Good evening, I am reaching out to the community to see if anyone, has seen this type of scam, or any other information on it.
My mother (who feel for publisher clearing house scams and Other scams in the past, I had to step in to stop it) Got a call the other day from a genealogist say she was commission by the navy to look up a sailor (clamed he was PO2 in the Navy) that was KIA during WW2 in 1944. The “genealogist” clamed my mother is the last remaining relative of this person and want to to send out a DNA Kit to my mother, her brother and sister (my aunt and uncle), and if they are a match they want to give his remains (from 1944 I guess) military funeral in my mom’s Home state, all paid for and my family will be the guess of honor or something like that. The “genealogist” had info on my mom’s family and links this person has her 3rd cousin. Granted most of the info she had you can get from public records with time and digging. also the person that was KIA you can look up on the internet and get public information on him. My mom also talked with a person form the “Navy” about sending out a DNA test.
I am sure we are all seeing the red flags and saying “this is a Scam”. I will say this is a new scam but looks like a modern version of you have a rich log lost nigari Prince that left you money scam."
As I am 16 year USCG Vent, and have 10+ years work in I.T. for DHS and DoD, I now how the Navy would process KIA enlist member, and not wait 80 years to do it.
right now I am asking my mom to send me the phone number and names of the "Navy " rep, and “genealogist” so I can preform some OSNIT. once I am sure this is a scam I will be sure to post the information in the scam form
I just want to see if anyone else has come across this, so far no money was asked for or PII was given over. “so my mom told me” I feel the scammer are still in the building trust phase.
and yes I told my mom, this is a scam, but to was told by the genealogist that this is real, and not a scam.
What is a son to do?