30 Nigerians Arrested In U.S. During Crackdown On Email Scammers

The authorities of the United States have arrested 74 people as part of an effort to combat email scam artists, and among those apprehended were nearly 30 from Nigeria.

The BBC reports that the arrests come on the back of a coordinated crackdown on people who convince correspondents to wire them money for fraudulent activities.

The cases also involve a growing type of fraud known as “business email compromise” that targets employees with access to corporate finances. The fraudsters send emails that appear to be from trusted corporate executives or vendors, which instruct targeted employees to wire funds to accounts controlled by criminals.

The same groups also ran similar scams targeting individuals, including real-estate buyers and the elderly.

The US said such scams are prevalent and pledged to pursue perpetrators “regardless of where they are located”.

Authorities also said they have seized, recovered or disrupted more than $16m (£12m) since January.

The effort, which involved local and federal law enforcement agencies, targeted scammers who trick people into transferring them money, for example by impersonating a business partner or colleague.

In one case, the US alleged that two Nigerians living in Dallas posed as a property seller when requesting a $246,000 wire transfer from a real estate attorney.

Authorities also went after “money mules” – “witting or unwitting accomplices” who receive the money from the victims and transfer it as directed by the fraudsters.

FBI Director Christopher Wray, whose agency funded and coordinated the operation, said: “This operation demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to disrupt and dismantle criminal enterprises that target American citizens and their businesses.”

“The devastating effects these cases have on victims and victim companies, affect not only the individual business but also the global economy,” the US said.