Law-abiding Jamaicans are not the only ones facing heavy taxes as THE STAR has learnt that lotto scammers from at least one community in Montego Bay, St James, are having a hard time enjoying their loot as thugs from the neighbourhood are extorting them.

Information reaching THE STAR is that the scammers have to pay as much as half of what they collect from a day's activities as 'dues' to the vicious hoodlums.

"De badman dem 'ave dem office wha dem set up and de scammer affi report to dem wid the money," a source told THE STAR. "Anyhow de scammer dem nuh pay nuh money a crazy lick to dem skin. De thugs dem nah ramp wid dem."

Another source said that, in some instances, the thugs may even oversee the scammer making the conniving phone call and then collect the money. The thugs would then, depending on the goodness of their hearts, give a percentage of the collected funds to the scammer.

flee area

"A two scammer affi tek whe dem self aredi," another person told THE STAR. "Ya man! Dem neva waan run nuh money and de thugs dem mash dem up. After the beatings de man dem jus left the area."

When contacted, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Denver Frater, head of the Area One police, confirmed the situation.

"Extortion is all over the western region as it relates to diallers (scammers). We know that the situation exists," ACP Frater said. "I don't know if it is happening in that particular community, however, but I know for a fact that there are diallers in that area."

The police officer said he was unable to state how much money these scammers made on a daily basis or how much is extorted from them.

The story of Ann Mowle, 72, a United States grandmother, who committed suicide in 2007 after falling victim to a scammer, gives an idea of the kind of cash one con artist can make in a day. Mowle's relatives said she had spent her entire life savings of US$248,000 trying to collect US$2.5 million, which Jamaican scam artists had told her she had won.

The woman is said to have sent money ranging from US$158 (J$13,588) to US$4,750 (J$408,500), depending on the amount the scammer requested on a given day. She had made some 50 transfers up until the time she committed suicide after attempts to get back the swindled cash failed.