Woman Loses $400,000 Over Internet Fraud

Janella Spears, a nurse from Oregon, was preyed on by Nigerian internet scammers costing her $400,000 (€314,000). The case is purported to be the biggest of its kind in the history of online fraud.

Spears said she started sending cash to the fraudsters in 2005 following an email assuring her of millions of dollars from a long-lost next of kin. Scammers arbitrarily communicated with the victim over the web, stating they could give her a $20.5 million share in return for the cash injection, which would aid to transfer it to another country.

Spears was heavily convinced by the scammers causing her to gradually shell out millions of dollars. "I kept thinking it's only a couple of hundred dollars - I can get it back," Spears added. Over the course of two years, she kept on sending money to the perpetrators until she was persuaded to send out more than $400,000. She raised the money by remortgaging her home and spending her husband's retirement savings. Spears admitted she acted out in full ignorance of the advices given by bank officials. police and the FBI.