Loved one died and I get a wad of an inheritance!

By joining our community you will have the ability to post topics and access other forums reserved for members. Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today by clicking here.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 03 Oct 2008 Posts: 6

OK, well no one REALLY died...but according to a letter I got, if I'll just contact them discreetly, I can collect my inheritance left to me by a client of their bank.

Yeah, sure.

Naturally, no specific names (mine or my "loved one") were mentioned.

I'm new here and I'll be honest, I'm not really into the scam-baiting thing - but I refrain from getting into that here. So, I won't be posting any contact details.

But I thought this was interesting because it's a little off the beaten path of the "usual" scam letter. You know the one: Mr. X conveniently died a gazillionaire with no heirs aren't aren't YOU the luckiest soul on the planet since someone wants YOU to have his money.

This made it a little more personal by making it MY money. That someone gave to ME.

I can see them catching some people in their nets by simply getting a few curiousity calls & emails "What was the name of the person who left me money?"
"Oh if you'll give us your name and phone number, we can get you that info..." etc.

Sad, really.

Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 10:45 pm

Very, very common in fact.
It's a familiar scammer tactic to use a family name, just as it is to suggest that someone has died that has no connection to the family, but the banker is looking to get rid of the funds between you anyway.

These are both known as "Next of kin" (NOK) scams and are the most common type. Both of them attract equal amounts of victims, despite the two different approaches.

Welcome here by the way. Smile

Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 10:47 pm

One4All wrote:

. . . . . . . it's a little off the beaten path of the "usual" scam letter. . . . . .

One4All, it is a very common scam format.
If you have a look in our Surplus Letters Forum you'll find many similar ones.

Its not so often that we see a new scam format and, in this case, you've just received one of those that is trotted out regularly. Smile

Feel free to publish the scam letter or email here taking care to edit out your own personal details.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 03 Oct 2008 Posts: 6

Thanks for the info. See, I've never gotten one quite like that.

It's sad. What if someone who lost touch with a love one really thought they had died? I guess that's what they are counting on.

Even offered their condolences.

Grrrrrr

Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 11:08 pm

I know that we often consider scammers to be stupid, possibly because the more stupid ones are easier to bait, but any scammer should at least try to make his scam believable. (which is what you are suggesting)

Not quite a Newb Joined: 30 Aug 2008 Posts: 54

Yes, I've inherited about 857 million dollars so far, all coming from people who don't even know my name and range from nuns to deposed dictators and of course tons and tons of Barristers (why is using Britain so popular with lads?).
Although why senior Barristers and International Probate Researchers would be using Yahoo and other free email is anyone's guess. Wink

Loved one died and I get a wad of an inheritance!	View next topic View previous topic