The letter comes unexpectedly and features an enticing opportunity for the recipient: A long-lost relative has passed away and left an inheritance that could be yours.
Beware of quick riches, though, as that letter is a trap. Better Business Bureau® (BBB®) has received numerous reports to BBB Scam Tracker in recent weeks from consumers all over North America about a letter they received alleging to be from an Ottawa, Ontario, Canada law firm. In less than a week’s time in mid-September, BBB received nearly 100 reports from consumers in 30 states and one Canadian province about a letter they received promising them riches.
Letters shared with BBB by consumers shared many of the same details, including this paragraph:
“I am reaching out to discuss a sensitive and significant matter concerning an unclaimed permanent life insurance policy from one of our late clients, Late Mrs. Maria (Last Name), who unfortunately passed away approximately four years ago due to Covid-19 complications. (Last name), a respected Stock Broker and Retired CPA, left behind a ‘Payable on Death’ (POD) savings account valued at approximately Ten Million Eight Hundred Thousand, Twenty United States Dollars ($10,800,020.00).”
The last name in the paragraph is tailored to match the last name of the recipient of the letter. The letter goes on to say that the “late client” has no close living relatives and their inheritance will be passed on to you based on your “significant surname similarity and shared nationality with the deceased.”
While these letters look real, scammers are very adept at faking official-looking documents. And it’s not uncommon for them to use the name of a real, trusted business to trick people into giving up their personal information or money – much like the law firm being impersonated in this case.
If you receive a letter like this, BBB recommends comparing it with the above text, and keeping an eye out for a few red flags that will tell you it’s a scam.
How can I avoid inheritance scams?
- Do your research. Look up the address from which the letter was sent. Scammers often imitate real businesses. Contact the business to see if they have knowledge of the letter or if any of those named in are employed there. Search online legal registries if a lawyer is named in the document.
- Notice the small details. If the letter you receive has grammatical errors or typos, that is a red flag. Also, be wary if you are asked to respond to a public domain email address like Gmail or Yahoo. Law firms will have their own email domain.
- Don’t give away any information. If you are asked to provide personal information, like your Social Security Number or banking information, it is a scam. When someone is leaving their estate to beneficiaries, they should already have the necessary information to distribute the inheritance.
- Never pay. You should never be asked to pay money upfront to receive an inheritance. Funds for legal fees should be deducted from the estate.
- Report the bad actors. If you receive a letter in mail that appears to be fraudulent, report it to BBB’s Scam Tracker and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
