From the Better Business Bureau of Central Florida
In Summary:
The Better Business Bureau Serving Central Florida is warning residents about a widespread inheritance scam targeting consumers nationwide. Scammers are sending personalized letters claiming recipients are entitled to millions from a deceased relative, often posing as real attorneys and directing victims to respond quickly. The BBB advises consumers to verify any claims, watch for red flags like typos or public email addresses, and never provide personal or financial information. Anyone who receives a suspicious letter is encouraged to report it to BBB’s Scam Tracker and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
The Better Business Bureau of Central Florida has a warning about an inheritance scam that has been reaching consumers nationwide.
So far, the Better Business Bureau has received 200 Scam Tracker reports concerning similar fake inheritance letters that are personalized, using the recipient's last name.
The letters entice consumers by claiming a relative who was a stockbroker passed away from COVID-19 four years ago, leaving over $10,000,000 in a savings account. They go on to explain that after 10% is given to charity, the law firm would split the remainder with the consumer, 50/50. Consumers are asked to respond within 30 days.
Related: Beware of the ‘fake relative’ scams ahead of the holidays.
Also, in an attempt to appear legitimate, the scammers are using the identities of real attorneys in the correspondence and on the imposter websites they created. The Better Business Bureau serving Central Florida contacted the actual attorney mentioned in the letter. He expressed frustration with the impostors, said he has contacted law enforcement, and is doing what he can to stop it.
BBB offers these tips on avoiding 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/Social Insurance 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.
If you receive a letter in the mail that appears to be fraudulent, report it to BBB's Scam Tracker and contact the United States Postal Inspection Service.
RESOURCES
Check out business complaints and reviews on BBB.org.
Go to BBB.org/ScamTracker to report a scam or to look up Scams near you.
ABOUT BBB: The Better Business Bureau has empowered people to find businesses, brands. and charities they can trust for over 110 years. In 2023, BBB Central Florida served 4.3 million BBB Business Profile inquiries regarding local businesses via our site at BBB.org. BBB Central Florida serves consumers and businesses in Brevard, Citrus, Lake, Levy, Marion, Polk, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia counties.
