Police warning over fraudulent email

The Bermuda Police Service and the Office of the Tax Commissioner would like to advise the public that a fraudulent e-mail is currently circulating claiming to be from the Tax Commissioner’s Office

The content of the deceptive e-mail entitled ‘Subject: Recovered Funds (Case Filed: 22:02:2008)’ suggests that:

“The Government of Bermuda:: Office of the Tax Commissioner received a memo from the Anti-Fraud unit of the National Investigation Agency, Pretoria, South Africa concerning your funds recovery. A representative of this Company has been in contact with some hoodlums based in Africa and has been swindled to the tune of $987,660. A report was filed on the 22nd of February 2008 reporting this case which resulted to series of investigations and indictments. For security purpose, no further details would be provided as the said funds has been recovered in full.

You are required by the Government of Bermuda:: Office of the Tax Commissioner to contact the National Investigation Agency to effect claims of the recovered funds. In line with the policy of the Bermudan Government against Capital Flight; you are mandated to follow through the required processes for the reclaimations of the said funds back to the country.

The Office of the Tax Commissioner discourages capital flight for items that do not improve the GDP of the country. A report will be made to the Office of the Tax Commissioner to confirm successful reclamation of recovered funds.

You are therefore required to contact the Anti-Fraud Agency of the National Investigation Agency, South Africa quoting your reference number and providing your full bio-data as a representative of the company (Business Name, Business Owner, Contact Address, Telephone Number, Fax Number, Email Address and Reference Number as quoted above).”

Such requests via unsolicited ‘official looking’ e-mails should be ignored.

The public is reminded that personal information such as dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers and banking details are valuable and should never be given out in response to unsolicited e-mails.