A man suspected of being part of an international advance fee fraud was arrested in Manchester at the end of last year.
The operation by City of London Police’s Money Laundering Unit came following claims by US citizens that they were targeted by emails suggesting they had a windfall inheritance from distant relatives.
One victim – an Illinois farmer – claimed that he and his family paid up to $150,000 in what they thought were administrative fees to release the inheritance. They received nothing in return.
Fighting fraud into 2011
Intelligence was shared between US authorities, City of London Police and the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB), which led to the suspect in the North West being identified.
The Head of Economic Crime at the City of London Police, Det Supt Steve Head, said: “This operation is another good example of the National Lead Force operating effectively with our partners across the length and breadth of the country. It also acts as a reminder that fraudsters don’t stop over Christmas, and neither do we.”
“Both through our close partnerships with national and international law enforcement and through our the groundbreaking work of the NFIB we are moving fraud investigations on at a quicker pace then ever before, giving us a crucial advantage as we continue to lead the fight against fraud in 2011."
Read more about the email scam arrest on the City of London Police website.
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