T
Tony Raven
Guest
Its been discussed here occasionally but for those who think "How could anyone possibly fall for
it", they still do. Sad but amusing.
Tony
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3323639.stm
Chemist's shop caught in cash scam
A Highlands chemist's shop has become unwittingly involved in a Nigerian-based money scam. Victims
from as far afield as New Zealand and the US were promised they would inherit an oil company in
return for an up-front fee.
They were instructed by a man calling from Nigeria to pay the money into an account at an alleged
bank in Thurso, in Caithness.
But the bank did not exist and the address was a chemist's shop.
Arlen Hughes, from Wyoming in the United States, was told he would inherit £41m if he paid
£32,000 up front.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I received a phone call from a fella in Nigeria saying that
I had inherited an oil company.
"They were very professional. I found a registered number in Scotland and so the search I had found
led me to believe they were on the uppity-up.
"So when I began to deal with them I believed they were legitimate."
Detective superintendent Gordon Urquhart, from Northern Constabulary, confirmed the scam and said
the address was that of the chemist shop.
He added: "It is a bona fide operating pharmacy.
"The telephone number is merely a conduit of a number which puts you on to another number in London,
we understand."
Now victims are contacting the chemists in a bid to get their cash back.
Shop manager Andrew Paterson told Today: "We had a Mediterranean couple come in looking for a bank.
"After a while we suggested maybe they should go round to the police.
"They did seem a little bit upset about it."
it", they still do. Sad but amusing.
Tony
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3323639.stm
Chemist's shop caught in cash scam
A Highlands chemist's shop has become unwittingly involved in a Nigerian-based money scam. Victims
from as far afield as New Zealand and the US were promised they would inherit an oil company in
return for an up-front fee.
They were instructed by a man calling from Nigeria to pay the money into an account at an alleged
bank in Thurso, in Caithness.
But the bank did not exist and the address was a chemist's shop.
Arlen Hughes, from Wyoming in the United States, was told he would inherit £41m if he paid
£32,000 up front.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I received a phone call from a fella in Nigeria saying that
I had inherited an oil company.
"They were very professional. I found a registered number in Scotland and so the search I had found
led me to believe they were on the uppity-up.
"So when I began to deal with them I believed they were legitimate."
Detective superintendent Gordon Urquhart, from Northern Constabulary, confirmed the scam and said
the address was that of the chemist shop.
He added: "It is a bona fide operating pharmacy.
"The telephone number is merely a conduit of a number which puts you on to another number in London,
we understand."
Now victims are contacting the chemists in a bid to get their cash back.
Shop manager Andrew Paterson told Today: "We had a Mediterranean couple come in looking for a bank.
"After a while we suggested maybe they should go round to the police.
"They did seem a little bit upset about it."
