FraudulentCharges.com

In an effort to crack down on online scammers, Nigerian officials have launched a new initiative called “Project Eagle Claw,” which has already resulted in 18 arrests and the closure of 800 Web sites, reports Ars Technica.

Officials expect the initiative to be fully operational by 2010. Says Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Chairman Farida Waziri:

We expect that Eagle Claw as conceived will be 100 percent operational within six months and at full capacity, it will take Nigeria out of the top 10 list of countries with the highest incidence of fraudulent e-mails.

Working with Microsoft to fully deploy Project Eagle Claw, the commission expects to be able to take down up to 5,000 fraudulent e-mails per month.