Two arrested over 419 scam

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Celine

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http://news.iafrica.com/sa/853048.html

Two people were arrested in Johannesburg on Friday for allegedly defrauding a US citizen of over R200 000 in a 419 scam, the Hawks said.

A 44-year-old Nigerian man and a 20-year-old South African woman were arrested in Sandton around 2pm, spokesman Captain Paul Ramaloko said.

The Nigerian is married to a South African woman, and the 20-year-old is believed to be his step-daughter.

The victim (48) who was looking for business opportunities, and the Nigerian met on an online professional network. The US man arrived in South Africa on 18 March. He gave them money when they visited him in his hotel room. He also had his business partners in Canada and the USA transfer money to the pair via Western Union. In total he gave them over R200 000.

He suspected he was the victim of a scam and alerted police on Wednesday. He was unable to leave the country because he had no more money left.

The two were charged with advance fee fraud, also referred to as a 419 scam. The number 419 refers to the article of the Nigerian criminal code dealing with fraud. Usually victims receive e-mails claiming their help, and a small fee, are needed to access large sums of money.

According to the SA Police Service's website it is currently the world's largest scam in terms of monetary losses.

The two would appear in the Johannesburg Commercial Crime Court soon.

"We believe this is the tip of the iceberg. It is part of a bigger syndicate," Ramaloko said.



if there were 2 americans i would have to say - dumb and dumber.
 
marine1 said:
Why are these guys allowed to live here[...]
Click to expand...
The father is married to a South African woman and the 20-year-old is presumeably his step-daughter, therefore the child of the wife and thus a South African.

[...]when majority of them have no legal right to be here in the fist place?
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The "majority" who "have no legal right to be here in the first place" are not, actually, allowed to live there.

Unless you're asking why one legally residing Nigerian and his South African step-daughter are allowed to stay in South Africa while a bunch of illegal Nigerians get away with living there? In which case, that question is ridiculous.
 
Lycanthrope said:
The father is married to a South African woman and the 20-year-old is presumeably his step-daughter, therefore the child of the wife and thus a South African.
Click to expand...

That does not make him legal.

Just being married to a South African doesn't mean you have all your legal documents in place to be considered a South African resident, whether it's your own fault or the department of home affairs...
 
Friedpet said:
That does not make him legal.

Just being married to a South African doesn't mean you have all your legal documents in place to be considered a South African resident, whether it's your own fault or the department of home affairs...
Click to expand...

If he's married to a South African citizen he has access to temporary residency if approved. Nigerians can't (legally) enter the country without a visa or residency permit. Presumably he's legal if he's married.

But that's all speculative, which is pretty much the problem with sucking assumptions out of your rear, especially when it's more likely (based on the fact that he's married to a Saffer) that he's there legally.

And that was the point: he's more likely than not allowed to live there.

And if he isn't, then hopefully he'll be deported, at the tax payers' expense, of course.
 
Sounds like a real dumb @ss - looking for business opportunities in another country, invests R200 000 and then cannot afford a ticket home???
 
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