Internet pleas still snaring victims

Internet scams promising millions to people who help foreign dignitaries with

their alleged fortunes still circulate - and people still fall for them.

Internet scams promising millions to people who help foreign dignitaries with their alleged fortunes still circulate - and people still fall for them.

The Flathead County Sheriff's Office is investigating a case reported last week in which a resident believed a random solicitation from a complete stranger for help.

There are countless variations on the same theme, coming from Nigeria, Sri Lanka, the Ivory Coast and other far-off countries.

The plot is the same, though:

Someone across the globe politely asks for help in accessing millions of dollars, gold or jewels that are locked up because of an accident, governmental fraud or military strife.

It will take the intervention of some good-hearted foreigner to unlock the treasure and the foreigner is offered a percentage of the money for helping.

Deputy Kipp Tkachyk said in the most recent case, scammers preyed on a man's desire to help someone, more than his greed.

"He's an elderly man and he's got a computer at home," Tkachyk said.

The Kalispell man responded to an e-mail and wound up in phone contact with the scammer, who promised more than $1 million if the man sent in a few thousand dollars.

Sometimes, the scheme involves coaxing the victim to travel abroad.

"Most people aren't that naive," Tkachyk said. Bigfork schools, where he is the school resource officer, receive numerous solicitations like that, he said. Most people delete them.

Unfortunately, some people respond, as the Kalispell man did.

"He honestly believes he's going to help somebody," Tkachyk said.

Family members can't always talk victims out of sending money before the scam begins, he said. And police can't do much once it has occurred.

"There's nothing we can do about it locally," Tkachyk said. "The crime was committed in another country" where local officers have no jurisdiction.

Anyone who wonders about the legitimacy of a solicitation to make millions of dollars by helping a stranger should contact law enforcement or visit the Better Business Bureau on the Internet at www.bbb.org

Reporter Chery Sabol may be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at csabol@dailyinterlake.com