HAWAII COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT
SOUTH HILO PATROL
SERGEANT STEPHEN J. MILLER
PHONE: 961-2311
SEPTEMBER 15, 2000
MEDIA RELEASE
Big Island police are notifying the public of an apparent variation on a repeating scam originating in Nigeria.
At least one Big Island resident has received an “utterly confidential” letter from a “Dr. Umaru Kuku,” who says people he represents want to import goods into the African country. The only problem, the writer says, is that the necessary funds “are presently trapped in Nigeria.”
The writer says he wants the recipient to act as an “overseas partner” so the Nigerians can transfer $21.5 million into his account.
In return for help in transferring the alleged funds out of Nigeria, the recipient would receive 20 percent of the funds, or $4.3 million.
The recipient of the letter is asked to provide writer with “your banker’s name, company’s name, address, account number and fax number.”
“The above information will enable us to write letters of claim and job description respectively,” the writer says. “This way we will use your company’s name to apply for payment and re-award the contract in your company’s name.”
Police said that anyone who has been victimized by this apparent scam and suffered a financial loss should report it to the police by calling 935-3311.
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