A new twist on an email scam is using a photograph of a mother and her children to persuade people to part with their personal details, after they are promised large sums of money in return.
The woman in the photo is said to be a multi-millionaire from overseas and victims are asked to help this person collect untold riches they have accrued. People who believe the story have given sensitive information about themselves to the fraudsters, who have gone on to empty these victims’ bank accounts.
Watch out for fake evidence
In this scam, the fraudsters have been using a number of props to make victims believe the opportunity is genuine. This includes the family photo and a certificate from a London-based financial depository, intended to convince victims the money they’ve been promised is being held there.
Anyone who receives an email like this should forward it to Action Fraud’s email address for forwarding scam mail: email@actionfraud.org.uk
Do not respond to emails such as these and remember that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Read more about the happy family scam on Wandsworth Council’s website.
Please note: Action Fraud is not responsible for the content on external websites.
To report a fraud, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use our online fraud reporting tool.
