D E P A R T M E N T O F T H E AT T O R N E Y G E N E R A L
News Release
NEIL ABERCROMBIE
GOVERNOR
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
DAVID M. LOUIE RUSSELL A. SUZUKI
ATTORNEY GENERAL FIRST DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL
Phone: (808) 586-1500
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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For Immediate Release: July 11, 2012 News Release 2012-20
ATTORNEY GENERAL WARNS PUBLIC OF E-MAIL SCAM
HONOLULU – The Department of the Attorney General is investigating an ongoing
e-mail scam in which the sender falsely claims to represent the State of Hawaii
Unclaimed Property Branch (UPB). The email claims to be written by Department of
Budget & Finance (B&F) Director Kalbert Young, and solicits personal financial
information.
The State of Hawaii does not send e-mail solicitations regarding unclaimed
property. If you receive such an e-mail, it is fraudulent, and should not be
trusted. DO NOT respond or provide any personal information in response to the
fraudulent solicitations.
In this particular e-mail scam, the sender claims to be an employee of the UPB.
The message informs the recipient that he or she is an heir to the estate and property of
a deceased relative. The e-mail instructs the recipient to either fax or e-mail personal
information so that the process to record ownership of the property can begin. In a
number of instances, the e-mails list Director Young as the writer. The scam is
sophisticated in that it also provides a form that has the State of Hawaii seal, but does
not match any form that is currently used or offered by the UPB.
The majority of inquiries provided to B&F come from mainland and not local
residents. However, since the method of solicitation is via e-mail and referencing a
Hawaii-based program, we cannot be certain that Hawaii residents have not been
solicited. Also, since the method of solicitation is via e-mail, we also cannot be certain
where the perpetrators are based.
“Someone who is claiming to be me is scamming a number of individuals,”
said B&F Director Young. “We want the public to know about this scam to
prevent anyone from being taken advantage of by this clearly illegal activity.”
News Release 2012-20
Attorney General Warns Public of E-mail Scam
Page 2
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“A person engaging in this conduct has committed a felony,” added
Attorney General David Louie. “Anyone committing this crime will be prosecuted
to the fullest extent of the law and may be charged with offenses such as identity
theft, computer fraud, and any and all other applicable criminal violations.”
People who have been solicited as part of this scam can assist the developing
investigation by providing copies of any and all direct communications they have
received. This includes e-mail, faxes, and records of telephone conversations.
Members of the public who think they may be a victim of this scam, may contact the
Department of Budget & Finance – Unclaimed Property Branch directly at
(808) 586-1589.
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For more information, contact:
Joshua Wisch
Special Assistant to the Attorney General
(808) 586-1284
joshua.a.wisch@hawaii.gov
http://hawaii.gov/ag/
