Advance
Fee Fraud Scam Letters & Lottery Scams Introduction
/ Process to follow / Legal Instrument /
Cost / Forms to be completed / Location
and Contacts Introduction The
so-called Nigerian Letter Scam is intrinsically an advance fee fraud. The fraud
is also known as the "419 scam" and is operated by a fraudster, usually
a member of a criminal syndicate. These scams originated from Nigeria but syndicates
of other countries have become involved in advance fee fraud scams. The
scam is initiated with the fraudster contacting a targeted company, either by
fax, mail or e-mail. A business proposal is made, usually by a syndicate posing
as senior government officials. The fraudsters claim that they are in possession
of a large amount of over-budgeted money, usually American dollars. The proposal
entails the transfer of the over-budgeted money to a bank account outside of the
country where the scam originates, which is that of the targeted company. The
person receiving the correspondence is generally promised between 20 to 35 percent
of the money to be transferred as commission for the use of his/her bank account. The
money is obtained from the victim in a number of ways, such as: - Requesting
the victim to deposit money into a specified bank account to help cover expenses
for completing the deal;
- Once the original fee has been paid,
"complications" may arise which necessitate the payment of more fees;
-
Organising a meeting in certain countries and, once the victim is in the said
country, his passport is confiscated and he/she is detained until sufficient payment
is received;
- Using the bank details on official letterheads to
transfer money out of the victim's bank account and into an account under the
control of the criminals.
A lottery scam is initiated by the fraudster
contacting individuals randomly, normally by e-mail. The fraudster poses as an
official of a Lottery Company and advises the individual that he/she won a lottery
to which the individual never purchased a ticket. The winning numbers are quoted
in the correspondence and although the Lottery Company to which the fraudster
claims to belong may exist and the numbers be the winning numbers (these are published
by the Company), this is a scam. The same methods are used as with the 419 scam
to extract money from the intended victim.
Process
to follow
- Upon receiving a scam letter, all documentation, information
and correspondence should be forwarded to Interpol. Interpol will liase all matters
regarding scams with the Commercial Crime Unit of the South African Police Service.
Interpol's contact details are as follows:
Tel No: (+27) 12 309 3866
Fax
No: (+27) 12 309 3003/4
E-mail: vdventera@saps.org.za - South
African citizens and residents.
o State whether there has been "No Financial
Loss" or "Financial Loss" on the documents received and forward
them to Interpol.
o Provide your contact details and telephone number(s)
or of the individual(s) affected. - Foreign citizens and residents:
o
Fax a copy of the "419" correspondence received to Superintendent Anso
van Deventer or the nearest South African High Commission/Embassy/Consulate-General
for onward transmission to the South African Police Service.
o Furnish
banking data (if applicable).
o State whether there has been "No Financial
Loss" or "Financial Loss".
o If there is a South African
connection to the "419" operation, state clearly all relevant details.
o
Provide your contact details and telephone number(s) or those of the individual(s)
affected. - Additional information pertaining to these scams is available
on the South African Police Services website at www.saps.org.za (link) where details
pertaining to the operation of the scheme, indicators of a possible scam, the
number of ways in which money is obtained from the victim, as well as precautionary
measures are outlined.
- Progress reports will not be submitted
to individuals where there has been no financial loss. However, it is important
that the South African Police Service still be furnished with copies of the "419"
scam letters for inclusion in their database.
Legal
Instrument
The Branch of the Commercial Crime Unit and the Minister of Trade
and Industry have criminalised the 419 Advance Fee Scam letters and gazetted this
in Government Gazette No 22459 of 13 July 2001 and General Notice No 1643 of the
same date.
Cost
Service
is free
Forms to be completed
None.
It is important to indicate on the documentation if a financial loss was incurred.
Location
and Contacts
Tel No: (+27) 12 309 3866
Fax No: (+27) 12 309 3003/4
E-mail:
vdventera@saps.org.za SAPS website:
www.saps.gov.za/crime_prevention/commercial_crime/419_scams/419_index.htm
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