Scammers are always at work, trying to find a new way to separate senior citizens from their money.
According to an August 10 consumer alert, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has received complaints about a new spin on one of the old classics. In this one, people get letters in the mail claiming to come from a law firm looking for the heir to a vast inheritance, and they think it might be you! (Bad news: it’s not.)
The fake law firm goes on to offer to split the inheritance with you — doesn’t sound like something an ethical law firm would suggest, does it? They’ll even throw some of the money to a few of their favorite charities — how generous! And all you need to do to make the magic happen is (a) keep all of this top secret, and (b) contact them via email immediately!
Big surprise: The letter isn’t from a law firm, and these mailings are sent by fraudsters. If you do what they want and reply to them with an email, the follow-up steps will be requests for your personal information — especially Social Security and bank account numbers. The “law firm” will probably suddenly remember some fees you’ll have to pay. If you pay those, there will be more. The story will be that all of these actions are somehow in your interest — to verify your identity and get a few pesky details out of the way so they can deliver the big money to you.
What Should You Do?
If you get one of these letters, don’t respond. Don’t send along any personal information and don’t send any money. Whether the request come via text, mail, phone or email, if a stranger promises you a big payout, it’s always a scam. (And unfortunately, the fraudsters are starting to figure out how to impersonate your loved ones, so you may have to be careful of that. It’s known as a “grandparent scam.”)
So hang onto your personal info and your wallet, and stay aware. Stay informed of the latest frauds that are going on, and share the information with family and friends.
Last of all, report any suspicious activity you get — any mail or communication that you think might be targeting you for a scam. And if you think you’ve been a scam victim (or nearly a victim)? Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.