I almost fell for this scam and know a family member who did. It always starts the same way. An unexpected email. A serious tone. A name I barely recognize—but it shares my last name. According to the message, a long-lost relative has passed away overseas and left me a fortune. A million dollars. Sometimes more. All I have to do is reply quickly, keep it confidential, and help with a small administrative payment—a fee to clear foreign officials, release funds, or “unlock” an account. I’ve seen the variations.The Nigerian 411 emails.The fake inheritance notices.The prepaid money card requests.The urgent phone numbers that push you to act now or lose everything. At first glance, it almost sounds official. Legal language. Seals. Names of banks and government offices. But the moment you slow down, the cracks show. Pressure. Secrecy. Requests for upfront money. Sometimes even encouragement to travel overseas “to complete the process.” What many people don’t realize is that the scam doesn’t always stop at money. In extreme cases, victims who travel have been robbed, kidnapped, or worse—chasing a promise that was never real. After a few close run-ins, I learned the pattern:If someone you’ve never met suddenly owes you millions—but needs your money first—it’s not a blessing. It’s bait. Now when those messages land in my inbox, I don’t feel lucky.I feel warned. And I hope others learn the truth before curiosity, desperation, or hope costs them far more than they can afford. If you or you know someone who has infortunalely fallen for this scam, forward suspicious emails to [email protected], file a complaint with the FTC (ReportFraud.ftc.gov), the FBI's IC3 (ic3.gov) for internet crimes, and the U.S. Secret Service if you've lost money or received letters, and contact your bank if you sent funds. You should also report it to your state's Attorney General or Consumer Affairs office. Your friendly neighborhood scambuster.

Just would like to welcome our new members, I am so thankful to have you part of of our small community, I would love to hear a quick introduction, of where your from and what you are hoping to get from being here with the rest of us.

I almost got scammed back in 2016 — and it started with me just trying to help my son find a virtual assistant job online through a website that used to be called odesk now upwork. Everything looked legit at first. A “company” reached out, offered quick pay, and sent a check for several thousand dollars. They told me to deposit it, keep a few hundred as payment, and then send the rest as a cashier’s check to another “virtual assistant” to buy supplies. Something felt off. So I did what most people don’t do… I slowed down and verified. I contacted the company whose name was on the check. They told me their bank account had been compromised — the check was fraudulent. That moment hit hard. If I had deposited it, the bank would’ve cleared it first… then weeks later reversed it when the fraud was discovered — leaving me responsible for the full amount. Instead of cashing it, I packaged the check, screenshots, and the entire communication trail and sent it straight to the Postmaster General for investigation. Why? Because these fraud rings only survive when people stay silent. They target parents. They target job seekers. They target people just trying to do the right thing. This time, they missed. If you ever get a “job” that involves depositing money and sending some back — stop. That’s not work. That’s a laundering scam. Stay sharp. Protect your family. And don’t let criminals turn your bank account into their crime scene. I don't remember ever getting any word back from the Post Master General so I recently submitted a FOIA to see if they wioll release any info on any results from what I sent. I will keep you posted on this matter. DBE