African WORLD NEWS UK: fraud

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WORLD NEWS - WORLD NEWS - UK: fraud

25 Feb Nigerian fraudsters target UK Minister
Jack Straw (pictured) UK Justice Secretary has been the victim of Nigerian fraudsters who sent out hundreds of e-mails in his name asking for money.

The e-mails apparently claimed that Straw had lost his wallet while on charity work in Africa and needed 3,500 US dollars to get home.

Straw has confirmed the e-mails had been sent to a "significant number of people" in his address book but he said there were no security issues as it was his Blackburn e-mail address rather than his ministerial account that was targeted.

Speaking to his local newspaper the Lancashire Telegraph he said: "I started getting phone calls from various constituents asking if I was really in Nigeria needing 3,000 dollars. I think it was so obviously ridiculous that I could go off trekking in Africa and I would lose my wallet."

The scam came to light last Thursday when Straw's office received an e-mail saying its account would be suspended unless a reply was sent.

The fraudsters are thought to have hacked into computers at Straw's Blackburn constituency office.