There is a growing trend by criminals around the world to use electronic means, including false emails, to scam unsuspecting people out of their hard-earned cash. Many of these con artists send out emails randomly claiming that they need help to release millions of dollars from frozen accounts. A well-known example of this is the 419 letter scam which was developed in Nigeria and later spread to other parts of Africa, Malaysia, Philippines, Russia, Ukraine, United States, United Kingdom, Canada and other countries, according to Wikipedia. The 419 scam artists would ask a person to send an advance payment to help release the frozen funds. In return, the poor victim would be promised a percentage of the millions. Dr. Abdulla Al-Salafi, a legal consultant from Riyadh, told Saudi Gazette that these con artists ask for advance payment to help “release the stolen funds”. He confirmed that many of these operators are linked to gangs in Nigeria and have associates in the US, Britain, Canada, Japan and other west African countries. He said the fraudsters get email addresses from telephone directories and commercial newspapers. The emails sent often attempt to appear as letters from banks or government departments. They also often mention that they are selling crude oil. Al-Salafi said that political and legislative changes are needed to counter these criminals and reduce fraud and corruption. He said it is a global problem and the public, in particular businessmen, should be educated about the dangers of these emails. One of the latest email scams doing the rounds, which can be found on the website www.419baiter.com, are a series of letters purportedly written by Safia Farkash Gaddafi, second wife of Muammar Gaddafi, the late Libyan leader. The letter claims she is seeking a foreign partner to help her release millions of dollars from accounts frozen by the United Nations and Western governments. Each letter, often in poor English, states different amounts, ranging from US $12 million to over US $100 million. One letter, which has been edited to improve the English, states the following: “Dear friend, I am Safia Farkash, wife of the late Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, who was murdered by the unfaithful opposition leaders in my country recently. Before the sudden death of my husband, we managed to escape to a neighboring country, Algeria, with the help of some loyal security officers. We have been under house arrest since our arrival here which makes it impossible for me to communicate properly. I know that the new Libyan government will do anything to confiscate all my husband's hidden assets to make life unbearable for my family.” “I am desperately looking for a reliable foreign partner whom I can trust with the sum of US $100 million that was deposited by my late husband on my behalf with a security company in Europe, before the advent of this crisis that led to his sudden death and seizure of power by the opposition.” “The UN and the Western world have frozen most of our assets and funds bearing Gaddafi's name everywhere in the world and we cannot afford to lose these funds because it is our last hope for survival.” “Our status at present does not permit us to open an account or run any huge financial business at the moment, hence I contacted you to claim the funds. The necessary legal documents will be changed to your name to enable the release of the funds to you by the finance company. Your assistance will enable us to invest the funds in your country under your careful supervision.” “But before we proceed, I want you to reassure me of your honesty and that you will not betray or abscond with the funds when it is eventually released to you. My attorney in Europe will be in the position to render all the necessary assistance you might need to secure the release of these funds from the finance company. I am willing to give you 30 percent of the sum for securing the fund, and 10 percent for any expenses that you might incur during the process of securing the release of the funds. I will meet you at a later stage to collect my 60 percent so that I can start a new and happy life.” “I will furnish with more information as soon as I receive a response indicating your interest to partner with me. At present I don't receive or make calls for security reasons as it is being monitored. All communication is based on the Internet. Waiting for your prompt and positive response. Thanks, Mrs. Safia Farkash Gaddafi.” There was recently a much-publicized case in Saudi Arabia, in October last year, of a businessman from Tabuk, Hamdan Bin Saleh Al-Shammari, who was reportedly lured to Nigeria by e-mails claiming profitable business opportunities in that country. He was kidnapped at the airport in the capital Abuja. His captors, posing as business partners, drove him 100 kilometers from the capital and demanded US $150 million (SR563 million) for his release. He was reportedly later rescued from his captors. There was also an incident involving Sabria Jawhar, the former Saudi Gazette journalist, who had her email accounts hacked. The hacker then sent out emails to her mail addresses claiming that she had lost her purse and needed money at a conference in Nigeria. The criminals often use political developments in countries to entice potential victims, such as the land issue in Zimbabwe. One such email claims to be from Anderson Martins, the son of a Zimbabwean farmer, Philip Martins, who was murdered over a land dispute in Zimbabwe. “I got your contact on the American network online/trade Journal, and decided to write you. Before the death of my father, he had taken me to the Republic of South Africa for our annual holiday in 2002. During our holiday he deposited a sum of US $25 million with a private security company, as he foresaw the looming danger in Zimbabwe,” the letter stated. __
