A gang sending out Nigerian scam letters, aimed at victims in Germany, France, the Netherlands and Spain, were operating from Lisbon, until their arrests today.The Judicial Police unit that combats cyber and technology crime (UNCT), launched an operation to dismantle a gang sending out so-called ‘Nigerian scam' letters and will be charging those involved with computer fraud, forgery of documents and money laundering.
According to Carlos Cabreiro, director of UNCT, the organisation’s centre of operations in Lisbon was used for fraudulent schemes aimed at grooming victims with the aim of relieving them of their money.
Nigerian scams involve someone overseas offering the victim a share in a large sum of money or a payment on the condition the victim helps them to transfer money out of their country.
"One of the main people in the organisation” was arrested, along with another alleged scammer.
The police say that in the course of the investigation, several incriminating documents were seized, as well as several computers and phones all of which will be subject to digital forensic examination.
Early signs point to the happy conclusion that the police have managed to close down a major player in the practice of Nigerian scams aimed at victims in various countries in Europe.
The dismantling of the network in Portugal, will have ramifications in Germany, France, the Netherlands and Spain, from which several suspicious money transfers were made.
The police are now using information gained, to link with other international cybercrime police forces, “with a view to determining the extent of the criminal activity."
According to Carlos Cabreiro, the victims are persuaded to provide personal and banking data, "enticed with promises of future funds" in a development of scams that began in the 1990s, although back then the crooks used letters, not emails.
While these scams originated in Nigeria, they now come from all over the world - including Portugal, as we discovered today.
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For more information on Nigerian scams, click HERE
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N.B. avoid anything that starts like this:
Dear Sir,
Good day and compliments. This letter will definitely come to you as a huge surprise, but I implore you to take the time to go through it carefully as the decision you make will go off a long way to determine the future and continued existence of the entire members of my family....
Good day and compliments. This letter will definitely come to you as a huge surprise, but I implore you to take the time to go through it carefully as the decision you make will go off a long way to determine the future and continued existence of the entire members of my family....
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