419 scam hits the midlands

Diigo

INTERNATIONAL conmen are increasingly targeting West Midlands internet surfers with crude but crafty money-making scams, the head of the fraud unit warned today.

Known as Nigerian or 419 fraud, the unsolicited e-mails offer hopes of great riches for very little effort or lonely people the chance of companionship.

One, purporting to be from a woman in Ivory Coast, offers to "come and live with you as a lover and I'm ready to do anything of your choice" in return for help to transfer cash out of her country.

While many people simply delete the e-mails, there are concerns some are hoodwinked into handing over their bank account details.

It is thought victims of the con are often too embarrassed to report it to police.

Det Insp Wallis urged people not to be taken in by the letters.

"These e-mails promise huge sums of cash, but inevitably, once contact is made, the victim is asked to part with money up front first. If given, this money will never be seen again," he said.

"In addition, some of the frauds invite you to commit a crime by helping someone to gain funds illegally.

"If you are on the receiving end of an e-mail such as this, we would advise you to send a message to the internet service provider where the e-mail has come from. If it sounds too good to be true it will be."

Diigo