Scammers shun sex to improve luck

Scammers have been abstaining from sex and refusing to take baths as part of rituals aimed at guaranteeing success in their attempts to trick unsuspecting persons in the United States of America (USA) that they have won sweepstakes.

A group of so-called chappaz told THE STAR that they rely heavily on good luck oils, incense and scented candles while carrying out their illicit operations.

"All we do is get the client name and light up we candle, rub on the oil and talk what we desire from the client. Dem time when we a chop, we don't bathe because we don't want rub off the luck and we nuh have sex cuz we body haffi pure," the youth said.

Jamaican police have long said that scammers have reportedly turned to the occult world to protect them from evil and law enforcement officers. Scammers have been wearing guard rings, others drink from human skulls, and some are thought to be engaging in human sacrifice, the police said in 2016.

However, based on the account of four teenage scammers with whom THE STAR spoke last week, the use of 'science' in lottery scamming has moved beyond providing protection for the players. It now involves providing luck.

"Me know a woman who sell incense and she nuh have hand to sell," one scammer, a teenage high-school dropout, said.

People have been bilked out of thousands of dollars by Jamaican fraudsters who make telephone calls to persons in the USA claiming that they have won large cash prizes, vacation getaways, vehicles, or other prizes. Despite several players being arrested and extradited to stand trial in the USA, the practice has spread beyond St James, the epicentre, and is now said to involve many teenage boys, some of whom have traded their khakis for a life of scamming.

THE STAR observed four of these boys - none of whom appear to be older than 16 - at work last week as they targeted a potential victim whom they have deemed a 'client'.

One of the teens, who was given the phone and directives by a 'seasoned' scammer, made his pitch. Having dialled the number of the unsuspecting victim, the youngster, speaking in broken English, tried to convince the person on the other end that he was the recipient of gift cards from US department store chain, Target. Based on the boy's response, it was evident that the person was not convinced.

But the boy was unrelenting.

"Carm (calm) down, sir, and please listen. You never did shop at Target last month? Well, this is a gift to you. All you need to do to claim the money is pay a small fee," he said, as his friends stifled giggles.

The 'small fee' of US$400 (approximately $61,000) was agreed and the 'client' promised to have it transferred to a Cashapp account.

One of the young scammers said they feed on the greed of the older folks in the USA who often hide their 'business' from their children.

"Wi will tell dem sey is because dem shop frequently with Walmart or so on, and that is why dem become part of the sweepstake. Afterwards, dem a guh ask how dem claim di prize and we tell dem say the warehouse weh wi work for deal with 95 per cent of the shipping fees, and dem only take care of the remaining five per cent. Sometimes if we all tell dem sey a US$1,000 a di fee, dem nuh bother calculate, dem just send di money to the Cashapp, or other ting weh wi collect thru," the scammer said.

The teenager, who has been partaking in the illegal activities for a little over a year, says he usually receives information about his victims from a friend who works at a call centre. He says that he is not the only one who benefits. The persons who collect the funds from remittance services will also receive a cut.

"The person whose Cashapp it go inna a go get a ting and if the money over US$1,000, yuh done know say di money place may question it. So mi will all make two adult collect it because mi too young. And me give each a dem a ting outta it so everybody eat a food," he said.