Ever wish you had a rich uncle you’d never met who left you millions? Well, scammers are banking on that fantasy — literally.
The Better Business Bureau® (BBB®) has flagged a wave of inheritance scam letters making the rounds in the U.S. and Canada. In just one week of September, nearly 100 reports came in from residents across 30 states and one Canadian province. Each letter claims the recipient shares a surname with a deceased “client” who left behind a life insurance policy worth over $10.8 million.
Here’s how it works:
the letter, supposedly from a law firm in Ottawa, Canada, promises that the multimillion-dollar inheritance will be split between you, the “lawyer,” and charity — with “no risk” to you. The documents look official, sometimes even borrowing the name of a real law firm and real lawyers (who have since posted disclaimers warning about the scam). But once you engage, you’ll eventually be asked to provide sensitive details or pay upfront “processing fees.”
Who’s being targeted?
Anyone with a mailbox, really. These letters are designed to cast a wide net — seniors, professionals, everyday consumers. The hook is simple: make you feel special, lucky, and just a signature away from life-changing wealth.
Why should you care?
Because while no major financial losses have been reported yet, inheritance scams are notorious for draining bank accounts, stealing identities, and leaving victims embarrassed and isolated. Scammers thrive on that initial moment of excitement before reality sets in.
Here’s how to protect yourself:
- Research any business or lawyer named in a suspicious letter.
- Watch for red flags like typos, vague language, or Gmail/Yahoo email addresses.
- Never share personal or banking details. Real estate executors already have this info.
- Don’t ever pay upfront fees — legal costs are handled from the estate itself.
- When in doubt, call your state’s attorney general or check with BBB before responding.
Quick Tip: Did you know? Most inheritance scams use the same script worldwide — the “lost relative” angle has been circulating for decades, just dressed up with new letterhead.
Pro Tip: If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Free money from strangers is a fairy tale scammers love to tell.
Stay safe, stay informed.
Keywords & Definitions
- Inheritance scam: A fraud where victims are told they’ve inherited money from a distant relative, but must provide personal info or pay fees to claim it.
- Better Business Bureau (BBB®): A nonprofit organization that helps consumers identify trustworthy businesses and warns about scams.
- Upfront fee fraud: A scam tactic where victims are asked to pay fees in advance for something (like an inheritance or lottery win) that doesn’t exist.
- Impersonation scam: When criminals pose as real businesses, lawyers, or officials to trick victims into trusting them.
- Red flag: A warning sign or indicator that something may be fraudulent or suspicious.
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