Couple Charged In $13 Million Nigerian Check Scam
Posted by Media Outrage on October 22nd, 2010
A Florida couple has been charged in a $13 million Nigerian check scam:
It is a scam so complicated police have to draw a diagram to explain it.
At the end of the day, complicated or not, Fort Lauderdale Policetook down a North Lauderdale couple, who allegedly ran a $13 million scam that had ties to Nigerian mobsters.
Using classified ads and Craig’s list, Plenord St. Fort and his wife, Sandra, would offer jobs to victims looking for work as maids.
The St. Forts and the victim would agree to a monthly salary. Soon a check would arrive, but in an amount far in excess of the agreed salary. The unsuspecting victim was instructed to use the remainder of the money to pay rent to a landlord and otherwise manage the home.
The rent money, according to instructions, was to be sent by Western Union Money Order. The original check was a phony, police claim, despite the fact the check would clear.
Meanwhile, using a code, the St. Forts would intercept the payment to the non-existent landlord. That money would be sent to their handlers in Nigeria, who would in turn, send money orders to Haitiwith the St. Ford’s cut of the deal, investigators allege.
Det. Randall Pelham said the couple was in operation for about a year and were producing 12 to 50 phony checks per day.
These were checks with legitimate routing number stolen from major public or private institutions. The St Forts, according to police, had a home office full of printers, blank check paper, hundreds of routing numbers and names of potential victims.
“When we went to serve warrants and searched the house they had lists of identities, checks, check paper, checks in the printer,” Pelham said. “They were printing them out when we came in.”
Not surprisingly, the scam starts in Nigeria, a hot bed of criminal activity. The African nation has become a haven for scammers who have collected stolen credit cards, personal information and banking account numbers.
Officials said the St. Forts were basically operating a local franchise for the Nigerian mob.
Mediaoutrage- SMH
October 22nd, 2010 at 1:27 pm
Wow, well they can scamm each other letters from jail, losers!! they probably get hella time for that shit, wow
[Reply]
October 22nd, 2010 at 3:26 pm
I hope they rot in jail. I get scam emails from Nigeria on a daily basis. This is part of one they sent me today. I have no idea what the hell they’re talking about and even if I did there is no way I would comply with them.
“THIS CARD CENTRE WILL SEND YOU AN ATM CARD WHICH YOU WILL USE TO WITHDRAW YOUR MONEY IN ANY ATM MACHINE IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD, BUT THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT TO WITHDRAW IS TEN THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS PER DAY. SO IF YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND IN THIS WAY, PLEASE LET US KNOW BY CONTACTING THE ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT AND ALSO SEND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS LISTED BELOW TO THE ATM PAYMENT DIRECTOR WHOSE CONTACT INFORMATION IS ALSO OUTLINED BELOW. JUST CALL HIM IMMEDAITELY FOR MORE DETAILS REGARGING YOUR PAYMENT.
1. FULL NAME
2. PHONE AND FAX NUMBER
3. ADDRESS WHERE YOU WANT THEM TO SEND THE ATM CARD TO (P.O.BOX NOT ACCEPTABLE)
4. YOUR AGE AND CURRENT OCCUPATION
CONTACT PERSON:
REV. HENRY UGOMA
DIRECTOR, ATM PAYMENT DEPARTMENT
TELL: +234-802-938-6136
EMAIL: rev_henryu@centrum.sk
THE ATM CARD PAYMENT CENTRE HAS BEEN MANDATED TO ISSUE OUT US$6M AS PART PAYMENT FOR THIS LAST QUARTER OF 2010. ALSO FOR YOUR INFORMATION, YOU HAVE TO STOP ANY FURTHER COMMINUCATION WITH ANY OTHER PERSON(S) OR OFFICE(S)TO AVOID ANY HITCHES IN RECEIVING YOUR PAYMENT.
NOTE:
We have mounted our security network to monitor every in-coming call ,if we still find out that you are still dealing with all those fraudsters that have been frustrating people , we shall stop and cancel your payment immediately.
THANKS.
DR.DAVID MARK
SENATE PRESIDENT {FRCNG}
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.”
[Reply]
Yvonne Reply:
October 22nd, 2010 at 3:34 pm
LOL…. here is a new scam Nigeria got going where they want to help victims who have been scammed by a Nigerian
“The Federal Ministry of Information and Communications
Address: Radio House,
Herbert Macaulay Way (South),
Area 10, P.M.B. 247,
Garki – Abuja
To all scam victims,
We have been informed that hundreds of fake compensation letters/notifications
are being sent out from Nigeria on a daily basic by scammers. The long arms of
the law will surely catch up with them one after the other. We are trying our
best and God is indeed not asleep, the wicked will surely not go unpunished.
Please note that we have never held any scam victims compensation programme in
Nigeria, this is First of Its Kind.
This is to inform you that the Federal Government of Nigeria has increased the
compensation fund from the initial $20,000 to $50,000 per scam victim and has
also instructed the Compensation Commission to duly transfer the sum of fifty
thousand Dollars ($50,000) each to every scam victims as part of the grand
celebration of Nigeria‘s 50th independence anniversary (‘Golden Jubilee’).
If you have been scammed contact the Compensation Commission at their email
address stated below, tell them you have been scammed and you want them to
reimburse you with the sum of $50,000 as instructed by Nigerian Government, send
them your (FULL NAME) for verification and after verifications if truly you have
been scammed you will be reimbursed.
Compensation Commission email address: ngsvcc2010@gmail.com
Warning: Please if you know you have not been scammed do not contact the
compensation commission because your details will be verified at Western Union
and MoneyGram offices to see if truly you have sent money to Nigeria.
We are Projecting favourably the image of the government and people of Nigeria
locally and internationally through a proactive mechanism (in line with global
best practices) of informing, enlightening and educating Nigerians and the
International Community about Nigeria.
Yours sincerely,
Miss. Stephanie Mamuzo
Public Communication Department
The Federal Ministry of Information and Communications
******************************************************************************************************************
If you receive an e-mail or fax from someone you do not know requesting your
assistance in a financial transaction, such as the transfer of a large sum of
money into an account, or claiming you are the next of kin to an wealthy person
who has died, or the winner of some obscure lottery and suffered a significant
financial loss related to the advance fee fraud (so-called “Nigerian scam”),
please contact your local Secret Service field office. The Secret Service
retains these messages for future investigations.
Any type of Crime; Write to the Federal Trade Commission and also contact your
State Attorneys General. Your state Attorney General or local office of consumer
protection is also listed in the government pages of your telephone book.”
[Reply]
October 23rd, 2010 at 1:14 am
nigeria the land of scammers, people should be aware of all those emails stating lots of money is in a bank account, this country that have so many natural riches and people cant find no other jobs but to scam us over here, its about time people realize a scam when they see one. They starting also to email people about their bank account needs to be updated and to send in information, when you reply to the email and sent in personal information they use it to withdraw from your bank account, if any email like that call your bank, the Nigerians are all a bunch of liars and thieves. They hate America but still would do anything to live here. They should be deported back to the miserable country where the government is corrupt.
[Reply]
October 23rd, 2010 at 8:11 am
And the SAD PART is… people actually fall for that shit, and get thousands taken from them! I get lots of those emails ,once i received a check in the mail, for 15,000 and says i won lottery, go cash it and wire it and they will send the rest to me , congratulations,blah blah was in the letter with the check, i laughed my ass off, i called the 800 number they gave me to call and curse their ass out, i ripped that shit up and dont send me no more fake checks in the mail. any one asking for my bank info gets my ass to kiss , my credit union knows that code when they call me, they dont send email or texts, if they dont say that special code, fuck whoever… they gets no attention from me.
[Reply]
March 1st, 2012 at 4:38 am
in addition to general moist couture shop on-line Juicy couture addition to these kinds of handbags
[Reply]
March 23rd, 2012 at 11:00 am
These days your status associated Mulberry alexa and could let you pay for online
[Reply]
March 31st, 2012 at 3:18 pm
Whether or not they are style Prada backpack for instance Madonna, Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Lopez as well as Artist team for example Brad Pitt as well as Tom Vacation, its living is often a elegant occurrence.
[Reply]
April 1st, 2012 at 10:26 am
Your energy is actually appriciated.
[Reply]