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A new spam email is circulating a Jeffrey Epstein-based money scam

May 14, 2020, 03:55 IST
Business Insider
This March 28, 2017, file photo, provided by the New York State Sex Offender Registry, shows Jeffrey Epstein.Associated Press
  • A new spam email is promising recipients 20% of $10,500,000 if they send over their personal information.
  • The email is supposedly from "Dave Dunham," a financial assistant to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died by apparent suicide on August 10, 2019.
  • The spammer claims that two days before he died, Epstein asked him to donate the $10,500 to a charity. The receiver of the email was promised $2 million to be the handler of the donation.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
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Spam emails use all kinds of stories to trick users into sharing their private information or money.

Some claim to be from the receiver's grandchild, who says they are being held hostage in a far-off land. Others claim they are from hackers who have gained access to embarrassing footage or photos — like a webcam video of the person watching porn.

A new email spam, though, is especially strange: it claims to be from a financial assistant of the accused sex trafficker and wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein.

"I am Dave Dunham, financial assistant to late Jeffrey Epstein Financier owner, an American billionaire who died recently in New York prison," the spam email said. "Two days before his death he instructed me to give $10,500,000 million dollars to an individual for charity work 20% will be for you that will handle the distribution and it should be kept confidential."

The email also said that Epstein warned the spammer that the transaction should remain "anonymous."

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"He also warned me to remain anonymous the public or the government should not be aware of this donation," it said.

Epstein died by apparent suicide on August 10, and a federal sex-trafficking case against him was later formally dismissed.

In July, the convicted sex offender was accused of molesting dozens of underage girls, but the case against the wealthy financier has been in the works for years. He had pleaded not guilty.

A Jeffrey Epstein-themed spam email.Haven Orecchio-Egresitz

The email from "Dunham," which Gmail properly marked as spam, included links to stories about Epstein's death and will in Sky News and New York Magazine.

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As is typical for spam emails, the note finished with a request for the recipient's full name, address, occupation, and telephone number.

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