Scam? Scam.

Got the following email:

From: Craig Smith <csmith@CRAIGSMITHLAW.NET>

Subject: FW: The Aretha Franklin Estate

Date: September 6, 2025 at 12:05:22 PM EDT

 

 

I am counsel for Edward Franklin in the Aretha Franklin Estate., Oakland County, MI.

Ed is the eldest competent child of Aretha, one of her 4 sons.

 

My local counsel is going to withdraw,  and I asap need new local counsel.

 

You may be aware, the heavy lifting, the Will Contest jury trial, and  hearing on construction of  the handwritten Will are completed.

 

We have a series of mop up one day or less hearings December 1, 8,  and then January and February scheduled.

I historically fly in for the in person hearings,  been at it since October 2018.

 

Any interest in being local counsel for Edward Franklin in the Aretha Estate?

Craig Smith

Craig Smith Law, LC

314 502-4465

As you might guess there's a whole lotta red flags with it.

Awfully informal and sent on a Saturday.

There is no website for the email address of the sender, and the domain is hidden behind a privacy setting.

While a Craig Smith was the attorney in the case, it is not the one allegedly from Missouri, which is where Craig Smith Law, LC actually is located, and that is the right phone number for that law firm, nut even the formatting for the phone number is off.

Not sure what the scam is or how it works, but the scammers are getting more inventive at least, it's at least more plausible than the email "need an attorney for a dredging contract and escrow" scam that I get at least once a month.