Woman arrested in fraud scheme

A months-long investigation into a Nigerian fraud scheme resulted in the arrest of a West Ashley woman Tuesday, Charleston police said.

According to police Sgt. Trisha Taylor, it is called an "overpayment" scheme and works like this:

--A man in Nigeria buys something from a seller on Craigslist and sends a worthless check made out for an amount that is greater than the agreed-upon price.

--The buyer contacts the seller and asks that the seller wire the "overpayment" to his secretary, who will pick it up at Western Union.

--An accomplice in the United States goes to a Western Union counter and receives the overpayment, then sends cash to the man in Nigeria after taking out a commission.

Typically, Charleston police hear about these schemes when the victims are Charleston residents who report they've been swindled, said Taylor, a detective who supervises the department's white-collar, auto-theft and Internet crime investigators. "It's been so frustrating because we can't do much to help them when they're wiring money to these other places," she said.

In this case, there were at least 20 victims from all over the country and the money was being picked up in Charleston, Taylor said. The person who picked up the wire transfers in Charleston was getting a 15 to 20 percent commission, Taylor said.

In October, police were called to a Western Union desk at the Bi-Lo supermarket on Sam Rittenberg Boulevard. The clerk told police she had been asked to notify authorities if a certain woman tried to make any Western Union transactions. Police responded and questioned the woman.

Nina Marie Meads, 55, of Windermere Boulevard, is charged with obtaining goods by false pretenses (over $5,000), said police spokesman Charles Francis. Meads was arrested at her home Tuesday without incident, Taylor said. Meads was being held in the county jail pending a bond hearing set for today.