<prompt> Human: My family member, he, sent me a letter saying he is on a board of trustees and has the power to name one person as a beneficiary and that I could start receiving payments as early as December. To do this, I would need to send a hand written letter to an address, addressed to him but states away from where he lives that includes my name, address, and social security number. When I called to ask what this trust was for, how much money, where the money was coming from, etc., he said as a trustee I have fiduciary responsibility so I cannot disclose any information and you are not in a position to receive any information. His letter also said the board of trustees would be checking on me annually to make sure my actions and lifestyle are legal and ethical, and if found not to be the certificate of beneficiary would be taken away. He is a good person, and him and his wife took me in while I was struggling in college, but this sounds so shady to me. And I might trust him, but what about this board of trustees? Edit: I texted him and told him that I was advised to at least look at the trust documents, if not also speak to the attorney who prepared them. His response was this: The advice you received is flawed. If you get a lawyer and they put this advice on paper with the firms letter head and sign it, you may have legal recourse, if you made your decision on it, when you find out how much loss you have incurred by not having a Certificate of Beneficial Interest issued to you. Right now you have no rights YOU are NOT a Certificate holder, I have no other information for you. That is your decision.Assistant: This certainly sounds like a phishing scam, which means a way for someone to steal personal information from you.If this is a family member can you just verify this through your family, i.e. ask other people in your family if they know him?You can ask him for a copy of the trust documents, or the name of the lawyer that prepared them, and check them that way.Human: I texted him and told him that I was advised to at least look at the trust documents, if not also speak to the attorney who prepared them. His response was this: The advice you received is flawed. If you get a lawyer and they put this advice on paper with the firms letter head and sign it, you may have legal recourse, if you made your decision on it, when you find out how much loss you have incurred by not having a Certificate of Beneficial Interest issued to you. Right now you have no rights YOU are NOT a Certificate holder, I have no other information for you. That is your decision.  <response>: Ive talked to scammers who email just like that, especially after you start getting suspicious. 