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RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBZ RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHDU RUEHFL RUEHGI
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DE RUEHYD #1269/01 2971033
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 241033Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8251
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE 0021
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHFT/AMCONSUL FRANKFURT 0570

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YAOUNDE 001269 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FRANKFURT FOR RCO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CVIS ASEC KFRD CMGT ECON PHUM KPAO CM
SUBJECT: CAMEROON VISA FRAUD: NOT ENOUGH HANDCUFFS 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: Three recently uncovered visa scams highlight 
the ongoing efforts of malafide Cameroonian travelers to 
emigrate illegally to the United States.  Excellent support 
from the Regional Security Office, collaboration with local 
law enforcement and vigilance by consular employees are key 
elements of post's efforts to combat this threat.  Ubiquitous 
fraud and corruption are driving the NIV refusal rate higher, 
reducing the scope for commercial, educational and cultural 
exchange. End Summary. 
 
Scam # 1 - The Unfamiliar Courier 
================================= 
 
¶2. (U) Yaounde's consular section was recently visited by an 
individual bearing a diplomatic passport from the Central 
African Republic (CAFR) who claimed to be from their Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs.  He submitted what turned out to be two 
more photo-substituted CAFR passports under cover of a 
diplomatic note and mission orders.  The visa clerk accepting 
the application identified discrepancies between the 
documents and those normally found, and an investigation 
ensued.  Post succeeded in having the "courier" return - 
whereupon he was arrested by local authorities, being found 
in possession of a series of falsified stamps, and a paper 
showing his practice forgeries. 
 
Scam # 2 - The Old Fashioned Identity Swap 
========= ================================ 
 
¶3. (U) Post benefited from technological advances in 
biometric identification, which helped us intercept a 
gentleman who had successfully shed his real identity and 
obtained a full set of legitimately issued identity documents 
showing him to be an established businessman.  After 
obtaining a confession, post is gathering information about 
the source of his documentation. 
 
Scam # 3 - The World Traveler 
============================= 
 
¶4. (U) During the normal NIV intake procedure, a sharp-eyed 
fraud investigator/NIV clerk became suspicious of two 
individuals and flagged their passports for extra scrutiny. 
Local staff quickly determined that the South African visas 
in the passport were fraudulent, and later learned that 
approximately a dozen other visa foils and stamps had been 
falsified - including those from Equatorial Guinea, and 
Gabon.  Consular colleagues at relevant embassies were 
alerted to the incident.  The following day a second pair, 
posing as a couple, appeared with virtually identical 
passports and were similarly intercepted.  On our 
encouragement, local authorities have sent agents to Douala, 
Cameroon's commercial center, to attempt to arrest the source 
of these visas, and are making progress to that end. 
Unfortunately a CCD text search revealed that these were not 
the first clients of this visa-fixer. 
 
Detect and Deter, With Help from RSO 
================= ================== 
 
¶5. (U) Post has made efforts to emphasize and publicize the 
importance of honesty in the visa process - with apparently 
limited impact.  In a bid to strengthen that message, we have 
adopted a standard practice of orchestrating the arrest of 
malafide applicants in view of those in the consular waiting 
room.  An announcement is subsequently made to the crowd 
reassuring them of their own safety, and explaining that the 
individual in question had presented documents in violation 
of both U.S. and Cameroonian law.  Applicants contemplating 
doing the same are urged to reconsider their actions and 
abandon their applications, which a few have elected to do. 
 
¶6. (U) Yaounde's Consular section has benefited greatly from 
a skilled and supportive Regional Security Office that has 
dedicated time and expertise to visa investigations, 
coordination with host country law enforcement, and 
professional development of post's two fraud investigators. 
This team has helped improve the knowledge of skills of all 
consular staff, and works with a range of experts in other 
embassies' consular sections and the airlines to stay current 
with fraud trends. 
 
Comment and Recommendation 
========================== 
 
¶7. (U) While Yaounde is fortunate to have excellent resources 
to utilize in our battle against fraudulent applications, the 
recent rash of arrests underlines the fact that visa fraud is 
commonplace, sophisticated and often successful.  Moreover, 
 
YAOUNDE 00001269  002 OF 002 
 
 
an increasing number of requests for investigation of asylum 
cases by the Department of Homeland Security and DRL are 
being handled by the RSO office.  The fact that not one of 
these investigations has revealed a bonafide claim makes it 
abundantly clear that large numbers of Cameroonians from 
virtually every demographic are making falsified asylum 
claims - often after obtaining an NIV through 
misrepresentation.  While post will continue to make every 
effort to properly identify legitimate business travelers, 
students and other visitors, we anticipate a continued rise 
in the refusal rate of first-time applicants, and a resulting 
negative impact on exchanges of all sorts.  Likewise, post 
has seen files from many dubious asylum recipients who 
resided temporarily in Europe or elsewhere, and would 
encourage other embassies dealing with Cameroonian applicants 
to take particular care in handling these cases in light of 
these observations. 
GARVEY