New email scam uses Enron's and Ken Lay's names

(9/08/07 - KTRK/HOUSTON) (KTRK) -- The Enron trials are over, Ken Lay has been laid to rest and Jeffrey Skilling is trying to get out of jail, but that is not stopping someone from using those names.

Most scams include the promise of big money and just enough details to get a victims attention. One email scam has a huge attention grabber. It includes some Houston names everyone knows.

Derek Meldrum knows a thing or two about details. He's been in the detailing business for years and it was the details of a recent email that got his attention.

"Some people might say,' hey, this might be legit, it has a certain person's name on it,'" said Derek Meldrum of Deer Park.

The email is a classic scam with a new twist.

It reads, "My name is Michelle Kristine Kraiser, I am the confidential secretary to Mr. Ken lay, Enron founder."

It goes on to say ken lay deposited 37 million British pounds, about $60 million, into a British account. And reads "I alone have the pin code"

It asks for names and other personal information, if you agree, you can get a share of the money.

"That's what was part of the red flag for me, they are wanting info that you should not be given out," said Meldrum.

Meldrum is right to be skeptical, but others may not be. To make it appear real, the email includes several links to legitimate web sites that detail the Enron story.

"These people are trying to give it any sort of legitimacy they can find," said Deana Turner with the Houston Better Business Bureau.

The Houston Better Business Bureau says any email from someone you do not know that claims to have access to millions and asks you for personal information should be deleted immediately. Turner has no doubt about who is sending the Ken Lay emails.

"They are always looking for the newest twist, I'm sure that is going to go back to the same old people that were doing the same old Nigerian scams," Turner said.

It can't be said enough, any time you get an email from someone you don't know asking for money, delete it.

To see the emails go to The Consumer Blog.
(Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV)

div.feedburnerFeedBlock p.feedTitle a, div.feedburnerFeedBlock p.feedTitle a:hover, div.feedburnerFeedBlock p.feedTitle a:visited {color: #000; font-weight: bold;} div.feedburnerFeedBlock span.headline {font-weight: bold;} div.feedburnerFeedBlock li {margin-bottom: 10px;} #creditfooter {display: none;}

Get more News »

• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•