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Scam emails: Urgent Reply - Barrister Peter Van Smith

Scam Business Proposals
Example - Scam emails: Urgent Reply - Barrister Peter Van Smith

And now a scam originating (presumably) in Holland (the Netherlands, Nederlands),.  Of course, the scammer could be anywhere and just claiming to be Dutch. This one uses the "airplane crash" ploy: the crash was probably a real event, so if you check it out, you will think, "this is for real". The even provide a link to the news story.  Again, note the very "authentic looking" Hotmail address! Of course, only a scammer would be using free email accounts like Yahoo and Hotmail to conduct company business! There is not a legitimate company in the world (with ANY sense) that would use a free Yahoo email account as their contact email.  Anyone can get a yahoo email account like that.

An interesting twist is that the scammer is proposing  to claim you are the next of kin, which if the rest of the story were true (which it is not), that would make you a criminal, by committing a fraud. So even, if he really did have the money, you would go to a federal prison when you are caught.


Dear Friend,

I am Barrister Peter Van Smith, a solicitor at law. I was the personal attorney to Eng, John McPherson, a national of your country who used to work with an oil servicing company here in Amsterdam-Netherlands after which be referred to as my client.

Eng, John McPherson 62 years of age made a fixed deposit of fund valued at USD$14,500,000 (Fourteen Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only) with a Security Company/Finance Firm here in Europe and unfortunately lost his life in an Egyptian charter plane Boeing 737 . which crashed into the Red Sea early on January 3 shortly after taking off from the resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, killing all the 135 passengers and 13 crew members aboard, Ref: (View: http://english.people.com.cn/200401/04/eng20040104_131791.shtml ). He left no clear beneficiary as Next of Kin except some vital documents related to the deposit still in my possession.

Recently, the governing body of the Security Company/Finance Firm contacted me on this matter, requesting that I should notify the next of kin of my late client to claim the funds and I am yet to provide the Next of Kin to lay claims to the Fund. I know that my client had no living next of kin but I went ahead and made several inquiries to your embassy to locate any of my late clients extended relatives but this has proved unsuccessful. Under a clear and legitimate agreement with you, I seek your consent to present you as the next so that my late client's fund will not be confiscated by the Security Company.

You and I can share the money, you will be entitled to 50% of the total fund for your role as the relative and next of kin of my late client,

40% for me while 10% is to be marked out for any expenses that will be incurred during the clearance or process of transfer of the fund to your bank account. Be informed that there is no risk involved as all necessary legal document which will be used to back you up as the legal beneficiary and

next of kin of my late client will be procured.

All I require is your sincerity, honesty, co-operation and utmost good faiths to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this will

be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. Kindly, get in touch with me by my e-mail

(smithconsult2002@hotmail.com) or telephone to enable us discuss further. You may also send your telephone number so that I can call you. Do not

forget that a transaction of this magnitude require utmost confidentiality and sincerity. I look forward to your urgent response.

Thank you,

Peter Van Smith

+31616729060