The Inheritance Scam

These pop up now and then. They claim someone with no next of kin has died, and the overseeing official wants your help to steal the estate. This one is very fun. It uses the standard next of kin claim, and adds in that the deceased used to work at a Nigerian Bank. Now I'm not saying there aren't crooked bankers and politicians out there (have you seen our economy?), But I am pretty sure that anyone crooked enough to try to steal money this way, wouldn't e-mail a random stranger for help.
*Just on a side note, I did receive a scam e-mail once very similar to this one, except it said the deceased (who died in a car accident in Switzerland) was my father. They even had his name. I have a good relationship with my father, and he is still alive, so I was able to call him, and have a good laugh about that scam, but I can just imagine what it must be like for someone who has never met their father to receive an e-mail like that... Don't fall for these scams. If it looks true to you, do some research.

Scam e-mail Below:

FROM THE DESK OF BARR.TONY GEORGE
PRIVATE EMAIL:
barr.tonygeorge@live.com
URGENT INHERITANCE CLAIM

Good day,

I know
this proposal will come to you as a surprise especially when you do not
know the writer, considering the huge sum of money involved which could
make any apprehensive.

Let me start by introducing myself to you. I am
Barr. Tony George, the attorney to Late Kim Norris from Montreal Canada
who used to work with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as an adviser to
CBN Governor on banking supervision, who died in an air crash on the 3rd
of June 2012 alongside with 152 other passengers who boarded Dana
airline flight 9j992.

I saw your contact during my private search at
the information center here in my country chamber of commerce and
industry and I want to believe that you will be very honest, committed
and capable of assisting in this business transaction.

Firstly, let me
explain the source of this funds and what you are expected to do. A
Canadian citizen from Montreal (Late Kim Norris), adviser to CBN
governor on banking supervision who has been working with them since
2008, was a victim of Nigerian Dana Airline crash.

The deceased, Late
Kim Norris, banked with Keystone Bank formerly known as Bank PHB which
is his secret account and has a closing balance as of May 2012 worth
$31m (Thirty One Million US Dollars) which Keystone Bank now expects a
Next-Of-Kin to claim as the Beneficiary of the funds, efforts has been
made by the Bank Directors to get in touch with the Late Kim Norris's
family or relative but to no success based on the perceived possibility
of not being able to locate Late Kim Norris's Next-Of-Kin, the
management under the influence of Bank Chairman and the Board Of
Directors are making arrangements for the funds to be declared unclaimed
and channeled to an unknown account.

It is based on this that I have
contacted you to stand as the Next-Of-Kin of Late Kim Norris so that the
funds will be released and paid into your account as the Beneficiary and
the Next-Of-Kin to the Late Kim Norris.

All documents and proof to
enable you get the funds have been carefully worked out as I have
secured from the different offices concerned for the smooth transfer of
the fund to your nominated account. It has been agreed that the owner of
the account will be compensated with 30% of the remitted funds, while my
Law Chamber keep 65% and 5% will be set aside to offset expenses both
locally and international.

If this proposal satisfies you, please reach
me through my direct email address for more information and also send me
your contacts: your name in full; your phone number; Nationality;
Driving License or International Passport for quick and easy
communication.

I await your urgent response; all the best and God bless
you. Please email me on this my private email address for security
reason.

Yours faithfully,
Address: barr.tonygeorge@live.com
Barr. Tony
George.