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Africa scam rips off bank numbers By DAVID PRESZLER A well-established scam to bilk people out of money with promises of Nigerian riches has resurfaced in the Rogue Valley. A Medford travel agent received a letter this month from Nigeria National Petroleum Corp., asking permission to transfer $25 million into her bank account. The letter says the company needs an overseas account in which to place the money, from contracts related to the construction of oil refinery substations. The letter asks for her name, address, phone number, bank name and bank account number and promises that she will receive 30 percent of the $25 million as payment for her assistance. According to the letter, the company would reclaim 60 percent of the money and the remaining 10 percent would cover costs of the transaction. Jan Margosian of the Oregon Department of Justice says the scam -- right down to the company's name -- is extremely common. "It has been going on for about 10 years," she says. "It's very hot again right now." Margosian says the scam and others like it rank second behind long-distance telephone slamming on the state's list of most common consumer complaints; 604 such complaints were filed last year. She says people receive the offers by mail, fax and e-mail. The U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service in Nigeria estimates that U.S. companies and individuals lose millions each year in scams that originate in Nigeria. Though the scam has been around for a long time, people are still fooled. Margosian says a Portland dentist lost $75,000 last year after giving a Nigerian company his debit card numbers. And financial loss isn't the only danger. Many such proposals eventually ask people to travel to Nigeria to "get a look at the operation." Margosian says several dozen Americans have been murdered over the years while making such trips. She says a multinational task force is trying to crack down on the problem. The task force has made about 30 arrests but the scam is widespread. "It's almost like a cottage industry in Nigeria," she says. "There are so many people doing this. "What it comes down to is that they want you to launder money for them." Authorities say consumers should be suspicious of requests for personal information -- especially banking information. People who have received such offers are encouraged to contact the Oregon Department of Justice at (503) 378-4320. The Jackson County Sheriff's Department was familiar with the scam and says it refers those cases to the state. Medford police say they haven't received any complaints about the scam recently. Lt. Tim George says a similar letter surfaced about a year ago. The scam has cost Americans $5 billion in the last 13 years, according to the 419 Coalition, a group that investigates the scam. The "419" reference is to Nigeria's police code for theft. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA