Just wanted to alert everyone that there is a possible internet scam that is targetting people researching their family trees. 
I receved an e-mail purporting to be from a barrister in Nigeria searching for 'next of kin'. Alarm bells rang when I saw:
1) It had been sent from one e-mail address but the replies would go back to a different e-mail account
2) The person wanted to 'share equally' the money
3) Personal details were asked for.
Another curious thing is that the mail completely disappeared from my in-box & saved mail when I closed it down (luckily I had forwarded it on to my husband's e-mail account so I do have a different copy). Goodness knows if it has taken over my e-mail or computer or done something else nasty 
- so I thought I should warn people about it.
I could be wrong...but I think this is some kind of scam. Here is a copy of the e-mail text. Has anyone else been targetted like this?
Sharon Subj: Next of kin to your late relative Mr Clough,please do revert immediately.
Date: 29/11/2004 17:35:58 GMT Standard Time
From:
daviddada@atina.cl Reply-to:
david_dad01@yahoo.com Sent from the Internet (Details)
From:Barrister David Dada Esq (LLb,Bsc,Phd)
Solicitor & Public Notory-Service to Humanity
Suit 15 Independence Building Victoria Island,
Lagos--Nigeria
P.O.Box 1279 Marina
LAGOS-NIGERIA
Hello,
I am Barrister David Dada,the attorney at law to Mr Jim Clough, a nationale
of your country, who used to work with Emron Electrical Company in Nigeria.
Here in after shall be referred to as my client. On the 21st of April 2001,my
client, his wife and their Only Son were involved in a car accident along
Ibadan express-road. All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost their
lives.Since then I have made several enquiries to your embassy to locate
any of my clients extended relatives this has also proved unsuccessful.
After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to track his last
name over the Internet, to locate any member of his family hence I contacted
you.I have contacted you to assist in repatriating the money and property
left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared
unserviceable
by the bank here. These huge deposits were lodged Particularly,with the
"City Express Bank Plc" where the deceased had an account valued at about
$9.5million dollars.The bank has issued me a notice to provide the next
of kin or have the account confiscated. Since I have been unsuccessful in
locating the relatives for over 2 years now I seek your consent to present
you as the next of kin of the deceased since you have the same last name
so that the proceeds of this account valued at 9.5million dollars can be
paid to you and then you and i can share the money evenly and then part
will go to the dream of Jim which has been developing a social home for
the less previlage. I will
procure all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up for any
claim we may make.
What i need from you is to send me in your next mail,
1) YOUR FULL NAME
2) YOUR ADDRESS
3) YOUR AGE AND OCCUPATION
4) YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBERS WHERE I CAN REACH YOU AT ALL TIME
Please,make sure that all the information that you will be forwarding
to me are very correct because that will be what i will use to get all the
legal documents in your name for the transfer of fund to your account All
I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this deal through.I
guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that
will protect you from any breach of the law. Do feel free to ask questions
in what you do not understand in this letter in
your next mail as i wait positively to your response.
I remain ,
Barrister David Dada Esq
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Anyone out there with some bright ideas on what they are?