Fraudulent Orders From Africa a Continuing Problem

ABA reminds booksellers to beware of orders for large numbers of medical books, textbooks, or bibles that originate in Nigeria or other African nations. The association continues to receive reports from booksellers across the country who have received fraudulent orders via telephone and telephone relay systems developed for use by the hearing impaired; through the mail, accompanied by a check for several thousand dollars; or via e-mails and orders placed through a store's online shopping cart.

Booksellers receiving overseas orders that are suspect should report them to the closest local field office of the U.S. Secret Service. For the telephone number of your local field office, go to www.secretservice.gov/field_offices.shtml.

The Secret Service has also posted a warning about similar schemes at www.secretservice.gov/alert419.shtml.