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Fighting back against e-mail fraud
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| You've
got mail - but all too often it's fraudulent these days |
London,
8 September 2003
- ICC Commercial Crime Services (CCS) is backing a recent London Metropolitan
Police move to curtail "419" e-mail frauds - which attempt to
entice victims by inviting them to accept huge sums on their bank accounts
and retain a share for themselves.
The initiative aims
to reduce the countless fraudulent e-mails appealing for assistance being
spammed to in-boxes around the world.
Once contact is made,
the fraudsters seek to persuade their victims to forward money to bank
accounts in Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, Saudi Arabia,
Iraq and even London so that the bogus transaction can be completed.
These frauds are commonly
known as "419" frauds, because of the relevant article in the
Nigerian Penal Code.
Initially experts
advised recipients simply to ignore 419 letters, and this worked to a
limited degree. However, based on a recent dramatic rise in the volume
of such letters sent over the Internet, the London Metropolitan Police
are suggesting a more pro-active approach intended to have a direct impact
on the capacity of the perpetrators to carry out these frauds.
Metropolitan police
are advising that the letters be forwarded to the abuse mailbox of the
ISP from which the e-mail originated.
This tactic appears
to be having some success. Pottengal Mukundan, Director of CCS said: "Thanks
to the London Metropolitan Police, we know this works. Forwarding 419
e-mails to the abuse department of the e-mail provider (e.g. Click here to send a mail.,
Click here to send a mail., etc.) often results in the termination of the fraudster's
e-mail account."
Mr Mukundan added:
"The more people who use this method, the greater its value as a
deterrent. Forwarding 419 letters and other abusive e-mails to professionals
who can address the problem technically gives people a way to fight back
against this blatant abuse of the e-mail system."
CCS suggests that
organizations set up a policy to address the 419 e-mails they receive.
Mr Mukundan noted: "It only takes a couple of minutes to forward
one of these e-mails to the proper authorities, but doing so can cause
real disruption to the activities of 419 fraudsters. Making this part
of an organization's official policies will help reduce mail fraud and
protect employees."
The CCS director added:
"Perpetrators of 419 frauds can cause considerable harm to their
victims. Not only are we encouraging 419 e-mail recipients to take a more
pro-active approach, but we are also calling upon all ISPs receiving these
messages to support this initiative by promptly withdrawing all Internet
privileges of 419 fraudsters."
Full details on what
to do if you receive a 419 letter or e-mail can be found on the Metropolitan
Police Fraud Alert web site at: www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419whattodoif.htm
For more information, contact CCS at Click here to send a mail..org.uk or telephone
+44 208 591 3000.
Commercial Crime Services
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