Postal Inspectors have taken a new tact in their efforts to combat international mail fraud schemes. At a news conference today in New York, Inspectors announced they have seized and destroyed over two million Nigerian advance-fee fraud letters at the JFK Airport Mail Center since March 30, 1998. The letters, often referred to as "419" letters after the Nigerian statute that makes them illegal, were found to have counterfeit Nigerian postage, and they promoted fraudulent business proposals.

Lee Heath, Postal Inspector in Charge of the New York Division, warns that American consumers are being scammed to the tune of $100 million annually by international con artists, who send the letters primarily from Nigeria and other West African countries. "This interdiction program by Postal Inspectors and postal employees is preventing countless Americans from being victimized by these scams," said Mr. Heath. The letters are sent to millions of Americans and offer a "strictly confidential, risk-free opportunity" to get rich quick.

This is how the scheme works: The envelope arrives unexpectedly in your mailbox. It contains a confidential business proposal from a mysterious Nigerian government official who offers the reader a unique business opportunity to earn millions of dollars.

The proposal, typewritten on official-looking stationary, offers a 25 percent commission for assistance in transferring surplus funds of up to $38 million (obtained from "over-invoiced government contracts") from Nigeria to the United States. The solicitations request the reader provide a bank account number in order to complete the transaction. "Investors" who respond to the offer will be required to pay a never-ending assortment of legal fees, personal expenses and government bribes until the victim is drained of all assets.

Individuals who have fallen prey to the scheme are eventually invited to visit Nigeria or some other foreign country to finalize the transfer of the funds, but instead are pressured to pay additional fees and expenses. Several victims reported that the shakedown took some menacing turns, causing them to fear for their personal safety. One unlucky victim was confronted by two Nigerians with automatic weapons, and was forced to turn over $4,000 in travelers checks before receiving permission to leave the country.

In a recently concluded Inspection Service investigation, a victim, who had already spent thousands of dollars on various fees, was told that additional money was needed to "decoat" a suitcase full of "coated" one hundred dollar bills. The victim was told that the bills were temporarily defaced with a black film to mask the origin of the money, and a special, very expensive solution, must be purchased to "decoat" the bills.

To circumvent the expense of mailing the letters, these criminal enterprises use counterfeit postage, costing the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) hundreds of thousands of dollars each year in lost revenue. Under Universal Postal Union regulations, Nigeria is charged a terminal dues fee by the delivering country for this foreign-originating mail.

Postal employees have been trained to identify incoming Nigerian letters with counterfeit postage affixed so it can be removed from the mailstream and destroyed. Under an agreement with Nigerian postal officials, U.S. Postal Inspectors and postal employees at the JFK facility are intercepting the scam letters on a weekly basis. According to Frank Umoski, USPS Operations Manager at JFK, "Eight out of ten bags of mail received from Nigeria contain fraudulent letters."

Due to the success of the JFK operation, Nigerian scam artists have begun mailing the letters from surrounding West African countries. In order to halt this emerging twist, postal officials in Ghana have also agreed to participate in the detection and interception program. Negotiations are underway seeking cooperation from other countries, as well.

Interdiction efforts have resulted in a dramatic decrease in the number of Nigerian scam letter complaints received by the Postal Service. According to Daniel L. Mihalko, Inspector in Charge of Congressional and Public Affairs in Washington, DC, customer complaints regarding the receipt of the Nigerian letters have fallen 80 percent since the New York project began. Plans are being made to expand the effort to other cities.

Don’t fall for this scam! If you should receive one of these letters, do not respond. Either throw it away or send it to:

Inspection Service Operations Support Group

Two Gateway Center, 9^th Floor

Newark, NJ 07175-0001