Aylesbury resident urges people to be on their guard after receiving scam letter

The man, who we have agreed not to name, received the letter in the post from a man who claims to be the manager of a bank in Hong Kong.

We have changed the names used in the letter but it otherwise reads as follows:

“This letter is posted on my behalf by a friend who is travelling to United Kingdom.

“I contact you regarding the funds of a deceased client with surname of Parker under our management.

“I respectfully request that you keep the information in this letter confidential between both of us.

“I contact to you independently and no one knows of this communication.

“In 2004, a client by the name of Mr Fred Parker set up an investment with our private banking division.

“He had a portfolio of 11 million US dollars which he requested us to invest.

“The money was invested and made good margins, the accrued sum stood at almost 12 million US dollars at this point.

“In 2005, he instructed that the initial sum be liquidated because he was making an investment requiring cash payment in Beijing.

“We contacted a specialist bank on the mainland who agreed to receive this money and make cash available to Mr Fred Parker.

“However, the bank communicated last year that this money has not been claimed.

“On enquiry, I found that Mr Fred passed away in Jiangxi.

“He has no next of kin and I have been searching through heir tracers and the reason I am writing to you is because you have the same surname.

“I have access to his file so what I plan is that I insert paper work that make you the beneficiary of these funds.

“The bank will have to contact you because you are the legal beneficiary.

“On verification which will be the details I make available to my bank, the other bank will be instructed to make payments to you.

“Please trust me, this is 100% achievable.

“For all your effort I propose that we split the money into half.

“The alternative is that the money will go to the Government.

“Nobody gets hurt: this is a very good opportunity for us.

“I would like us to have communication by my above telephone and email.

“Please do not let down my confidence, I am a family man but I know in life you have to take any available chance to succeed.

“If we can be in understanding we should act quick on this.”

The recipient of this letter told the Herald: “I have no idea how they got my address.

“I knew straight away it was a scam but an elderly or vulnerable person could believe it.”