Crux Polaris
14 November 2005, 09:10
Usman Bello – The fact, the fiction and the scammer
1. The Facts
Usman Bello is a well-known and well-worn name among scammers and among the receivers of scam-letters. The name itself has taken many twists and turns when it comes to spelling, but the pronounciation and basics are the same time after time. Usman Bello’s name has a lot of information linked to it from websites and forums all dealing with fraud and scams of some sort. Little, however, is verifiable, and so we will try to stick to how the name has been used in scams and criminal activity.
2. The Fiction
Usman Bello is, as I’ve already said, a well-worn name. The scammers have assumed the name, pretending to be everything from a lowly beggar on the streets of some African city to a distinguished statesman trying to smuggle his millions out of the country before, or after, some revolution.
Usman Bello has also been said to be an ex-KGB officer gone bad, turning into the most dangerous scammer there is. Again, none of this is verifiable, as far as we know, so we consider it fiction.
3. The Scam
The scam that the criminals assuming this name engage in is usually the standard Advance Fee Fraud (419 scam). Since the name Usman Bello is so common, and so widely used, there are few limitations on what kind of scam it can be used for – think of it as an African “John Smith”-like name. There are no famous or official persons by that name that are applicable in a scam.
Bottom line: it’s another scammer alias, and as far as we are concerned, no more and no less.
This article Copyright:
Fraudwatchers.org 2005
Written by Crux Polaris
1. The Facts
Usman Bello is a well-known and well-worn name among scammers and among the receivers of scam-letters. The name itself has taken many twists and turns when it comes to spelling, but the pronounciation and basics are the same time after time. Usman Bello’s name has a lot of information linked to it from websites and forums all dealing with fraud and scams of some sort. Little, however, is verifiable, and so we will try to stick to how the name has been used in scams and criminal activity.
2. The Fiction
Usman Bello is, as I’ve already said, a well-worn name. The scammers have assumed the name, pretending to be everything from a lowly beggar on the streets of some African city to a distinguished statesman trying to smuggle his millions out of the country before, or after, some revolution.
Usman Bello has also been said to be an ex-KGB officer gone bad, turning into the most dangerous scammer there is. Again, none of this is verifiable, as far as we know, so we consider it fiction.
3. The Scam
The scam that the criminals assuming this name engage in is usually the standard Advance Fee Fraud (419 scam). Since the name Usman Bello is so common, and so widely used, there are few limitations on what kind of scam it can be used for – think of it as an African “John Smith”-like name. There are no famous or official persons by that name that are applicable in a scam.
Bottom line: it’s another scammer alias, and as far as we are concerned, no more and no less.
This article Copyright:
Fraudwatchers.org 2005
Written by Crux Polaris