Helpful Information

Advance Fee Fraud - Fraud Scheme Information 

Public Awareness

Each year, thousands of people lose money to sophisticated Advance Fee Fraud (AFF) schemes. These are known internationally as 4-1-9 fraud, after the section of the Nigerian penal code which addresses fraud schemes. Victims are usually contacted through email with promises of lottery winnings, an inheritance, an incredible investment opportunity, or other ways to get rich quickly.
 
Unfortunately, many of these schemes are actively operating in The Netherlands, and American citizens may fall prey to these criminals. Please be advised that offers of money that will be made available to you in The Netherlands are likely to be fraudulent, and that money spent on such schemes cannot be recovered.
 
Perpetrators of 4-1-9 schemes are often very creative and innovative, and use a variety of tactics to entice victims into the scheme. Many victims are convinced that they have been singled out from the masses to share in multi-million-dollar windfall profits for doing absolutely nothing. Before you are tempted to participate in such an offer, please review some common features of fraud schemes.

• An individual or company receives a e-mail, letter or fax from an alleged official representing a foreign government or agency;
  
• An offer is made to transfer millions of dollars in "over-invoiced contract" funds into a personal bank account;
  
• The individual is encouraged to travel overseas to complete the transaction;
  
• The individual is requested to provide blank company letterhead forms, bank account information, telephone/fax numbers, etc.;
  
• The individual receives numerous documents with official looking stamps, seals, and logo testifying to the authenticity of the proposal;

The individual is asked to provide up-front or advance funds for various taxes, attorney fees, transaction fees or bribes.

Other forms of 4-1-9 schemes include: c.o.d. for goods or services, real estate ventures, purchase of crude oil at reduced prices, beneficiary of a will, lottery winner, recipient of an award and paper currency conversion. While the victim's bank account information may be requested, this is often an indicator to the culprit that they have hooked another victim, rather than an attempt to plunder the account. They will gain access to your money through other means!

If you should be approached about participating in such a scheme, please resist the temptation! Again, money invested in a 4-1-9 scheme cannot be recovered.

Fraud and romance

In addition, the growth in popularity of internet romance has led to a further growth of fraudulent online activities.  The Consulate General in Amsterdam has received a number of complaints from both American and Dutch citizens who have been lured into online relationships via false internet profiles.  Often these are men pretending to be women who have made contact over the internet via dating websites or chat rooms.  This fictitious person seeks to create a virtual relationship through exchange of photos and e-mails. At some point s/he begins to ask for money, frequently asking that it be transferred through wire services. S/he commonly states that the money is needed to help resolve a family tragedy or arrange for a trip to the United States [or to The Netherlands]. A copy of a fraudulent U.S. passport is sometimes attached to prove good intentions. Typically, something happens and they "can't leave the country”.  They either “are hospitalized for an injury" and a "member of the family" contacts the American citizen requesting money, or a "member of the family" needs an emergency operation and needs money. Sometimes they are stuck at the airport and are not allowed to board until they can show they have a certain amount of dollars to cover their expenses while in the U.S. Some claim to have been robbed of the money that was sent or claim that they are detained at the airport. Their sole purpose is to get as much money as possible from the victim.

If you are a U.S. Citizen and suspect that you may be a target of one of these scams please see the State Department’s publication on Section 4-1-9 Fraud http://travel.state.gov/pdf/international_financial_scams_brochure.pdf

If you have fallen victim to one of these scams, please contact the U.S. Secret Service field office near you and/or the Dutch Police.

The Dutch authorities would like to hear from you if you have been in touch with these criminals using a Dutch address and/or telephone number.  They can be contacted at:

          KLPD, Financial Crimes Unit
          P O Box 3016
          2700 KX Zoetermeer
          The Netherlands

          Attention : Project Apollo

Or via email at WACN@klpd.politie.nl

The Dutch Embassy in Washington D.C. has a pre-prepared letter that can be used to inform the Dutch Police.  Please see www.netherlands-embassy.org and follow the link to the section on Fraud/Scams.

For internet crime complaints in the U.S., please go to www.ic3.gov.