Showing posts with label scams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label scams. Show all posts

Thursday, 13 June 2019

Don't be taken in by heir hunting scams

I just received this scam email from the following address: aamendo @ comcast.net:

"Greetings,

"We wish to notify you again that your name was mentioned as heir to the sum of 750,000.00 sterling pounds. In the last testament of our deceased client name now withed. I and my Heir Hunters Debt Recovery Unit team of the detectives, we are assisting distant relatives of people who have died with or without making any official will.

"As the heir hunter's team of detective, the race is now on for us to track down the often distant relatives in line for a windfall. We came across your profile and email while searching through genealogy database. Note as the heir hunters our aim is to assist people claim their lost relative fortune instead of the government or Bank MDS to use the money to in enrich their treasury. Please send an acknowledgment email to enable us process your inheritance with all due verification process.

"I look forward to hearing from you.

"Representative

"Faithfully,

"Admin
"United Kingdom"


God loves a trier, but I know my luck! Don't be taken in.

There are many genuine heir hunting firms out there, benefiting a range of people who would never have known of any entitlement to an inheritance without them. There are also many fraudsters. One of the most prominent legitimate firms is Fraser and Fraser. I have no connection to them at all, nor am I looking for one (heir hunting is not something I have an interest in), but the following video produced by the firm, entitled How to Spot a Scam, is well worth sharing:



The video is also on YouTube at https://youtu.be/lpfQ1C126IE

Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Friday, 23 December 2011

Possible magazine scam

Peter Munro of Borders FHS has posted a piece on his blog about a suspicious phone call he received on Thursday on behalf of a magazine apparently calling itself Genealogy UK. Like Peter it is not a title I've heard of, so worth flagging up, in case it is a scam. Peter's post is at http://blog.bordersfhs.org.uk/2011/12/new-telephone-scam.html.

(With thanks to Peter)

Chris