A “Barrister Douglas Galbi” has been sending out emails seeking “assistance in repartrating [sic] the fund valued US$14.5 M, left behind by my Late client.” The emails identify the client with a specific name related to that of the person to whom the particular email is sent. These emails look to me like a classic Internet scam with a social-engineering component.
While I’m Douglas Galbi, I am not the Douglas Galbi who is the purported author of these emails. Two persons have contacted me thus far regarding these emails. One person has filed a report with Ripoff Report. I’m somewhat suspicious of these emails being a setup for a reputation-management scam. The Internet can support a scam within a scam within a scam, to unlimited depth. The possibilities are simply awe-inspiring.
Globally free Internet communication creates a whole new world in which to try to maintain a good name. Economic analysis suggests that identity theft deserves a higher priority in public spending on safety and security. But just as with cybersecurity, in new circumstances problems should be considered in new ways.
Having a lot of non-fraudulent information available can help you to recognize fraudulent information. I’ve created much work under my name on the Internet. I’m exposed on the Internet in ways that others wouldn’t want to be. Years of my volunteer work are unprofitable to me for reasons that should be apparent and that go far beyond none of it containing advertisements. You may reasonably judge that I’m crazy. I say that I’m having fun. In any case, I hope that you can recognize that I’m not “Barrister Douglas Galbi” and that I wouldn’t solicit you for a financial scam.