DFA Issues Warning to Overseas Filipinos Against 419 Scam in Nigeria

PR-258-09, 11 May 2009 – The Department of Foreign Affairs warns overseas Filipinos of an internet scam known as ‘419 Scam’ which uses the address of the Philippine Embassy in Nigeria to make it appear authentic.

The Philippine Embassy in Abuja reported that many Filipinos have been victimized by the said scam in Nigeria.

The Nigerian-based syndicates’ modus operandi involves sending e-mails to unsuspecting victims promising employment in Nigeria, bank loans, lottery winnings or double-your-money schemes using Filipino names to victimize OFWs and other job applicants in the Philippines.

The syndicate requires the recipient to remit money to a particular bank account in Nigeria, supposedly as payment for application fees, taxes, and other processing fees.

In the latest incident involving Filipino nationals, an e-mail from a certain “Dr Ruben S. Cruz”, supposedly working at the Philippine Embassy in Nigeria, circulated asking recipients to remit US$200 to the Federal Inland Revenue Services of Nigeria in order to receive a tax certificate.

The public is advised not to send any money or divulge personal information, particularly bank accounts or credit card numbers, if they received similar e-mails.

The public may refer such e-mail messages to the Cybercrimes Division of the National Bureau of Investigation and the Anti-Money Laundering Council of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. END

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