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  • Geebo 8:00 am on May 27, 2025 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , unclaimed money   

    Million-Dollar Inheritance Scam 

    Million-Dollar Inheritance Scam

    By Greg Collier

    A recent attempted scam out of Canada serves as a reminder that the promise of a surprise inheritance is usually more fiction than fact. The setup had all the hallmarks of a well-planned con: a letter from a foreign attorney, a sizable estate left behind by a deceased woman who shared a surname with the recipient, and a convincing narrative involving court filings, insurance policies, and official documents. But it was all a lie.

    The person who received the letter saw through it immediately and was never in danger. But others may not be as fortunate. These scams are often aimed at people who are either unfamiliar with how to vet such claims or who are in a desperate situation where even the faintest promise of a windfall can seem like a lifeline. The emotional appeal is deliberate. Scammers understand how to exploit both financial need and human greed.

    In this case, the supposed law firm that sent the letter did not exist. The lawyer named on the documents is not listed with the Canadian Bar Association. The firm’s website was only recently registered and traced to Malaysia. The deceased woman’s death certificate could not be verified through any official channels. The address provided for her residence was actually that of an assisted living facility, and the office location for the lawyer turned out to be a strip mall storefront. Even the judge’s signature was fraudulent, as the real judge had retired prior to the date on the document.

    Scams like this hinge on creating just enough legitimacy to fool someone into handing over their personal information. The fraudsters often mix truth with fiction, using real names and plausible addresses to lower suspicion. The next step usually involves asking for banking details or a “processing fee” to unlock the inheritance. Once that happens, it’s the victim’s money that vanishes, not an imaginary estate that appears.

    These inheritance claims are rarely, if ever, real. Large unclaimed estates without a clear heir are extremely uncommon, and when they do occur, the process for claiming them is handled through official probate courts, not unsolicited letters or emails. Most of the time, if an heir cannot be located, the estate is absorbed by the government after a thorough legal process.

    It’s tempting to believe in a sudden fortune falling from the sky, especially when the story is polished enough to seem true. But the sad reality is that scams like this one continue to work because they are engineered to manipulate emotions and cloud judgment. If something seems like a gift from nowhere, it almost certainly comes with a price.

    And when no legitimate heir can be found, the money doesn’t go to the person who answers a mysterious letter. It goes to the state, not to a stranger willing to fabricate a connection. So no matter how convincing the story sounds, it’s always better to walk away than be taken in.

     
  • Geebo 8:00 am on March 12, 2024 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , unclaimed money,   

    Postcards promising unclaimed cash used in scam 

    Postcards promising unclaimed cash used in scam

    By Greg Collier

    Unclaimed property refers to any financial asset or property that has been abandoned or left dormant by its rightful owner for an extended period of time. This could include dormant bank accounts, uncashed paychecks, unused gift certificates, forgotten security deposits, unclaimed insurance proceeds, or even abandoned safe deposit boxes.

    When a person or business fails to take action on these assets for a certain period of time, the property is considered abandoned or unclaimed. State laws require financial institutions, businesses, and other entities to turn over unclaimed property to the state’s unclaimed property office, where they hold it until the rightful owner comes forward to claim it.

    States have various ways of trying to locate and return unclaimed property to its rightful owners, including maintaining searchable online databases, sending notifications to potential owners, and conducting outreach campaigns.

    What these states don’t do is send out postcards falsely claiming you have unclaimed money redeemable at retailers like Walmart or Target, as recently experienced by many Florida residents.

    Numerous Sunshine State residents received such postcards in their mailboxes, offering a $100 voucher valid at popular retailers. Mirroring typical scams, these postcards urged recipients to act swiftly, warning that the voucher would expire soon.

    Recipients are supplied with a phone number to claim their reward, which the notice states can be redeemed at major retailers such as Target and Walmart. Upon calling, individuals are prompted to provide personal information under the guise of confirming their identity.

    A Florida resident recounted calling the number and being prompted to disclose her date of birth. However, upon the request for credit card information by the individual on the other end, she promptly terminated the call.

    In the United States, there is typically no charge associated with searching for or claiming unclaimed property. However, there are third-party consultants who may offer their assistance in locating and claiming unclaimed property for a fee.

    These third-party services are generally legal, but you should be cautious before entering into a contract with any third-party organization that contacts you to assist in claiming your unclaimed property. This caution is necessary to avoid potential scams.

    If you receive unsolicited correspondence such as a letter, phone call, or email from an unfamiliar source, exercise caution. Legitimate companies typically refrain from contacting individuals in this manner unless prior permission has been granted.

     
  • Geebo 9:00 am on January 6, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , unclaimed money,   

    Unclaimed property scam making the rounds again 

    Unclaimed property scam making the rounds again

    Every once in a while, you might see a news report about unclaimed property in your state. The stories usually recommend you check with your state’s treasury department to see if you have any unclaimed property. Usually, this property is money from old bank accounts you may have forgotten about or a small inheritance you may not have been aware of. You may think to yourself that you’d probably remember any bank accounts or inheritances, but you may be surprised what you find when you check with your state. That’s not to say that everyone will have unclaimed property when they check with their state. However, scammers may try to convince you otherwise.

    In the state of Kansas, the Treasury Department there is warning residents about an unclaimed property scam that’s been going around. Scammers have been sending text messages telling residents that they have unclaimed property with the state. As with most text messaging scams, the texts contain a link where you can supposedly claim your property. This is a trick designed to get your personal information. If you click on the link you’ll be asked to input your personal information for ‘verification purposes’. If you do input your information you will more than likely have your identity stolen.

    There is another ploy that also uses unclaimed property as its motivator. Some people will go through the state’s records of unclaimed property holders. They’ll then contact the inheritor unsolicited to let them know that they have unclaimed property with the state. They’ll claim to act on your behalf to procure you those funds for a fee, of course. This may not be illegal per se, but if you make the claim with the state yourself there is no fee involved.

    A good resource to use on how to check for unclaimed funds is the USA.gov website. Good luck on your hunt but don’t be taken in by those who would give you false promises.

     
  • Geebo 8:00 am on July 2, 2020 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: freedom to breathe card, Global Empowerment Fund, , , , , , unclaimed money   

    Government impersonation scams 

    Government impersonation scams

    Recently, we’ve heard of three new scams where the scammers are impersonating either the federal or state government. Scammers often imitate various government agencies in order to make their pitch seem more authentic. However, the impersonations are never perfect.

    The Federal Trade Commission is warning citizens about an email phishing scam that is using the agency’s name. The emails claim that you’re eligible to receive funds from the “Global Empowerment Fund” due to the current pandemic. All you need to do to get the money is to provide your bank account information and the money will appear in your account. While the FTC hasn’t said if anyone has fallen for this scam, it’s a safe bet to assume that your bank account will be drained rather than receive extra funds if you were to provide your banking details.

    With the current controversy over whether or not you should wear a mask to stop the spread of coronavirus, scammers are selling cards that claim to make someone exempt from having to wear a mask. The idea is that you present this card to a business that requires the wearing of masks and you’ll be allowed in without a mask. The card claims amnesty under the Americans with Disability Act and has a fake Department of Justice logo. While these cards may appear official they have no legal authority and no business is required to abide by them.

    Lastly, we have a scam on the state government level. In Michigan, residents there are reporting receiving text messages that claim to be from the state. The messages say that they can reunite the recipient with unclaimed property. The messages then provide a link for you to click on. As always, you should never click on links in text messages from someone you don’t know. Now, unclaimed property is something that most states hold on to. However, in most cases, you have to pursue the state to claim any such assets. Usually, you can start the process through a state website. Very rarely will the state contact you and if they do they wouldn’t do it by text message. If you receive a text like this the best thing to do is delete it.

     
  • Geebo 8:00 am on October 22, 2019 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , unclaimed money   

    Do you really have unclaimed money? 

    Do you really have unclaimed money?

    Occasionally, you might read or hear a news report stating that you should check with your state’s government to see if you have unclaimed funds. For whatever reason, you may have some money owed to you by the state. Sometimes it may be a bank account that you’ve forgotten about or it may be a small inheritance that you were totally unaware of. For some of us, it’s the dream to find out that we’re due an unexpected windfall to possibly help us out of our current financial situations. As usual, there are people looking to take advantage of that dream.

    Once again the Better Business Bureau has been receiving complaints about a scam promising unclaimed funds to its victims. It starts out like most scams. You’ll receive some kind of call, mailer, email, or social media message telling you that you have some kind of unclaimed money due to you. All you have to do is call this number and hand over all your personal information in the guise of ‘identity confirmation’. You’ll also be told that you only have a few days to claim your money. However, this is all a plot to steal your personal information for identity theft. That’s not to say that funds can’t be claimed.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5V1fCXdig0%5D

    You can check with local or state governments to see if there are unclaimed funds in your name. These services are free so don’t pay any money to services who try to charge you. A good resource to use on how to check for unclaimed funds is the USA.gov website. Good luck on your hunt but don’t be taken in by those who would give you false promises.

     
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