Million-dollar Iraq scam

July 22 2003

Million-dollar Iraq scam

PV Vivekanand


AFTER Nigeria and several other African countries, it is now the turn of Iraq to be the staging ground for scams involving "millions of dollars" purportedly belonging to the ousted Saddam Russian regime.
A series of email messages have started surfacing, with the sender claiming to be in control of millions of dollars representing amounts stashed away by officials of the former Iraqi regime. The message suggests that the receiver make arrangements to receive the millions in his or her account and collect up to 20 to 30 per cent as commission and expenses.
There is little doubt that the message is similar to the scam as the so-called "Advance Fee Fraud," or "419 Fraud" (Four-One-Nine) named after the relevant section of the Criminal Code of Nigeria.
The scam is simple: the target receives an unsolicited fax, email, or letter containing either a money laundering or other illegal proposal. Sometimes it might even be very legal looking business proposal by normal means.
Common variations on the scam include "overinvoiced" or "double invoiced" oil or other supply and service contracts where corrupt officials want to get out of the country; crude oil and other commodity deals; a "bequest" left in a will; "money cleaning" where the corrupt official has a lot of currency that needs to be "chemically cleaned" before it can be used and he needs the cost of the chemicals; and "paying" for a purchase with a check larger than the amount required and asking for change to be advanced. The variations are very creative and virtually endless.
The resemblance between the Iraqi and Nigerian scam messages is unmistakable, particularly the way they build up an explanation as how to the millions came into the possession of the sender, how desparate the situation is and how easy the whole process of transfering the funds to the account of the receiver.
One such message, purportedly sent by Ali Abu Ibrahim -- "an aide in Saddam Hussein's presidential palace in Tikrit" -- offers $20 million, with "commission" for those who help him to secure the funds working out to $6 million.
Written in first person, Abu Ibrahim says he "managed to escape" with five metal boxes containing $20 million "to a neighbouring country which I shall disclose to you later because of the fear that I might be arrested by the new leadership."
The message says in part:
"These funds (were) since depostied with a security company in Europe which I shall disclose to you later, I've been living since then as a political refugee. I am seeking a reliable person who can assist me in moving this money out for safe banking and profitable investment.
"Honesty, I contacted you because I do not want to invest this money in Iraq and and due to my staus here as a politial refugee, I cannot think of such investment. Moreover, I would not want to take risk because this money is all I was able to take away and I am depending on this money. No body knows about th existence of this money, which is why I decided that investing this money abroad should be best for me.
"I will be honoured if I can be given the privilege of investing thie money with help. In view of this plight, I expect you to be trustworthy and kind enough to response to distress call to save my life and that of my relatives who are dependent on me and from a hopless future.
"If you agree, I hereby agree to compensate your sicnere and candid effort in this regard 20 per cent of the total money and annual five per cent of the after-tax returns for the first three years. Thereafter the term shall be varied: five per cent for expenses which may arise during the transaction, and phone bills inclusive.
"When the money is moved into your discreet account, you will be allowed to draw 20 per cent in your favour, with the remaining 70 per cent will be invested meaningfully for our future if possible in your area of busienss and different sectors of the economy in your country which are dividend-yielding.
"Whatever your decision," concludes the message, "please reach me immediately through my private phone and keep this letter tight secret for the interest of my family."