The embassy received a number of commercial inquiries during the first quarter of 2006. U.S. companies and individuals frequently encountered scam operators but reported no financial losses.

During the first quarter of this year, the embassy received 35 commercial inquiries on the bona fides of potential Benin business partners from U.S. companies or individual businesspeople, and from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Unfortunately, most of the embassy's investigations indicated that the companies vetted had no legal status and were created by individuals operating scam activities. The scammers are becoming more and more ingenious, and often develop very impressive websites to attract gullible overseas businesspeople.

The embassy urges American citizens and companies wishing to do business in Benin and the sub-region to be more cautious in dealing with unsolicited emails, and to contact the embassy's commercial section prior to making financial commitments or sending product samples.

No company that contacted the embassy in the reporting period for a verification of a company's legitimacy suffered a loss as the result of a business scam.