Charge d'affaires at the United States Embassy in Jamaica, Isaiah Parnell (left), greets Dr Juanette Mason-Jordan, head of the Department of Anaesthesia at the Cornwall Regional Hospital in St James, during a tour of the facility on Tuesday. - photo by Sheena Gayle

WESTERN BUREAU:

The partnership between the United States government and the the Jamaican Operations Linked to Telemarketing (JOLT) task force has resulted in funds being repatriated to victims, says charge d'affaires at the US Embassy in Jamaica, Isaiah Parnell.

"My understanding is that there has been several thousands of dollars that have been recovered through this programme, and that have been sent back to Americans in the US, or Jamaicans living in the US, who have been victims of these (lottery) scams," Parnell revealed during a press briefing with journalists in Montego Bay, St James, on Tuesday.

The task force comprises the United States' Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) division, the US Embassy in Jamaica, and several national authorities including the Jamaica Constabulary Force; the Customs and Passport and Immigration departments; the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions; the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court; and the Financial Investigation Division of the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service.

Stamping out

The team will focus on stamping out the deadly multibillion-dollar lottery scam industry which had its genesis in Montego Bay.

Parnell acknowledged that public sensitisation on illicit activities, such as the lottery scam, is a shared responsibility between law-enforcement officials and the US customers.

"These scams not only affect American citizens but Jamaicans as well who are living in the United States, and we have certainly dedicated some of our embassy resources to train local law-enforcement agencies in how to deal with this type of issue," he added.

He also admitted that the lotto scam was not unique to Jamaica.

The scam involves the use of illicitly obtained personal information on potential victims, particularly US retirees.

This information is used to persuade the victims to send money on the pretext that they have won a lottery and that payment of a processing fee is required for them to claim their winnings.