"Only in Louisiana would it have a reasonable chance of success."

LOL, you know I'm from Louisiana originally.

Didn't Edwards say something to the effect of, "Sure my wife took the money. They offered it and she took it. So what?"