Queenslanders Targeted by Email Scam

Queenslanders are being warned to steer clear of unsolicited emails that arrive in their inbox, after reports were received that an overseas email scam is circulating around the State.

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Kerry Shine said the email, which alleges to be from a lawyer called ‘David Thompson’ from Thompson & Associates, is a scam and should be deleted.

“The letter states to the recipient that a client of the ‘lawyer’ deposited $22 million and died in an ‘auto accident’ on the Madrid Highway in 2005,” Mr Shine said.

“It further states that this deceased person has the same ‘last name’ as the person reading the email, however it does not stipulate what the last name is.”

Mr Shine said common email scams include those that claim you are the sole beneficiary of a lump sum of money or have inherited a distant relative’s fortune, but you must send money first for ‘delivery costs’ or ‘admin fees’ in order to receive your inheritance.

“Of course, there is no inheritance and if you send your money overseas the chances are you won’t see it again,” he said.

Mr Shine said the letter was sent from a hotmail address and also provides a yahoo and email address as contact details, another indicator that it is from a scammer and not a legitimate lawyer.

“Be highly suspicious of sending your money to someone you don’t know, as you most likely will never get it back,” he said.

“Unfortunately many scams originate from overseas and therefore you won’t be protected by Queensland or Australian laws.

“The first thing you should do is ask yourself why you would be the sole beneficiary of an inheritance from someone you have never heard of.”

Mr Shine said no matter how tempting the offer appears to be, consumers should be wary of emails that are sent to them out-of-the blue.

Some common signs of a scam include:
• offers that require you to pay before you receive the full details of the scam. In these cases you may receive a follow-up letter telling you that you may be an ‘entitled beneficiary’ and that you will need to send a fee to receive a ‘primary brief’
• letters claiming you have won an overseas lottery or offering winning tickets or prizes in return for a small administration fee
• letters with words like ‘congratulations, you've won’, or ‘instant winner’
• overseas letters with words like ‘urgent delivery’ and ‘important documents enclosed’
• claims that the offer available is legal or has government approval
• any offer that does not have a fixed address and requires money to be sent to a post box number
• offers from another country (Queensland and Australian laws will not protect you)
• anything requiring ‘quick action’ to avoid disappointment
• requests that ask you to pay quickly with your credit card or ask for your bank details. Often your name is added to a mailing list if you reply (known in the industry as a ‘sucker’ list) and you'll probably receive more competition and lottery scams.

To protect yourself:
• always be wary of any unsolicited contact from people or companies you have never heard of
• say no to any offer that makes you feel uncomfortable or puts you under pressure
• ask for more information and seek independent professional advice before you make any decisions or commit any money to a scheme.

“Under no circumstances should you ever provide your credit card or bank details to anyone you don’t know or trust,” Mr Shine said.

For more information on protecting yourself from scams and a list of known scams, visit www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au or phone 13 13 04.



Media Contact: Troy Davies 3239 6400 or 0488 799 273.