By John Leyden for The
Register.
This story has been reproduced with permission.
Eight of those detained were carrying false papers. Many others
among the group of West African (mainly Nigerian) suspects are
reckoned to have entered the Netherlands illegally or to have
overstayed their permitted stay.
The alleged scammers are suspected of running a series of
lottery-based (AKA 419-lite) scams. Prospective victims of these
frauds are first informed by email that they have won fictitious
lottery prizes. Victims are then tricked into handing over money-up
front to cover processing fees or other fictitious expenses. The
promised windfalls never materialise and dupes are left nursing
their losses.
Investigators in the Netherlands estimate that 2,000 internet
con-men are active in the country.
© The Register
2007
