Someone Is Trying To Scam Money Using Danny Alexander's Name

The Lib Dem Treasury secretary's name is being abused by online scammers.

This is Danny Alexander, a senior member of the British cabinet. And now also a popular persona for online scam artists looking to empty your bank account.

PA Archive/Press Association Images Clive Gee

Danny Alexander, the Liberal Democrat Treasury secretary, spends his days fending off the SNP and making crucial spending decisions at the heart of government.

Which makes him the perfect persona if you're a would-be scammer looking to convince gullible fools into handing over their bank details so you can empty the lot and run away with a small fortune.

BuzzFeed News decided to see if there was any chance of accessing these supposed Treasury funds, so we tried emailing "Danny". We've put our favourite bits in bold.

This is how the exchange began.

FROM THE DESK OF CHIEF SECRETARY TO THE HM TREASURY.

Rt Hon Danny Alexander MP
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
HM Treasury
1 Horse Guards Parade
London SW1A 2HQ

Attn:

Sir,

Under the authority of HM TREASURY Executive Council/Parliament of UK, and my own capacity as the Chief Secretary to the Treasury/Director in charge of payment Hm Treasury, I hereby took liberty to address your good self on the above subject matter.

We got petition letter included death certificate tendered as your next of kin to divert your fund to account in Iran, and diversion of payments meant for foreign contractors in to their relative or friends account oversea living contractors perpetual penury.

This informed recent crucial Executive/Parliamentarian meeting held 11th February, 2014. The purpose of this meeting was to have critical look on several petitions, trace origin of levity or improper handling of payment procedures and to fashion out impressive way to effect payment of fund as envisaged in Government policy.

On the strength of the above, during council meeting has resolved to accede contractors demand to have their part payment of US$ 15,000,000.00 be paid process/release payments to contractors through HM TREASURY account with their paying bank in London as follow -- payment master list is been categorized AB & C and already provided for effective completion of transfer.

Furthermore, I am willing to assist you get this funds transfer to you hence you assure me you will compensate me as soon as you receive your funds in to your account, hence I am writing you from my private mail box, I must confess that I am interested in the transaction.

Await your urgent response.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,
Rt Hon Danny Alexander MP.
For and on behalf of Hm Treasury.

So we decided to get in touch and beg for some of this Treasury cash through our Lib Dem contact.

Dear Mr Rt Hon Danny Alexander Sir,

Hello I am a penniless scribe and am very interested in claiming my share of the money. It is a delight to receive such news!

Please inform me how to take part in the deal? What does this involve?

I have urgent need for the money in order to secure a long term economic plan for myself in order to build a fairer society for all.

Yours,

Jim Waterson

Suddenly "Danny Alexander" got back in touch. He was delighted, for he himself could not "be part to any cheap scam". But he needed an accomplice. (The person behind the scam appears to have left in their real name.)

isaac ayo wrote:
FROM THE DESK OF CHIEF SECRETARY TO THE HM TREASURY.
Rt Hon Danny Alexander MP
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
HM Treasury
1 Horse Guards Parade
London SW1A 2HQ
Direct Phone: [phone] [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Attn: Jim Waterson,
Sir,

I received your e-mail and it is good you know that in life, the willingness to know and help others makes one move forward in life. Happy are those who find joy in wanting to help others no matter what, the more one know and help others, the greater your mind consciousness. So, note that I find joy and happiness in helping people like you in distress over their unpaid funds.

Well, I am happily married with lovely children and cannot be part to any cheap scam; if I do my status is as stake here. So, note that I am just being of a help to see that you have a claim on your unpaid contract sum.

I have a file before me that contains the list of international contractors waiting for their unpaid contract funds, which your name happens to be among and I have been waiting for you to file in for the claim of the funds until recently someone that presented himself as your next of kin presented before my office a petition letter with your death certificate claiming that you are dead and as your next of kin that he wants the unpaid funds to be transfer immediately to his account in Iran.

I got your email contact from the file and decided to write immediately to confirm his claim, and failure to get an immediate reply from you would have resulted us acting upon his claim.

So, now that you have proven him wrong by replying to my email, meaning you are still very much alive. You are advised to furnish me with your current contact details. Also note that you have to stop any further communication with any other person(s) or office(s). This is to avoid any hitches in finalizing your payment soon as I receive the requested details below.

(1)Contact address:
(2)Tel/cell numbers:
(3)Occupation:
(4)Age:
(5)Marital Status:
{6}Company Name {If Any}:
{7}Nationality:

And a copy of your international passport/drivers license for my record purpose.

Good luck as I await your urgent reply.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Rt Hon Danny Alexander MP.
For and on behalf of Hm Treasury

We couldn't contain our excitement.

Dear Lord Alexander

My family has long said that one day a Lib Dem politician would contact me with a promise of both great love to all men and the means by which to pay off my university fees. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your indefatigable generosity.

I am happy to supply personal details, My employment history, my passport and details of my commitment to a fairer society in order to claim the money.

But I hope you understand I have one question, Dr Rt Hon Viscount Danny Alexander: I understand you are using your personal email address but do you have any way of showing it is definitely you? Do you have a photograph of yourself you could send? I am so sorry to ask but this is such a large sum of money and I do not want to increase my deficit.

Please, do not pay out the money to the man claiming next of kin. I will act urgently and am very keen to build a coalition between us.

Yours, Jim Waterson

At this point Danny's replies became a bit curt.

Send the details below.

Danny Alexander

We tried one last time.

Dear Lord Alex Dannyander,

Is there any money left?

Please send some proof of your identity and I will send you my details soonest.

I'm happy to be paid in either used £5 notes or unsold copies of the "Cleggmania 2010: Behind The Scenes UNCUT" DVD from the Lib Dem shop.

Onwards! Avance!

But that was the last we heard of the scammer pretending to be Danny Alexander.

If someone's attempted to access your bank details while pretending to be a member of the Lib Dem front bench, get in touch.