$2m 419 spam scammer in the slammer

Police in Amsterdam today claimed that the ringleader of an email scam that stole up to $2m has been arrested in Lagos, Nigeria.

This latest arrest follows the apprehension earlier this year of 12 Nigerians based in the Netherlands, who were believed to have tricked innocent people into investing in non-existent money-making schemes.

"Millions of computer users around the world see these bogus emails in their inboxes every day, claiming to offer fortunes in the form of fake lottery wins or inheritances to the unwary," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos.

"These emails aren't sent for fun - they really do work, and people are falling for the confidence trick all the time and ending up with their bank accounts raided. The con trick, known as a 419 scam, is big business and computer crime authorities around the world need to work in co-ordination to break the gangs behind them."

» VNUNet.com - Robert Jaques - 11-08-2006