Hundreds of people in Bermuda are being targeted every year by international fraudsters who promise to give them the world, but bring nothing but misery.

But, despite the fact that the scams may appear obvious to some, their continued existence on the Island can only mean one thing - success.

But Bermuda Police's crime manager, Det. Chief Insp. Andrew Boyce, said it was time that the Island fought back.

He said there was no doubt that these fraudsters, most of whom operate from Nigeria, were targeting millions of people around the globe with their scams, known as advanced fee fraud.

But he said Bermuda's wealth, and perhaps the success conmen have enjoyed here, may be making the Island an even more attractive target.

He said: "The people masterminding these frauds are extremely clever and manipulative, and are masters of the art of preying on human greed.

"Sadly, Police agencies have uncovered evidence that the proceeds of advanced fee fraud are often channelled into drug trafficking, terrorism and other serious international criminal activities."

Because of the sheer magnitude of the problem, many large Police forces have set up a West African Organised Crime Bureau to deal with this specific fraud, commonly known in Police circles as 419 letters, after Nigeria's criminal code, which is section 419.

In the UK for example, 1.4 million of these letters or e-mails have been collected by its bureau since August 1998.

Det. Chief Insp. Boyce said there were "factories" in the Lagos area where a number of people are known to hand-write, photocopy, type or generate letters by computer. In an effort to divert attention from their purpose, the letters are often posted outside of Nigeria.

They are taken in bulk to neighbouring countries, such as Benin or Togo, where they go into the postal system - about two thirds of them posted with counterfeit stamps.

Det. Chief Insp. Boyce added: "The letters generally purport to come from high ranking officials in the Nigerian Government or armed forces who need to remove huge sums of cash, often $25 to 30 million, from their country.

"The money has allegedly been obtained by over-invoicing of contracts or by some other illegal means. "The 'recipient' is asked for the use of their bank account in order to launder the money by transferring the total amount from the Nigeria to the Bermuda banking system.

"In return, the 'recipient' is promised a proportion of the money, normally around 20 percent. Of course, the writer's status is a fraud and there is no money.

"But even if the money did exist, by taking part in the money laundering, the recipient would become an accomplice in an international criminal act."

The detective said the methods used can be plausible and people in Bermuda had been defrauded of all the assets they possessed, including homes.

After initially using their own money to pay for "unexpected taxes" or bribes, victims have been known to borrow and embezzle money from relatives or business associates, or commit other crimes that were totally out of character in order to continue making their payments.

He added: "Individuals in Bermuda have been known to be caught in the cycle of this fraud for many years.

"They have been used and passed on to different crime groups, much like a baton in a relay race. Each time a new group takes over the baton, the new fraudsters promise the victim his money, explaining that their previous contacts were "corrupt".

"If it appears to the fraudsters that the victim is starting to run out of assets, or is becoming suspicious, they will invite them to a meeting in order to 'finalise a deal'."

He said the meeting could be in one of several non-English speaking places, where language will be a problem and the victim will be disorientated. A 'technicality' will arise and the money will not be handed over.

"One trick performed by the fraudsters is to show the victim a suitcase or trunk full of banknote-sized pieces of black paper," said Det. Chief Insp. Boyce.

"The victim is told that in order to export the cash, generally in $100 notes, past border guards, it has been dyed black. The victim is assured that changing the notes back to usable currency can be easily carried out by applying certain chemicals. The black money is in fact ordinary foolscap paper which has been run through a photocopier and then carefully cut to the correct size.

"The fraudsters will tell the victim they have only a small quantity of the required chemicals and more will be needed if the whole amount of 'money' is to be cleaned. Of course, the victim is expected to finance this."

He said victims, in the hope of getting their money back and a handsome profit, willingly hand over further sums, especially when a trial is held to demonstrate how one sample note miraculously changes into a real $100 note. Of course, the note that is used as an example is a real note, and it is given to the victim to spend. He leaves with the case of black fake paper, wrongly believing he is rich.

"The stage is now set for the fraud to continue in any different number of ways," he continued. The victim may be asked to continue to fund the purchase of further supplies of chemicals, after being informed that the first batch did not work properly."

And the fraudsters do not limit their targets to the average citizen. They have been known to go after businesses, law firms, churches and charities.

Although there have been no such criminals arrested in Bermuda, a number of suspects have been arrested in the UK, Canada, Hong Kong, South Africa and various other places.

In 1999, postal authorities around the world withdrew seven million 419 letters and returned them to Nigeria, where they were publicly burned.

A case being investigated in Europe involved two Asian women who lost $25 million in a long-running scam.

A Norwegian woman sold her home and transferred $200,000 from her account to Nigeria before becoming suspicious and informing Police. Other victims are known to have committed suicide and even been murdered.

He added: "It is my sincere hope that those in Bermuda who have read this and have seen themselves would accept that they have lost forever spare themselves further financial heartache by severing all links. Don't throw any more good money after bad."