Spanish police smash £13m email scam

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Spanish police have arrested eight people involved in a Nigerian-led email scam believed to have defrauded Internet users of up to 20m euros (£13m), according to Spain's El Mundo newspaper. Five Nigerians, a British man, a Spanish woman and a minor whose nationality was not disclosed, were arrested in the operation code-named Global Trust, which was carried out with the help of Interpol officials. Interpol could not immediately be reached for comment. The scam involves sending out mass emails that ostensibly come from a prominent African who has tens of millions of dollars but needs help to access it, in return for a share -- often millions of dollars -- of the proceeds. El Mundo reported that the group arrested this week claimed to have money stored in safe deposit boxes in Spain, but told their victims a debt had been incurred with the company holding the boxes, and this had to be paid before the money could be released. More than 300 people -- most of them from the US, France, Germany and Spain -- paid up before the Civil Guard swooped. The police investigation into the scam began several months ago after a US victim reported the group to the authorities. El Mundo said the group had collaborators in several countries. Web pages were designed and managed in the US, and those making contact with potential victims were based in countries as diverse as France, Great Britain, Germany and Pakistan. This arrest marker the second such swoop this year. In May, South African police arrested six people on suspicion of being involved in a similar scam. Police seized a large amount of drugs, as well as computer equipment and false identification papers during the raid. The Nigerian government has set up a unit in London to fight the fraud, but many people are still being taken in. The Metropolitan Police, in conjunction with the Specialist Crime Operational Command Unit, has set up a Web page containing advice about the West African advanced fee fraud. If you have fallen victim to the fraud, you are encouraged to contact the Specialist Crime OCU Fraud Squad by email at 419@spring39.demon.co.uk.
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Talkback

To whom it my concern

recentley i did recived a letter form company
name GLOBAL SECURITY & FIANANCE S.A
calle Pasaj \serrano 21,28002 Madrid, Spain

They saying that i won a lottery from MUNDO LOTTO CMPANY , S.A and they gaved a Ref;2007893/03 and batch mumber 24:00602/xxPDB and asked me to contact Mr.
Pablo Garcia as a foreing agent and his tlephone number is +34 606 299 404 and they asking me fill out a form which give I have them my bank account and address include my phone and one of my relative name and address.

I blieve it is a sam therefore i am contact you to let me know it's a tru or not

via Facebook 21 November, 2003 05:42
Reply

I HAVE RECEIVED EMAIL FROM AV 5 CASTILLA MADRID STATING I HAVE WON $900,000 IN LOTTERY AND ASKING FOR 1750 EUROS BEFORE THIS CAN BE RELEASED.THIS APPEARS TO BE A SCAM AND iIWOULD LIKE TO PASS THIS TO THE AUTHORITIES IN MADRID OR INTERPOL BUT CANNOT FIND ADDRESS.CAN YOU HELP

via Facebook 23 July, 2004 10:06
Reply

hello. recently aone spam email came to a poor old age people of india stating that they had won a lottery and to claim prize money thay have to pay 3000 euros to the spedified bank people ,madrid, spain. the addresses are,[1]el premio lotteria espanol sl ,first international program ,apatdo de correos n 195 ap ,calle sevilla 254 28002,madrid spain
prize money 705,366.87.00 euros
[2]mr.floyed gray ,foreign operation manager , cash change , sa. espana
.+34-625.251814[gray 25@terra.es..dr. matildawilliams international offshore trust,tel+34-625.225756,fax+34-655 373 966matil@international offshoretrust.com

via Facebook 4 September, 2004 20:35
Reply

hello, ialready told that these lottery people are trying to cheat even poor elderly people,is there any way to stop them?if there is real money with these lottery people,will any one or police or law people recover that money and send to these elderly couple ,who lost much money believing this as true.if any one or police wants to contact these elderly people,please send message to my email,iwill give details.

via Facebook 4 September, 2004 20:47
Reply

i received an e-mail from euro million lottery international,they told that i won in this lottery.I sent them an e-mail askig information about what should i present to get the winning. I ve commit a mistake to send the copy of my documents(passport and permit of stay).please tell me what could i do at the moment??????what could happen with my identity??
THANKS A LOT

via Facebook 22 September, 2005 11:54
Reply

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