Many have heard the fantastic tales of wealthy individuals in foreign countries leaving millions to random email recipients. All a person has to do to collect the money is contact the sender of the email to begin the process. Do people actually fall for these scams? Would these scams still exist after all these years if they didn’t?
For those who wouldn’t mind a few extra dollars in their bank account, the lure of a rich payday might be tempting. Even so, common sense usually overrides any temptation to respond to the promise of a rich payday from a stranger in a foreign land. Still, there are some who respond to such offers, and suffer the consequences of their actions.
Financial hardship could lead people to make irrational decisions they might not otherwise consider. Greed can also play a role in the temptation to respond to a scammer’s email. Whatever the reason why people respond to the email, victims usually ends up losing money they couldn’t afford to lose, making their financial situations even worse than before.
Don’t let this happen to you. Never respond to an email promising great wealth, no matter how tempting it is or who may have sent it.
Here’s an example of an actual email I received from someone attempting to get me to respond to the offer of great wealth. Learn from it and discover just how despicable these scammers really are.
“I am Rachel Lambert suffering from cancer, I was married to late Engr. Alex Lambert an Englishman who has passed on. My husband was into private practice all his life before his death. Our life together as man and wife lasted for three decades without a child. He died after a protracted illness. My husband and I made a vow to uplift the down-trodden and the less-privileged individuals as he had passion for persons who cannot help themselves due to physical disability or financial predicament. When Alex was alive, he deposited the sum of Six Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Great Britain Pounds Sterling (£6,800,000.00) which was from his vast estates and investment in capital market with his bank in the United Kingdom. Presently, this money is still with the Bank. Just some few days ago my doctor told me that I have few weeks to live due to complications which was very devastating for me. Though what bothers me most is the stroke that I have in addition to the cancer. I have decided to donate this fund to you and want you to use this gift which comes from my husband & rsquo’s effort to fund the upkeep of widows, widowers, orphans, destitute, physically challenged children. I took this decision because I do not have any child that will inherit this money and I do not want my husband & rsquo’s hard earned money to be misused or invested into ill perceived business ventures by relatives that abandoned me all this years. Until I hear from you my dreams will rest squarely on your shoulders. Indicate your willingness in contacting me via (an email address).”