Receivers of the letters are asked to assist in the transfer of funds out of Nigeria with a view of laundering those funds claimed to be obtained from dubious sources in the country - usually a fallen dictator's ill-gained fortune, but also less dubious sources such as inheritance funds. Recipients are usually promised as a reward for their co-operation a 30 to 40 per cent cut of the cash which of course does not really exist.

The fraudster's aim is to make whatever money he can from any person who replies by inducing that person to pay various advance fees along the way to secure the release of the funds. "People who answer such letters (that come through the mail or via fax) and provide their bank account details often find that their account data is used in attempts at fake remittance requests," said the Bureau's Senior Inspector Dave Cope.

"The letters are a considerable source of embarrassment for the Nigerian government, as most wrongly suggest that the sender is a government official who has come upon a large sum of money, normally in the tens of millions of US dollars," said CIP Hemmings. "After receiving complaints, CCB informs the Nigerian Consulate in Hong Kong, who have been very helpful and co-operative on the cases."

In addition officers from the Commercial Crime Bureau have been in contact with officials from the Nigerian Post Office to devise a long-term strategy to prevent the further entry of fraudulent letters into Hong Kong.

Because syndicate members also often pose as top-level Nigerian bank officers, that country's Central Bank has taken the step of arranging publication of not a few one-page advertisements in the international press warning of such scams.

Even so, people continue to fall prey to the syndicates.

CCB officials know that these syndicates operate in Hong Kong, but cannot say they are based here. What's for certain is that the many scams and tactics of these conmen have over the years become much more sophisticated - the latest, persuading victims that blackened money can be changed into its original state by using special chemicals, for which the victim must pay a hefty sum of money.

Even if a person has been silly (or greedy) enough to have responded to an advanced fee fraud letter and paid all the up front fees required by the syndicates to transfer the money claimed to be out of Nigeria, the dupe will often find that the money they have been asked to receive has been converted into a "security blackened" form.

"This is known as the 'Black Money Scam'," explained CIP Hemmings. "Apart from one bank note which is authentic and used to demonstrate the chemical cleansing process, the rest of the cash is just blackened paper cut into the shape and size of dollar bills. Victims, who are required to pay further advance fees for the chemicals which return the money to its normal state, are left with a suitcase full of worthless black paper."

One victim in Hong Kong reportedly paid over US$1 million for just such a suitcase of black paper.

Predominantly these "Black Money" conmen are from Nigeria, but are also from other West African countries such as Cameroon and the Ivory Coast. They come to Hong Kong as visitors and meet their victims in hotel rooms. Some recently met in a Hong Kong hotel with CCB's Detective CIP Peter Barnes who posed as an Australian businessman eager to purchase the chemical solution that would turn a suitcase of useless blackened paper into the real thing. Arrests were made.

Indeed, arrests of West African syndicate members made in connection with a variety of frauds committed in Hong Kong include 21 in 1996, two dozen last year, and nine so far in 1998.

Police now urge any person who has been a victim of such fraud, or who has received a fraud letter from Nigeria or elsewhere to contact the Commercial Crime Bureau on 2860-5013.