Romance scams are the big new threat
The Australian, 22 May 2008
"Romance scams are the big new threat - we're seeing a great deal of energy being put into victimising people through online dating websites", says Detective Superintendent Brian Hay, operations commander of Queensland's Fraud and Corporate Crime Group.
People looking for love online have proved particularly easy prey - mainly because dating website profiles provide personal information and preferences that allow scammers to tailor their approach.
But "Mr Right" or the Russian bride hopes to dupe the lovelorn into becoming a money-launderer or drug mule, Det Supt Hay warns.
"We know romance victims have been set up as mules for the transportation of heroin into Australia, or persuaded to transfer stolen funds or property, generally under the guise of doing a favour for a friend," he said.
"You know, 'I've just bought a laptop that I can't get in Nigeria, I'll have it delivered to your address, can you please on-forward it to me in Lagos?' Of course, the laptop would have been purchased over the internet using a stolen or compromised credit card.
"Often, people are asked to take a suitcase back with them 'for a friend', and it's been lined with heroin. And there are instances where people have been asked to cash cheques to pay for a visit. Of course, it's a faked cheque, and several months down the track the victim discovers it's fraudulent and the financial institution wants them to refund that money."
Det Supt Hay said romance victims were "on a hiding to nothing".
"Not only may they lose their savings, assets and possessions, but the experience is extremely traumatic," he said.
"There may have been an online relationship for six months before the actual sting, so people end up emotionally destroyed and there's whole of social impacts such as loss of self-esteem or ill-health."
http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23741774-15306,00.html
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