Nigerian scammers using ASIC stationery in inheritance frauds
Nigerian scammers are now using fake ASIC stationery to implement their inheritance frauds.
The letter or email requests up-front payment and copies of personal documents in exchange for access to a substantial overseas inheritance.
ASIC commissioner Peter Kell says there have been a growing number of scams both in Australia and overseas where the operators pretend to be from government agencies as a way of gaining consumer trust.
“We are warning consumers about this fake correspondence, as ASIC never contacts the public requesting up-front payment in such circumstances,” Kell warns.
“Consumers who receive a request to transfer money in exchange for an inheritance, lottery win or other large windfall should treat it as a scam and report it to the ACCC.
“People should never send money or personal information to someone they don’t know,” says Kell.
For more information on Nigerian and other scams see the ACCC’s SCAMwatch webpage about money transfer requests.
