Special Report: E-mail Scams

Email is a priceless necessity for many of us... but for one Brockton woman - it cost her every penny she owned.

Tara Manchester, E-mail scam victim
"I was told that two different family members of mine had passed away in another country and I had to pay so much in cash to get the documents to release the inheritance on both people."

Tara Manchester didn't hesitate to send money when she got this email, thinking she would inherit $7 million.

To her, the email was convincing, especially since she never knew her father.

Tara Manchester, E-mail scam victim
"I can't question anyone on that side of the family because I don't know them."

Over a span of months, she wired about $16,000 to a company in Toronto, Canada until her money ran out.

Tara Manchester, E-mail scam victim
"I have no money."

So the company offered to help her get a loan...

When she got this check for $9,400 she cashed it and wired the money to the company...only to find out the check was fake.

Now the bank wants her to pay them back

Tara Manchester, E-mail scam victim
"I don't even have money to live."

Brockton police along with other agencies are investigating - but may not get very far.

Detective William Conlon, Brockton Police Dept.
"It’s very difficult to get any inroads into these things because of privacy matters. You call money gram, they don't return calls, you call some banks they don't return calls, so where does that leave us?"

There were grammatical errors in the e-mail, and police say the information about the company was invalid or incorrect. Their best advice? Be wary of anyone requiring you to pay cash up front for an inheritance or prize.