Businessman Foils Scam

The figure 419 has assumed frightening proportions in the business world today. Emanating from Nigeria's penal code, it today represents the manoeuvres of international crooks to reap where they have not sown.

A few days ago the Nigerian leader, General Olusegun Obasanjo served notice that he is going to declare war on fraudsters whose activities through the 419 system has robbed thousands of victims world-wide of millions of dollars and thereby earning for that country and indeed Africa a bad image.

A Ghanaian businessman, Mr. John Addaquay called The Accra Mail after reading the article to narrate how he managed to wriggle out of a 419 trap ostensibly originating from Spain.

We reproduce his warning to others to be wary of these international fraudsters in his own words:

"When I got home around 8pm I was told someone had called me twice from Spain. I couldn't figure out any acquaintance in Spain - but I thought maybe a relative or a friend may have strayed out there for their tomato-picking season or some such adventure. Around 8:30pm the "Spanish" with a Nigerian accent called and was interested in purchasing Gingseed. When I asked what kind of seed it was, he quickly said I could check it in the dictionary - he would have impressed me if he had referred me to the Internet. He was willing to pay $300 per kilo because some Spanish companies are in dire need of the seed but he could not get in touch with their usual supplier named Mr Williams. He asked if I could also try and get Mr Williams on tel number 020-814-2350.

I am a cashew seeds and seedlings producer and they may have found my contact number in an advert I placed in The Accra Mail. I give them a plus for at least finding appropriate victims. I called Mr Williams and asked about the seeds. He told me he had quite a few sachets and that they are sold in bags - 50 sachets to a bag. So I asked "How much is one sachet?" The reply was "One million cedis". When I asked what was the weight of one sachet he wavered and replied, "About one kilo but less than one kilo". A quick calculation priced it at ?50 million per mini-polysack!!! Now who sells such a high value product with such imprecise weight specification?

By this time I knew he was an amateur con man. So my final question to him was "Are they gold seeds?" by now he knew he had lost this client as he whimpered a dejected "N-n-no"

I advised him to find a better job and banged the phone on him.

I have heard several such stories and I get amazed at how people allow their greed to let them feed such con men. A greedy man's calculation is that he can make one million cedis on a kilogram of seed!!! Money does not come that easy except on "Lotto 5/39". One question to ask yourself in such situations is, "Why would a complete stranger bring me so much money, doesn't he have any relatives, friends or loved ones that he could give the business to?"

Be on the watch out and don't be greedy."