This is an excerpt from a real scammer’s e-mail: “Public records indicate that $3,226,519 of unclaimed money has been turned over to the State of California for distribution.

Potentially an amount of money from this fund belongs to you. For instructions and your UMC Form (Unclaimed Money Collection Form) return this form along with a $20 check to: Asset Recovery, PO Box,….”. This could come to your inbox, tailored to the country you’re living in.

How to avoid: although it sounds tempting, that’s not how things work with unclaimed money, wherever your country might be.