JAMAICA: PULLING THE PLUG ON CYBER CRIME

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Bathsheba Merryl Mitchell
5 years ago
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1 UN IN ACTION Release Date: July 2010 Programme No Length: 4 28 Languages: English, French, Spanish, Russian JAMAICA: PULLING THE PLUG ON CYBER CRIME VIDEO GUERRA WATCHES SUNSET ON MOUNTAINTOP POLICE STATION IN JAMAICA BLURRED MAN ON PHONE AUDIO Fifty-two-year-old Maria Guerra lives in Houston, Texas. These days, she works three jobs just to make ends meet. But this isn t the way she lived before those phone calls; calls from Jamaica, a Caribbean island less than 3,000 kilometres from Maria s hometown in the United States. (18.4 ) GUERRA ON CAMERA GUERRA: (English) F It started with a very nice call congratulating me that I had won 3.8 million dollars. (5.6 ) GUERRA ON PHONE AT HOME The idea of winning a jackpot seemed reasonable to Maria because her sister had won the Texas lottery not so long ago. (6.7) GUERRA ON CAMERA GUERRA: (English) F I gave all my trust to them. And it got to

2 - 2 - the point where they would call me on a daily basis, three or four times to see if I could get any money. (9 ) GUERRA AT HOME DOCUMENTS ON TABLE JAMAICAN SEASIDE The callers were asking for cash to pay what they said were customs, processing fees, and taxes on the prize money. But Maria didn t know there was no money to win. She was a victim of a lottery scam well known to investigators in Jamaica where the perpetrators were based. (18.2 ) The fact is with globalization there is no border really to crime. It s transnational. (7.1 ) BAILEY IN HIS OFFICE Superintendent Fitz Bailey is the Head of the Organized Crime Unit in Jamaica. (5.7 ) And I guessed what is happening in Jamaica is just the pattern that is happening right across the globe. (6.8 ) WORLD MAP ANIMATION It s called cyber crime. Criminals using the Internet for unprecedented access to victims worldwide. In the lottery fraud,

3 - 3 - scammers used a technique known as data mining. (13 ) Unscrupulous individuals in Jamaica obtain data of overseas citizens the listing gives biographical data. (11.4 ) GUERRA IN THE STREET The scammers knew how to pressure Maria to pay their fees fees that would drain her life s savings. (7 ) GUERRA AT HOME NATSOT MARIA CRYING GUERRA: F and I used all my money. And it s my fault. (6.1 ) SEASIDE STILL OF MOWLE S BODY DISCOVERY MOWLE S FORMER HOME Maria is not alone. Anne Mowle, a 72- year-old grandmother, may have been driven to suicide by her experience with the Jamaican lottery. A former bookkeeper, Anne had saved well for her retirement. Like Maria, she was told she d won two and a half million dollars. The caller said all she had to do was claim her prize. (22.3 ) HARRISON ON CAMERA HARRISON: (English) F she had further instructions on how to send money in order to collect her

4 - 4 - winnings. (8.1 ) HARRISON WALKS TO OFFICE Karen Harrison, an investigator with Jamaica s Financial Crimes Unit, spoke with Anne several times. (6.9 ) HARRISON ON CAMERA HARRISON: (English) F She became convinced that, yes, the money is there for me to win. (5.8 ) JAMAICAN SCENERY SUNSET By the time the con was over, Anne had lost her entire life savings almost a quarter of a million dollars. KINGSTON AT NIGHT GUERRA ENTERS CAR DHS The sophistication of Jamaican lottery rackets and their ability to reach beyond borders and ensnare American citizens - has long been a concern for the United States Government s Department of Homeland Security (DHS). STILL OF DHS OFFICIALS WITH JAMAICAN AUTHORITIES They ve joined forces with Jamaican authorities to create JOLT Jamaican Operations Linked to Telemarketing. (30 ) STILL OF VANCE CALLENDAR MAERICAN EMBASSY IN KINGSTON Vance Callendar, Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Kingston, was instrumental in carrying out the JOLT programme. He was also the primary liaison with Jamaican authorities. (11.9 )

5 - 5 - CALLENDAR ON CAMERA CALLENDAR: (English) M We have a tremendous effort underway right now. We re already seeing the fruits of our labour. They re starting to learn that they can be reached in another country. That they can be held accountable for their crimes. (12 ) CALLENDAR IN COMPUTER STOCKROOM MURRAY ON LAPTOP But prosecuting perpetrators is difficult says Gillian Murray, a cyber crime expert at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Vienna. (10.5 ) MURRAY ON CAMERA MURRAY: (English) F The problem is the legislation is not in place even in developed countries to deal with this. (5 ) HARRISON AT OFFICE GUERRA ON MOUNTAINTOP Law enforcement officers are still pursuing Anne s case with the help of family members. Meanwhile Maria is struggling to put her life back together. (11.3 ) CU DOCUMENTS GUERRA WALKS JOLT has already recovered $750,000 to repay victims, including $10,000 for Maria. (7.7 ) UN LOGO This report was prepared by Mary Ferreira for the United Nations. (4.5)

Social Security. Don t be a Scam Victim- You re in Control. This presentation produced at U.S. taxpayer expense.

Social Security. Don t be a Scam Victim- You re in Control. This presentation produced at U.S. taxpayer expense. Social Security www.socialsecurity.gov Don t be a Scam Victim- You re in Control This presentation produced at U.S. taxpayer expense. Identity Theft and Scams Ø Scammers have claimed to be SSA employees