One of the scams causing concern – known as the West African 419 advance fee fraud – has surfaced again for the third time in as many years. The 419 fraud (named after a section of the Nigerian Criminal Code) is popular with West African criminals.
Letters, e-mails, faxes and telephone calls all involve requests to help move large sums of money with the promise of a substantial share of the cash in return. The sender asks people for their bank account details in order, they claim, to forward them the money.
Commenting, Lead County Council Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Councillor Bob Tidy, said:” Once again we have evidence of this type of scam appearing in East Sussex. Anyone who receives one of these requests whether it is by letter, e-mail, fax, or telephone should remember – if it sounds too good to be true, then it is! I would urge any resident who receives one of these scams to contact their local Police Force fraud squad who are collating information on behalf of the Serious Crime Squad in London.”
Many people have already become victims of this fraud. Losses can range from the low thousands to much more. True figures however, have been impossible to verify as many of the victims, embarrassed by their naiveté and feeling personally humiliated, do not report the crime.
Further information about the 419 fraud can be found via the internet at www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm Residents without access to a computer can use the internet free of charge at any of the County Council’s main libraries.
Reference:
04/240/JW
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