31 Jan Beware of inheritance scams
Please be aware and vigilant against scammers. There are several ‘law firm’ scams used by fraudsters. One of these is an inheritance or Will scam. It starts with an email, letter or social media message which claims you are entitled to a large inheritance from a distant relative. Often referred to as a ‘phishing scam’, it is used to extract personal information from the recipient. The sender may also pretend to be a banker, financial advisor or other official representative.
The inheritance scam
Individuals have reported receiving emails from our firm, whereby the ‘solicitor’ claims to be acting for a client who has died without any direct beneficiaries. The emails go on to say that the person being contacted has been identified as a long lost relative and is owed an inheritance worth millions of pounds.
Usually false names and email addresses are used, but sometimes they may even use the names of real professionals. At first glance it may seem convincing.
If you receive any ‘out of the blue’ messages from our firm purporting to have traced you as the beneficiary of the estate of a wealthy long lost relative, it is highly likely that this is a scam. Please do not reply to the message. Instead email us info@hrjforemanlaws.co.uk for the attention of the Wills, Trusts & Probate team. They will be able to verify the communication. If it is proved to be a scam message, you should block the sender and delete the message.
How does the scam work?
If you search online, you will find many examples and variations of this type of scam, but in essence the goal of the first email is usually to verify the email address (they will have sent it to a large number of people). If you reply, they now know there is a real person on the other side.
They may follow up with some attachments, which contain malware to gain access to your computer. Eventually they will ask you to pay a ‘small’ administration fee to cover the transfer costs of the inheritance money. They may also ask you to provide formal identification such as a birth certificate. By now they have all the personal details about you they need, including your bank details. So instead of sending you money, they will remove all the money from your account, or use your details for identity fraud.
Protect yourself from inheritance scams
Like any form of ‘scam’ or phishing email, it’s important to be vigilant. And in the case of the inheritance scam, if it seems too good to be true, it usually is.
Please never make any form of payment, provide bank details or any other personal details via email to someone you do not know or trust.
Look carefully at the “from” address to check if it’s legitimate and matches the official email format of the real company. Scam emails usually have a typo and look slightly different, or they will be from a free email platform such as Gmail or Hotmail.
Do not reply until you are certain the email is genuine.
Never open email attachments or click on hyperlinks from an unknown sender.
Research the purported firm using the names, contact details or words used in the message you have received. You may find something similar has already been reported and verified as a scam. You should then block the sender and delete the message.
If you are the victim of fraud or cybercrime contact Action Fraud. It is the UK’s national fraud and internet crime reporting centre.
You may also find some of these charities and support groups helpful. They are listed on the Metropolitan police website.
For legal advice
- Email info@hrjforemanlaws.co.uk
- Call Hitchin 01462 458711 or Welwyn Garden City, 01707 887700
- Complete our contact form here