They promise fortunes and cash prizes beyond their victims' wildest dreams.
And they are often backed up by legitimate looking certificates from the Royal Courts of Justice.
But bogus e-mails are flooding Bermuda as internet fraudsters look for new ways to make a quick buck.
Fraudulent websites are cropping up all the time, offering the chance to win millions.
We spoke to one of four Bermudians who, in just the past week, has lost nearly $50,000 to internet-based scams.
Another woman was stunned to receive an e-mail from the U.K.
saying she had won £565,000 after she had been "randomly selected" in a prize draw.
She shelled out $17,000 in advance fees and transfer costs to get themoney - but never saw a penny of her "winnings" because it was a con.
Another Bermudian woman forked out $10,000 in advance fee costs after she was told she had won the Euro lottery.
Detectives say that so called "advance fee frauds" cost Bermudians hundreds of thousands of dollars every year.
Detective Sergeant Dave Geraghty added: "The way these scams work is that the sender will ask for advance fees like transfer and insurance costs to ensure the so called winner gets his or her cash.
"Quite often these scams are supported by official looking documents and certificates to give them legitimacy.
"The fraudsters will ask for the advanced fees to be paid in to Western Union which he or she can access on the other side of the world and once the victim has transferred the funds the criminals simply disappear.
"It's incredibly hard to trace the people who concoct these scams as they use generic hotmail and freeserve accounts.
"We have seen people lose their entire life savings in these scams.
"Luckily in this latest spate of cases the losses are not too high - but they are high enough to cause huge distress and embarrassment to the victims who never see their money again."
Another victim invested $12,000 of his own cash on an bogus website investing on the price of gold and gas.
The 30-year-old Bermudian thought he had won $60,000 by correctly guessing the way the market prices went.
But he ended up losing all his money when he discovered the website was a hoax.
The man, who asked not to be named, said: "I just feel so mad about the whole thing.
"It all looked so legitimate and I thought I had done everything I could to make sure it was legit.
"When I started using the website I managed to earn quite a bit to start off with but when I went to collect my winnings they just didn't exist.
"It was a horrible feeling. You have to be careful with these kind of sites and I guess I learned the hard way.
"Now I have lost my savings and I'm struggling to get by. It's hard to take."
Police warned internet users to steer clear of websites offering easy money.
Det. Sgt. Geraghty said: "People need to use their common sense when using the internet.
"You don't get something for nothing in this world especially if you have not even entered the competition in the first place.
"These kind of sites need to be viewed with suspicion and I believe should be avoided.
"It's dangerous investing your money in something you can not be 100 per cent sure of."
Just last week police received another complaint from a member of the public who transferred thousands of dollars to a "friend" in Africa.
The Bermudian woman stuck up a friendship with a Ghanaian man who then asked for cash to get his son through school.
She obliged by sending $6,000 to the man. She has not heard from him since and has lost her money for good.
Det. Sgt. Geraghty added: "As a general rule it's never a good idea to trust someone you have never met before.
"This case shows how cunning internet fraudsters can be and to what lengths they will go to exploit their victims and get the cash they want.
"Internet fraud is rife now and people have to be on their guard.
"Figures for 2006 suggest that these kind of internet scams cost residents in the U.S. $300m.
"It's fair to say that Bermudians will receive hundreds of thousands of these kind of bogus e-mails every year and most people ignore them.
"But some people do follow them through and lose huge amounts of money.
"Around 30 to 40 people will be stung by these scams each year and the total loss could be hundreds of thousands of dollars."
If you are in any doubt about a prospective financial transaction, please do not hesitate to contact the Financial Crime Unit on 295-0011.
Reader Comments
Posted: Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Comment by:
Bruce McClarron / Arizona
Fellow Bermudians...It is a great shame some of you continue to fall for these 'Frauds'..And lose your "Hard Earned" $$$! I have been on the Internet now since 95' and have seen just about every Scam, Sham & Fraud being perpetrated by Email & Snail Mail 'Con Artists'!!
Here is a great deal for you...If anymore Bermudians receive these tempting offers, then please forward them to me - And I will offer you my 'FREE' advise, on how to proceed...Plse do NOT throw-away your $$$!! Plse also use these following websites for help & information....http://scambusters.org/...Also...http://www.ripoffreport.com
My name is Bruce (Fellow Bermudian)& my email address is gombey100@yahoo.com...Plse feel free to seek my advise at any time - I will help you avoid being 'TAKEN'!!
Posted: Thursday, December 03, 2009
Comment by:
Gearoid
I laughed hard when I read this. How can these people be so studpid?? There is no such thing as free money. Did a light not go off in one of the individuals head and say "hang on - I never entered Euro millions so how could I win?" Email scams have been around for years. The only thing you should get from them is a chuckle before you delete them!
Posted: Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Comment by:
Robert Bryce
"A fool and their money are easily parted". What's amazing is how such stupid people can save as much as $17,000 in the first place. They deserve to lose it to these types of scams.
Posted: Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Comment by:
Lorraine Ross-Clunie
i dont think the people are stupid , they are dishonest, how can you reap what you dont sow,
if they had work hard for their money they would not give it away so easily
