Thatcher husband decoy in email scam

"We are attorneys and executors to the estates of the late Sir Denis(sic) Thatcher, first Baronet and the husband to the longest serving prime minister in British history," the email claims. "He died at the ripe age of 88 yrs (May 10, 1915 - June 26, 2003) we are contacting you because you are listed as a beneficiary in the estates of the late Sir Denis Thatcher."

To claim the money recipients are asked to divulge bank details, personal information and contact numbers.

"Scammers are constantly trying to dupe computer users into divulging sensitive information with the promise of big money," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at computer security company Sophos. "Using the late Sir Denis Thatcher's name is a sick trick designed to entice the unwary into falling for the scam."

In January SC reported scammers cashing in on fundraising efforts in aid of the Asian tsunami disaster. Emails distributed by zombie networks of compromised computers were being used to send emails falsely purporting to be from groups working to raise money.

www.sophos.com