Tuesday, January 09, 2007
A Nigerian man who helped defraud two Jefferson County brothers out of $115,000 beseeched guilty in St. Louis last week in a rare U.S.-based trial of a well-famous Internet-based fraud. Femi Ikuopenikan, 35, who lived in Houston before his seize, pleaded accountable in federal court Thursday of conspiracy to cheat the U.S.
The fraud is usually recognized as the "Nigerian scam" or "419 frauds," for a section of the Nigerian criminal code. Victims are told that for a petite fee of taxes, customs fees or expenses, they could earn millions helping government officials or diplomats will money out of the country.
There are many variations, but they all function on the same principle: Victims send thousands of dollars overseas and get nothing but discomfiture in return. U.S. prosecutions are rare as the scammers function mainly from overseas and conceal their identities.
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Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Police are now warning residents of a scam, which cost one woman here more than $5,000.
The scammers called the woman this week claiming she had won a $250,000 sweepstakes and asked to send $2,800 to a Canadian location to cover income taxes charges.
Another day the woman was asked to send another $2,900 that she sent via a wire service, police said. Before she sent another $2,700 to the scammer, a friend intervenes and called police.The scheme is known to be Advance Fee Fraud or 419 Scam, and police warn that lawful sweepstakes and lotteries do not use such tactics. Generally, victims are asked to send a small amount of money with the promise of a larger prize.
Anyone who had lost money to one of such schemes may call police and anyone with information about this recent incident is asked to call Ormond Beach police at 386-677-0731 or Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida at 1-888-277-8477.