Ross Sheil, Staff Reporter
Five Jamaican non-govern-mental organisations (NGOs) have avoided being hoaxed into sending funds to attend a non-existent conference in Oxford, England.
The invitation to the 'International Development Fund (IDF) Annual Congress' was sent to the Jamaican consulate in Brussels, Belgium, which forwarded it to the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) which invited the five different NGOs.
However, after receiving similar hoaxes in the past and following checks with international partners Amsale Maryam, chairperson of the Association of Development Agencies (ADA) discovered the hoax and contacted the PIOJ.
Each of the five NGOs - ADA, Dispute Resolution Foundation, Council for Civil and Voluntary Social Services, Rise Life Management Services and the Southern Trelawny Environmental Association (STEA) - had been prepared to send five persons at a cost of US$230 per head to the event between September 4 and 8.
No answer
While the hoaxers promised to cover airfares, accommodation and per diem, the US$230 charged for administration fees was to be wired via Western Union to a 'Dr. Frank A. Johnson' at the IDF 'Africa Bureau' in Lome, Togo.
"Meet us in Memphis and Oxford to assert anew our involvement for a strongest response face to the poverty and let us make this dream a reality," promised the literature.
However, when The Gleaner yesterday attempted to dial the phone numbers the hoaxers provided in Dallas and Togo, neither returned an answer.
The DRF was one of the NGOs that had already started fund-raising to attend the event, before one employee discovered it was a hoax after checking the Internet.
"This could have had serious financial implications for an organisation of our small size, not to mention the embarrassment!" said STEA Executive Director Hugh Dixon.
Superintendent Errol Samuels of the Fraud Squad said he was unaware of the scam, but cautioned members of the public in similar instances to seek verification from either police or, when possible, the local consulates of such countries.
