BY LAJU ARENYEKA
All over the world, individuals, families and businesses are making plans for 2014. You just may not believe it, but the scammers are not left out. They know that some people have a desire to travel abroad next year, and are ready to feed on that desire. It should therefore not come as a surprise that emails like the one below have become a favourite of scammers in this season.

Take a look at this piece from one Ms. Cecila Thomas who is most likely as nonexistent as the International Youth & Women Foundation she claims to represent. It reads:

“Dear Colleague,
The International Youth & Women Foundation (I.Y.W.F) is pleased to invite you to participate in our forth-coming International Conference on (Child Abuse, HIV/AIDS, Racism And Human Trafficking). This event   will begins from (January 21st-24th 2014) in California, United State of America and (January 28th-31st 2014) in Dakar, Senegal. I am  honored to invite you to attend this event as my guest.

For more details and requirement for your registration, kindly contact  the secretariat office via Mr. Charles Raymond E-mail:  [secretary.global.youth.i.y.w.f@secretary.net]. Also feel free to  contact me if you need any further details related to this event.   Note that the Organizing Committee and Our donor sponsors will take  the full responsibility of all registered participants Visa processing  for the United States & Senegal respectively.

That will include your  round trip air tickets to both events. While delegates will only be  responsible for his/her own hotel accommodation in Dakar,Senegal were  the second phase of the event will take place. I do hope you can make  time in your busy schedule to attend this conference and share your  ideas on this topic on the panel.”

This is one letter you must avoid like a plague if you do not want to get duped!