An inheritance scam gone right feels like a lottery win, of course for the scammers. The scammers use many approaches.
For example as the target, you receive a call or online communication that you have just been named as a next of kin to a deceased person. The communication informs you that they are contacting you to help you with the inheritance.
How Inheritance Scams Work
Most scammers have their plan laid out with ways on how to get perfect prey. You can receive a letter, a call, or an email. It will consist of a company with similar logos or appearances to a legal entity like a government agency or known company. But the address or contact details will be different.
For example, you might be informed that you have been named as the next of kin for some 30 million dollars. In most cases, this is a distant relative who you never knew existed. They will then ask for personal information such as bank information to deposit the money once processed. Before you know it, they will start asking for small processing fees like $20 then advance to more significant amounts like $500 for administrative fees or taxes. Who will mind $500 for a payout of 30 million dollars? Many might not mind.
Warning signs of inheritance scams
Here are some of the warning signs of inheritance scams:
- Requests for personal information that varies from home address, bank information, and identification documents. They will need to prove your identity by asking for your Social Security Number and your National Identity details to confirm your next of kin legitimacy.
- Requests to not involve others persons to avoid substantial tax payouts or disputes on the inheritance. It helps them not have too much attention.
- Requests to send processing fees or money to settle taxes or payout people involved like the attorneys. Always note that legitimate authorities will never advise you to evade taxes or pay them on your behalf.
- In most cases, it’s always a matter of urgency, to make you follow their guidelines without due diligence.
- The calls sound awkward, and emails have mismatched addresses. Always be keen to confirm the details of the contact. If you receive a call, for example, claiming they are calling from a government agency, hang up and call directly the listed contact details of the claimed agency. If it’s a scam, inform them that you received a call with a specific contact claiming to be them.
Avoiding Inheritance Scams
Never be misled to engage the scammers pausing as helpers. You should report to the necessary authorities. Report this to authorities and reach out to your bank to help you secure your account before the scammers can get away with your money considering you have already given them crucial information.
We all would like to have an inheritance come our way. But it will never come from nowhere; you must be able to know if at all there is some inheritance you are expecting from somewhere. And as the popular saying goes, there is nothing like free lunch. So no one is just going to pop up and give you $30 million from nowhere. And if at all you have a legit inheritance coming your way, there are clear procedures to get this done. Please follow the proper legal proceedings alongside consultation with approved financial consultants. Get help from legal firms that are publicly vetted by the government.
Have you been scammed in Denmark, Europe, or indeed anywhere? Please Contact Scam Help if you have lost your funds to scammers. Let’s work together and help you to start recovering your lost funds.
