It is so annoying every time I opened my personal mail in yahoo (and in my google and mail.com as well) that those unsolicited “next of kin” offers keep filling my inbox! E-mail scams too are on huge bulk! And deleting those stuff each time I opened my account is worth messing my day! WTF! I can’t withstand this online drawback of having an email. I know I’ve been posting my email with a number of sites I visited. I’m a peevish person so I know when to display my email on chosen and trusted sites! Having an email account might be one of the perils of being online.

Here is a sample letter of the hundreds or thousands of SCAMS I received:

” Selborne Chambers
10 Essex Street
Accra Ghana

Dear Friend,

I know we have not met in person but I have a very profiting proposal which I am sure you can handle. My name is Tony Anthony QC. I am a Barrister and a member of the Queen’s Council (QC) working with the reputable legal firm - Crown Office Chambers in Accra Ghana and I am only contacting you to help claim deposited funds made by one of our clients who was involved in a fatal auto crash which killed him and his entire family in 2003.

Late Mr. Mark Ravi was a personal client of mine and I managed all his legal affairs. Today, I stand as the only custodian to the deposit he made in a finance company and now I am faced with the task of providing a beneficiary for the fund. The amount in the deposit is $12,000,000 (Twelve Million United States Dollars Only) and the finance house is ready to release the money to whoever I present as the true fund beneficiary and next-of-kin to my late client because my late client issued me a Power of Attorney duly endorsed in the Ghana High Courts of Justice when he made the deposit and I was his legal advising counselor on the deposit and other issues.

Now the finance house where my client deposited the fund demands that I quickly provide a claimant for the fund because the deposit duration has expired and needs a renewal or withdrawal from their company otherwise it will be handed over to the government. Because I have not been able to provide anyone due to my fears of releasing the money to someone who might run away with it, I am being very careful about this. I have however decided to try and do this deal with you whether you are truly related to my client or not and I pray you will not run away with the money when they release it to you. I will arrange to formalize your papers so that you can be approved as next-of-kin to my late client and the fund can be released to you immediately.The courier/security company has agreed to release the fund in cash to the next-of-kin to my late client through their liaison office depending on the area he/she may base.They can pay in these countries;

We shall draw an agreement between you and me for security of the fund sharing when it is released to you. I agree to a fifty-fifty sharing but we must bear serious responsibilities on both sides to ensure the release of the fund to you. I want you to note that this is a very serious deal and not a child’s play and this time the money must be released because it truly exists in the finance company.

If you feel we can sign out the funds together, quickly send to me your full name,address,working identiy,your occupation,phone and fax and I will call to give you the details of the deal and send you the relevant transaction documents.You may get back to me via my direct email address:tonyanthony_11@yahoo.co.uk .

Regards,

Barr.tony anthony QC
Direct Tel: +233 2460 63724 ”