[Victor again, speaking as IT PhD in Information Assurance & Security] Needless to say, this is a scam. Beyond even the preposterous text of the e-mail, the first things anyone should check are the FROM: and REPLY-TO: email addresses. If the FROM: address is something respectable (in the above case, it was "from" aorbann@travelers.com), but the REPLY-TO: address is something that differs suspiciously (in the above case, richielai66@gmail.com), then the message is likely a scam, regardless of the subject.
Sometimes, these emails come as HTML, with the REPLY-TO: address disguised or with links that say something legitimate, but the <HREF> tag contains something wildly different. If you receive an unsolicited email, right-click on it and select VIEW MESSAGE SOURCE (AOL Mail) or hit Command+U (Thunderbird) (View/Message Source from menu). This gives you a safe way to examine the actual code of the message to look for the REAL REPLY-TO and anything else suspicious.
Another CrimeStoppers Textbook entry from Dick Tracy and me.
Sometimes, these emails come as HTML, with the REPLY-TO: address disguised or with links that say something legitimate, but the <HREF> tag contains something wildly different. If you receive an unsolicited email, right-click on it and select VIEW MESSAGE SOURCE (AOL Mail) or hit Command+U (Thunderbird) (View/Message Source from menu). This gives you a safe way to examine the actual code of the message to look for the REAL REPLY-TO and anything else suspicious.
Another CrimeStoppers Textbook entry from Dick Tracy and me.
~~~~~ (~);-} ~~~~~
Well, it had to happen: Nigerian Princes have been replaced by cancer-wracked widows with BITCOINS!
Original EMAIL:
Hello,
My name is Richie Lai, a Client Relations officer at one of
Canada’s foremost Cryptocurrency exchange platforms. This is a private and confidential message from me to you and I request that it be treated as such. [Fat chance — VK]
Canada’s foremost Cryptocurrency exchange platforms. This is a private and confidential message from me to you and I request that it be treated as such. [Fat chance — VK]
I am contacting you in respect of an urgent issue regarding a bit coin wallet belonging to a deceased account holder. The Bit coin (925 BTC) which was valued at over 7.2 Million USD was sold and converted to cash at the request of the late account holder for onward deposit to an account to be advised by her. We waited for months for info on the bank account for the deposit but never got a feedback. upon [sic] inquiry, it was confirmed that she passed on after a cancer related ailment.
At a meeting held by my management on the matter, it was resolved that unless a Next of Kin or any relative comes forward for claim on or before 30th of August 2019 ( which I know would ordinarily not be possible) the whole funds would be converted back to Bit Coin and becomes part of the Company's portfolio.
With the above in mind, I decided to quickly reach out to you so that you can apply to my company for claim of this fund. Rest assured that this is a straight forward process and no risks involved whatsoever. Start to finish of the process with fund deposited in your nominated bank account can be achieved within a space of 5 banking days or less. All that I require from you is full corporation and sincerity.
I will await your reply and indication of interest to furnish you
with further details including sharing ratio.
with further details including sharing ratio.
Best Regards
Richie Lai