Watch out, watch out - Mrs Wu is about!

I've just got back from holiday and find I have a letter from a Mrs. Grace Wu, who describes herself as a private investment banker. She tells me that somone with my surname instructed her to lodge $21 Million in some Chinese bank to be used for an investment in some business or other; and these funds were invested and have increased in value.

Several years later the Bank reported to her that the funds remained untouched and when she investigated further it turned out that the investor had only gone and got himself killed in a hiking accident in mainland China. Not only that - he died intestate and now Mrs. Wu wants to do a deal with me so that she and I can share these unclaimed million of dollars!!

Wahoooo!! I'm in the money - I'm in the money!!

Well, no, not exactly. She tells me that to save her getting into trouble all of this must remain confidential and I mustn't tell anyone about it - not even you who are reading this.

But I am telling you this because it is a scam. If you get such a letter, do NOT reply to it! Once she (if, indeed, it is a she at all) has your bank details you will be cleaned out of all the money in your bank account.

A quick look on the Internet will soon reveal many people with "the same surname" as you, and you and you have also invested $21 Million in some Chinese bank and died intestate, having died in a hiking accident in Mainland China (obviously a dangerous place to go hiking!).

The sad thing about these scam letters (and emails) is that these criminals work on the numbers game - if they send out enough of this drivel there will always be some gullible soul out there that will be taken in and will lose their hard earned cash to these vermin. Don't let it be you - and please warn your friends about this.