CAMEROON IN BID TO TAKE OVER FROM NIGERIA

The US Embassy in Cameroon is warning that fraudsters and scammers in the West African nation have begun competing with their Nigerian neighbors in trying to defraud westerners, especially Americans.

These schemes, most of them online --- but some still using unsolicited faxes, cold call telephone gimmicks and classified ads --- range from asking for donations for fictitious charities to the usual 419 style fraudulent invoices on corporate or governmental letterhead.

The Embassy has issued this warning: "The Embassy strongly cautions Americans against wiring funds to individuals not known to you personally for goods or services not yet performed or delivered. You may contact the Embassy’s commercial section or consular section before agreeing to send money to Cameroon for any reason."

Included among the scams coming from Cameroon are:

Adoption and wildlife fraud: Involving the adoption of children or animals over the Internet. The scammers claim to be indigent parents unable to care for a child or members of the clergy working at a Cameroonian orphanage seeking a good home for a child. Other versions involve animals --- parrots, dogs and monkeys --- where the victim is asked to give the animal a home, in exchange for a nominal fee to cover the cost of shipping. Once the fee is paid, more charges suddenly arise for "unforeseen expenses" which include court costs, airport fees, customs duties, and medical costs. If they are not paid, the scammers threaten, the animal --- or in the case of child adoption fraud, the baby itself --- will be abandoned at the airport.

According to the Embassy, the competent authorities for inter-country adoption are the Ministry of Social Affairs and the High Court (Tribunal de Grande Instance). Cameroon does not have adoption agencies. Prospective adoptive parents wishing to hire a Cameroonian attorney to assist with adoption, can obtain a list of attorneys from the U.S. Embassy in Yaoundé.

Also on the Embassy list of scams is "the investigation of scam" fraud.

After a victim discovers that he has been scammed, a new e-mail arrives claiming to be from the Cameroonian FBI or other local law enforcement agency. Offering to help the victim recover his funds, the scammers ask for a refundable fee to open the investigation or court files. No such police agency exists in Cameroon.

Typical of other scams, there are a variety that work off the notion that the government has dictated all companies wishing to do business in Cameroon must be registered in Cameroon. The scammer claims to be a government official who can guarantee that a contract will be given to the intended victim’s company. Fees are then negotiated. Of course, no business deals ever follow.