ASIC today warned consumers about a new scam using the name of an ASIC officer and fake ASIC stationery to act as if from ASIC.

The letter or email requests up-front payment and copies of personal documents in exchange for access to a substantial overseas inheritance. The scam appears to be what is known as a ‘Nigerian scam’.

ASIC Commissioner Peter Kell said, ‘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.

‘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’, said Mr Kell.

For more information on Nigerian and other scams see the ACCC’s SCAMwatch webpage about money transfer requests.

Visit our MoneySmart website to report a scam