Police in Sydney said Thursday they arrested an Australian man suspected of being part of a global, multimillion-dollar scam that dupes victims into believing they can claim some of the foreign assets of the Nigerian president.
Hundreds of people in Australia and in countries including Malaysia, Japan, Norway, Greece, Indonesia and England have fallen prey to the scam, police said.
The scammers send letters and e-mails asking people to help the Nigerian president recover funds that have long been deposited in foreign bank accounts, saying they will be financially rewarded if they help cover the costs of recouping the money.
Victims "in many cases have been conned into handing over hundreds of thousands of dollars,'' said Assets Confiscation Unit Commander Jennifer Thommeny.
Police believe Thursday's arrest was the first in which an Australian was implicated in the fraud. The man was not immediately charged and police did not release his identity.
Detectives from the State Crime Command Assets Confiscation Unit arrested the man after searching a property in the central west of New South Wales state.
They also raided two homes in Sydney's southwest, seizing a number of computers and documents.
Thommeny said the arrest was the result of a four-month investigation into a syndicate that also carried out other frauds, including lottery scams.
"West African-type frauds such as lottery scams and 'business investment opportunities', have netted millions of dollars from thousands of unwitting victims around the world,'' Thommeny told reporters Thursday.
"Traditionally police have found it difficult to apprehend offenders who carry out these frauds because victims usually live overseas and in most cases are too embarrassed to come forward,'' he said.
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