Ugandan attempts to con Australian millionaire

Douglas J. Rathbone is the Managing Director, Nufarm Australia Ltd, one of the world’s leading producers of crop protection drugs. He is an industrialist with vast experience in the agrochemicals, an international businessman, and one of the richest men on earth. He is also philanthropist.

Sometime between August and September this year, Mr. Rathbone received a request from a Ugandan named Namugenyi Christabell begging him to finance her course in nursing and midwifery. She presented supporting documents from the Mulago School of Nursing and Midwifery and a list of her requirements. The total bill was US$ 20,000 (about Shs 33 million).

Before receiving this request, Rathbone had neither known Namugyeni nor heard from her. As a philanthropist, however, this was not the first time he had received calls for financial help from strangers. Touched by this e-mail, Douglas Rathbone decided that he will help Namugyeni.

From past experience Mr Rathbone knew that he needed to ascertain the authenticity of this request. He contacted Mr Andrew Mwenda, Managing Editor of The Independent magazine. The revelations Mwenda and his team dug up were shocking. Douglas Rathbone could have lost US$20,000 to Ugandan internet fraudsters.

A visit to the Mulago School of Nursing and Midwifery revealed that the admission letter sent to Mr. Rathbone was a forgery. The layout of this letter, its logo, and the website provided for further reference (www.msonm.com), the names and signatures of the so called dean and principal of the institution, the postal address, e-mail addresses and phone numbers did not belong to the institution.

On the site are photographs of people purported to be members of its staff, information about courses offered, and a contact postal address together with a mobile phone number.

When The Independent called on one of the number, a female voice answered. She however hung up as soon as she was asked if this was the school of nursing. In another attempt, nobody could pick the phone.

At the genuine Mulago School of Nursing and Midwifery, the administrators said the Namugyeni incident is not the first of its nature. Last year, seven people reported to the school ready to study, complete with fake letters of admission. The school, which is under the stewardship of the Ministry of Education and Sports, said it has lodged several complaints to the police about these incidents.

Mr. Rathbone’s experience is just the tip of the iceberg. Recently, a mobile phone technician was arrested in Kampala with networking equipment that had been stolen from MTN and allegedly used in internet, ATM, bank, and phone airtime fraud.

Cyber or internet fraud comprises use of one or more online services - such as chat rooms, e-mail, message boards, or websites - to either present fraudulent solicitations to prospective victims or conduct fraudulent transactions.

It thrives on illegally acquired information of potential victims, who may be individuals or organisations.

Simeo Nsubuga, the Kampala Extra Region Police Spokesman says: “Fraudsters at times connive with the secretaries of busy people who leak information from their bosses’ inboxes to these fraudsters.”

In other cases the fraudsters collaborate with people who work in banks to give them clients’ account information.

Mr Nsubuga said a cyber-criminal was arrested after impersonating a bishop to get money from the bishop’s friend in the United States of America. He claimed the bishop’s wife was seriously injured in an accident and admitted to hospital. After a week, the bishop’s friend called the bishop in Uganda, to inquire about how the wife was doing. They discovered the fraud and, together with the police, trapped and caught the conman.

The local CID often works with the International Criminal Police Organisation, (Interpol) to investigate such crimes but Nsubuga says it is very difficult; it involves only two people without witnesses, is complicated by the distance between the two parties, and the victims often cannot travel to give evidence.

He also cites the weak laws that haven’t been amended to incorporate the ever changing technology. “We know the fax machines where these people send their messages from, but you can’t go and ask its operator that who sent and received such a message because that the law doesn’t oblige him/her to record the details of who receives what and who sends what,” he laments.

Simeo Nsubuga says fighting this crime is very complicated because under the Penal Code, the crime invites only a five year prison sentence and bail can also be sought from the magistrate’s court. He suggests that such crimes be tried only in the High Court.

The police may also lack incriminating evidence against the culprits because it lacks personnel competent in cyber crime.

Internet fraud in Uganda has steadily risen since 2005. In 2006, this form of crime had become so prominent that the police decided to train an elite squad to track it.

Meanwhile, cyber crime may appear distant when heard of but it’s actually next door and your money may no longer be as safe like you may think. To avoid falling victim, try protecting your personal information. If that fails, do what Mr Rathbone did – check the authenticity of that SMS, letter, email, fax, or website.