US arrests 74 in global email scam crackdown US arrests 74 in global email

TheUShasarrested74peopleincludingnearly30inNigeria,aspartofanefforttocombatemailscamartists.

Itsaidthearrestsreflectacoordinatedcrackdownonpeoplewhoconvincecorrespondentstowirethemmoneyforfraudulentactivities.

TheUSsaidsuchscamsare"prevalent"andpledgedtopursueperpetrators"regardlessofwheretheyarelocated".

Authoritiessaidtheyhaveseized,recoveredordisruptedmorethan$16m(£12m)sinceJanuary.

Theeffort,whichinvolvedlocalandfederallawenforcementagencies,targetedscammerswhotrickpeopleintotransferringthemmoney,for examplebyimpersonatingabusinesspartnerorcolleague.

Inonecase,theUSallegedthattwoNigerianslivinginDallasposedasapropertysellerwhenrequestinga$246,000wiretransferfromareal estateattorney.

Authoritiesalsowentafter"moneymules"-"wittingorunwittingaccomplices"whoreceivethemoneyfromthevictimsandtransferitasdirectedbythefraudsters.

'Disrupt and dismantle'

TheUSsaidarrestsoccurredintheUS,Nigeria,Canada,MauritiusandPoland.

OnemanwasextraditedfromtheUKin2016forhisroleinaschemethatallegedlysoughttotake$2.6m.HepleadedguiltyinJanuarytowire fraudandidentity theft.

FBIDirectorChristopherWray,whoseagencyfundedandcoordinatedtheoperation,said:"ThisoperationdemonstratestheFBI'scommitmenttodisruptanddismantlecriminalenterprisesthattargetAmericancitizensandtheirbusinesses."

TheFBIsaidpeoplehavereportedlosingmorethan$3.7bnsinceitstartedtrackingtheissuethroughitsInternetCrimeComplaintCenter.

"Thedevastatingeffectsthesecaseshaveonvictimsandvictimcompanies,affectnotonlytheindividualbusinessbutalsotheglobaleconomy,"theUSsaid.