The Nigerian Advance Fee Fraud Scam — aka the 419 Fraud — is getting more advanced.
Now armed with more detailed documents and in some cases references to religious connections, perpetrators behind financial scams in Nigeria and other West African countries continue to target businesses in the United States — including Rhode Island. Their goal is simple, according to Secret Service Agent John J. Enright, who directs the Providence office.
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“They’re trying to get money out of this country,” Enright said. Enright said the scams have been going on for years (419 is the section of the Nigerian Penal Code that deals with such fraud). A letter arrives from Nigeria asking a United States businessman to invest money to get a rather vague business venture off the ground. All they need, often, is your banking account numbers. But despite getting letters filled with misspellings and grammatical errors, some business people are attracted by the lure of easy money. Don’t be, Enright said.
“People see a chance to make a bundle of money, simply by using their bank account,” says Enright.
“Don’t get involved — end of story.” Enright is turning to the media for help. He wants to get the word out that “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
It’s a fraud perpetrated by organized crime-like elements and it’s been going on for years, he said. But of late, it has become even more sophisticated. “We’re seeing evidence of new angles for this fraud,” says Enright.
Those angles include a religious component.
“A lot of Nigerian churches have been set up as fronts for illegal enterprises,” Enright said.
Now, some businesses are getting letters from churches which detail convoluted transactions, some even suggesting that family wills have supposedly been contested and assistance is needed from outside sources to free-up capital. The common denominator in all of the letters is that some kind of money — or access to money — is needed immediately. In part, one such letter read; “Nevertheless, I would have applied directly for the payment but it is wise and necessary to move this fund out from this country immediately as I do not want to take any chance. I therefore want you to assist me by providing a bank account, either a company or a private account where this money will be remitted. You will have the sum of $10 million USD for your assistance. Nevertheless, apart from the $10 million USD, the Almighty God is certainly going to bless you immediately for your assistance, as this money will be used to propagate the Word of God here on earth.”
In addition to the religious angle, the scam has become more of a concern of late, said Enright, because it is no longer confined to Nigeria. Scams, he said, are emanating from other West African countries, such as Liberia. And, he said, there is a definite danger in dealing with such elements.
“We believe there is a network out there of West African organized crime,” he said. Many years ago, said Enright, a team of Secret Service agents rescued four American citizens who were being held captive in Liberia, after a scam had gone awry.
“That’s how far it can go,” said Enright. “Once you step foot in their country and meet you at the airport, they’ve got you.” Most scams, of course, don’t reach a life-threatening state. But they can be costly. Enright said a Rhode Island business that recently responded to an inquiry from Liberia, went as far as to send along close to $1,000 for a “license” to do business in that country. Soon after, company officials became convinced that they were in fact being swindled.
What often makes matters worse, said Enright, is the fact that some business people are too embarrassed at having been ripped off to go to authorities.
“And some people do not want to believe that they have been taken,” Enright said. The Secret Service has established a task force in Washington, D.C. to address the problem. Enright said government officials in West African countries have been somewhat helpful in attempting to prosecute such cases, but they have their own reservations about American businesses looking to make a quick buck of their own. Enright can understand their point.
“You are responding to what appears to be an illegal activity,” Enright said.
The U.S. Attorney’s office in Providence, according to spokesman Tom Connell, gets several letters each week related to such scams. Connell said he is not surprised that the scams are getting more complex. And once you respond to such a scam, he said, the perpetrators only increase the pressure and tactics.
“The way they know they have a sucker is if you reply,” Connell said. If you suspect that you have been taken by a scam contact the U.S. Secret Service at 380 Westminster St., in Providence. Enright can be reached at 331-6456.
